🌸 The Heart of Non-Dualism

The word Advaita means “not two”. Vedānta means “the end of the Vedas” — the highest wisdom found in the Upaniṣads.

Together, Advaita Vedānta declares a profound truth:
Brahman alone is real. The world is temporary. The individual self is not separate from Brahman.

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🕊️ The Core Ideas of Advaita

1. Brahman — The Ultimate Reality

• Infinite, eternal, formless consciousness.
• Beyond name, form, time, and space.
• The source of everything, yet untouched by change.

2. Ātman — The True Self

• The essence of who we are.
• Not the body, not the mind, but pure awareness.
• Ātman is none other than Brahman.

3. Māyā — The Illusion of Separation

• The world appears real but is ever-changing.
• Just as a rope may appear to be a snake in the dark, we mistake the transient for the eternal.
• Māyā makes us feel separate from Brahman.

4. Liberation (Moksha)

• When ignorance (avidyā) is removed, the truth of oneness is realized.
• Liberation is not going somewhere else — it is awakening to what has always been true.

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📖 Shankaracharya’s Contribution

In a time when Hinduism was fragmented and challenged by Buddhism and Jainism, Ādi Shankaracharya gave Advaita Vedānta clear shape:

• Wrote commentaries on the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahmasūtras (Prasthāna-traya).
• Composed texts like Vivekachūḍāmaṇi and hymns like Bhaja Govindam.
• Taught that knowledge (jñāna), guided by a guru, is the direct path to liberation.

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🌍 Advaita in Daily Life

• In relationships: Seeing others as not separate reduces anger and jealousy.
• In challenges: Remembering that the self is beyond success and failure brings peace.
• In spirituality: Every act can be a reminder of unity with the divine.

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✨ Closing Reflection

Advaita Vedānta is not only a philosophy — it is a vision of life. It says:
You are not limited, weak, or separate. You are one with the infinite.

In the words often attributed to Shankaracharya:
“Brahman is real, the world is an illusion, and the self is Brahman alone.”