Advaita Vedanta (Skt. अद्वैत वेदांत) is the non-dual school of vedanta philosophy, teaching that brahman (ultimate reality) and atman (the self) are identical. On the path of knowledge, the term 'advaita' (non-dual) refers to the understanding that there is only one existence the experiencer and experience are one, not two separate realities.

It is considered as one of the most advanced philosophies ever created by humans. It is very ancient and well known.

Teachings

• The word advaita means 'not two' it points to the non-dual nature of reality where subject and object are not separate.

• The state which is non-dual, independent of the states of the mind, is called turiya (the fourth), which is the ground of all other states.

• In Advaita Vedanta, brahman is described as sat-chit-ananda (existence-consciousness-bliss).

• The world (maya) is seen as an appearance not unreal, but not ultimately real either, like a dream or a wave on the ocean.

The Path of Knowledge

• The Path of Knowledge is the primary method of Advaita Vedanta using inquiry, discrimination, and logic to realize one's true nature.

• The famous Advaita mahavakya 'Tat Tvam Asi' (That Thou Art) corresponds to the realization: 'I am not any experience I am the Experiencer.'

• Neti neti (not this, not this) is the Advaita method of negating all experiences to arrive at the Experiencer.

Related Concepts

Non-duality, brahman, atman, turiya, neti neti, existence, experiencer, vedanta