UNIVERSITY ALEXANDRU IOAN CUZA - IAI FACULTY OF ORTHODOX THEOLOGY DOCTORAL SCHOOL

Summary PhD Thesis

VEDANTIC NON-DUALISM. METAPHYSICS AND MYSTICISM IN THE THOUGHT OF AKARA

Scientific coordinator: Prof. Dr. Fr. NICOLAE ACHIMESCU PhD candidate: DURA IOAN

2012

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION Argument and research objectives Relevance in the context of current research topic Framework of the paper briefly Methods and approach used CHAPTER I - SANKARA AND RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY OF NON-DUALISM IN VEDANTA 1.1. Vedanta - the philosophical-religious paradigm of Atman-Brahman identity 1.2. Adi Sankaracarya - life and work 1.2.1. Biographical references on the life of Sankara 1.2.2. Sankara`s work - a monument of Vedantic religious thought 1.3. Advaita - conceptual clarifications 1.4. Philosophy of non-dualism in Eastern religions - a comparative approach 1.4.1. Negation of dualistic thinking in Mahayana Buddhism 1.4.2. Non-plurality of world in Daoism 1.4.3. Non-duality of subject-object in Advaita Vedanta 1.5. Vedantic Non-dualism (advaita), dualism and monism philosophical parameters CHAPTER II - BRAHMAN EKAM-EVA-ADVITYAM - THE METAPHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE OF AKARA ABOUT ONE-WITHOUT-A-SECOND 2.1. Brahman - Ultimate Reality in the Upanishads 2.1.1. Etymological explanations of the term Brahman 2.1.2. Antinomic nature of Brahman in Prasthnatray (Upanishads, Bagavad-Gita and Brahma-Sutras) 2.1.3. Brahman-Atman identity - fundamental thesis in Upanishads 2.1.4. Two "apologetic moments" in the development of term Brahman in Sankara`s Advaita 2.1.5. Brahman: the Ultimate Reality or Absolute? 2.2. Brahman Ekam-eva-advityam - the thesis of non-dualism in Vedanta 2.2.1. Ekam-eva-advityam: the equation of non-duality 2.2.1.1. One and multiple: the analogy of sun`s reflection in water - Brahma-Sutra-Sankara-Bhasya III.2.18 2.2.1.2. One and multiple: the analogy of magic projections analogy - Brahma-Sutra-Sankara-Bhya II.1.9 2.2.2. Ekam eva-advityam or criticism of difference (bheda) 2.3. Brahman - transcendent reality in Sankara`s perspective 2.3.1. The transcendence or the issue of the Beyond 2.3.2. Brahman as Tyad (The Other) - Sankara`s hermeneutics to Bhadrayaka-Upanishad III.9.9 2.3.3. Transcendence of Brahman in the perspective of the comment to Chndogya-Upanishads VIII.4.1 2.3.4. Brahman - the only transcendent Entity CHAPTER III - THE PARADIGM OF "TWO BRAHMANS" IN THE THINKING OF AKARA 3.1. The Sankara`s theory of two truths: pramrthika (absolute) and vyvahrika (relatively) 3.2. Para-Vidya (knowledge higher) and defend Vidya (knowledge lower) 3.3. Paradigm of "two Brahmans" in the Upanishads 3.4. akara`s terminology in the equation of "two Brahmans" - nirgua, Saguna, Para-Brahman, Paramevara, Isvara 3.5. Nirgua and Sagua denote one and the same entity: Brahman 3.6. Brahman nirgua - undifferentiated and non-relational Ultimate Reality 3.6.1. Negation as unique possibility to talk about Brahman nirgua 3.6.1.1. Negation in Indian tradition 3.6.1.2. Negation - the ultimate reality? 3.6.1.3. Fourfold negation in Sankara`s perspective 3.6.2. Adhyroppavda - false attribution of properties or qualities and subsequent negation 3.6.3. The premises of apophatisme neti, neti 3.6.4. Negation neti, neti does not reduce Brahman the vacuum 3.7. Validity of Saguna Brahman (Isvara) as the object of meditation and worship CHAPTER IV - BRAHMAN AS SAT-CIT-ANANDA 4.1. The bivalent definition in Advaita Vedanta: taastha-lakaa and svarupa-lakaa 4.1.2. Definition in Indian logic

4.1.3. Taastha-lakaa - accidental definition of Brahman 4.1.4. Svarupa-lakana - essential definition of Brahman 4.1.4.1. Sat-jnam-anantam or sat-cit-nanda - the composition of definition svarupa-lakaa to Sankara and post-Sankhara vedantins 4.1.4.2. Svarupa-lakana - hermeneutic remarks in the Taittiriya-Upanishad II.1.1 4.1.4.3. Negative connotation of the terms satyam-jnam-anantam 4.2. Brahman as Sat 4.2.1. Translations of term Satyam - "Being", "Reality", "Truth" 4.2.2. Brahman as ens a se 4.2.3. Dialectics of Being (Sat) - Non-Being (a-Sat) in Chndogya-Upanisad-Sankara-Bhya VI.2.1 4.2.4. Brahman - pure Being (sadeva sadityastitmtra vastu) 4.2.5. Metaphysics of "four quarters (Pada)" of Brahman in the Maitrey-Upanishads -VII.11 - from the unmanifest to the manifest 4.3. Brahman as Jnam 4.3.1. Jnam - conceptual clarifications in Sankara`s hermeneutics 4.3.2. Brahma Jnam and empirical knowledge: the absence of knower (pramat), the object known (prameya) and knowledge of results (pramiti) in Brahman 4.3.3. Brahman is pure consciousness (cit) beyond subject-object duality 4.3.4. How is svayapraka - auto-luminosity Brahman 4.4. Brahman as Anantam 4.4.1. Anantam - negation of all empirical limitations 4.4.2. Anantam and Ananda are interchangeable terms? CHAPTER V - ONTOLOGY OF REAL AND UNREAL IN SANKARA`S ADVAITA 5.1. Maya - possibility of relationship between Brahman and the universe 5.1.1. Etymological explanations of the term Maya 5.1.2. The meanings of concept Maya in Sankara's thought 5.1.2.1. Maya as a Shakti (creative power) 5.1.2.2. Maya as avyakta (potential state before manifestation or creation) 5.1.2.3. Maya as ontological mark of the universe 5.1.3. Myvda is improper in qualification of sankarian metaphysics? 5.1.4. Maya is indeterminate logic (anirvacanya) 5.2. Avidya in metaphysical perspective of Advaita 5.2.1. Avidya - conceptual clarifications 5.2.2. Avidya and Maya are synonymous to Sankara? 5.2.3. Correspondence between avidya and adhysa (superposition) 5.2.3.1. Definition of superposition (adhysa) in Brahma-Sutra-Sankara-Bhya - Samanvaydhyya 5.2.3.2. The conditions of possibility of superposition 5.3. Ontological status of the universe 5.3.1. Brahman - the foundation of the universe (adhihna) 5.3.1.1. Brahman is updna Karan (material cause) and nimitta karana (efficient cause) of the universe 5.3.1.2. The relationship cause - effect in Sankara`s Advaita 5.3.1.3. Updhi - addition or limiting condition of Brahman 5.3.2. Nama-rupa (name-and-form) - the composition of phenomenal universe 5.3.2.1. The relationship between the Nama-Rupa and Brahman / Atman 5.3.2.2. Manifested and unmanifested states of the names-and-forms 5.3.2.3. Preexistence names-and-forms as potential seed (bjaakti) in Brahman 5.3.2.4. Ontological reality of names-and-forms 5.3.2.5. Advaitine ontology not show a pantheistic perspective 5.3.3. Non-difference (ananyatva) of Brahman and the universe: the Sankara`s interpretation to MundakaUpanisad II.2.11 - "everything is Brahman" 5.3.4. Universe - a flux between is and is not, or between real and unreal 5.3.5. Abdhitatva (non-contradiction) - criterion of truth 5.3.6. Universe as Mithya 5.3.7. Three levels of reality: pramrthika, vyvahrika, prtibhsika 5.3.8. The universe is not shunya 5.3.8.1. Semantic correspondences between Maya and shnya 5.3.8.2. Shunya is diametrically opposed to Sat

CHAPTER VI - BRAHMNUBHAVA - THE NON-DUAL EXPERIENCE. THE SANKARA`S PARADIGM FROM "KNOW" TO "BE" BRAHMAN 6.1. Advaita Vedanta - "school of mystical knowledge" 6.2. Atman - the authentic individual self 6.2.1. Jiva (individual self) - Anthropological coordinates in Advaita Vedanta 6.2.2. Non-difference between Atman and plurality of Jiva: theory of limitation (avaccheda-vda) and the theory of reflection (pratibimba-vda) 6.2.3. Atman is Brahman 6.2.4. Atman dwelt in the heart 6.2.5. Antinomy of Atman: transcendence and immanence 6.2.6. Atman Saksin - witness consciousness 6.2.7. Atman - unchanging consciousness during the experiences jgrat, svapna and suupti 6.3. Mukhya-antaraga-sadhana - contemplative exercise 6.3.1. Meditation on Om (AUM) as a symbol of Brahman 6.3.2. Tat tvam asi ("You are This") - shankarian interpretation 6.4. From empirical knowledge (jnana-vrtti) to the supreme knowledge (vidya): premises of non-dual experience 6.4.1. Epistemology in Indian thought 6.4.2. Pramana - valid means of knowledge? 6.4.3. Sruti and Anubhava - valid sources of knowledge of Brahman (Brahmajna) 6.4.4. Brahman is a priori to knowledge 6.4.5. Relativity and probability of empirical knowledge - Brahman is not known as an object 6.5. The apophatisme advaitine - "from [Brahman], the words coming back, along with the mind" (TaittiriyaUpanishad II.4.1) 6.5.1. Defining the indefinable. Radical insufficiency of language to cover the Brahman 6.5.2. Brahman avcya (unspeakable) and anirukta (inexpressible) - silence (upashnta) as plenary experience 6.5.3. Brahman - the ultimate unfathomable mystery 6.6. Brahmanubhava or Self Realization - mystical dimension of non-dual experience 6.6.1. Mystical experience - defining notes 6.6.2. Anubhava - immediate and direct intuitive experience of Atman / Brahman 6.6.3. Brahmaveda brahmaiva bhava - "knower of Brahman becomes Brahman" (Mundaka-Upanishad, III.2.9) 6.6.4. Turiya - ineffability experience Brahmanubhava 6.6.5. Brahma-sktkra: the view of That in wich "[...] is not seen nothing else" 6.6.6. Brahmanubhava - final liberation (moksa) 6.6.7. Brahmanubhava not nirvikalpasamdhi of Yoga 6.6.8. Jivanmukta - "the liberated in life" CHAPTER VII - EVALUATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY OF A NON- DUALISM VEDANTIC - CONVERGENCES AND DIFFERENCES 7.1. There is convergence between Vedantic non-dualism and Christian theology? 7.2. Brahman Ekamevdvityam and the reality of universe in Christianity 7.3. Brahman Nirgua as impersonal Ultimate Reality and God as Trinitarian Reality personal 7.4. Jvtman as the obturated form of Brahman - man as being in community and subject participating to the personal relationship with God 7.5. Knowing as the act of human`s participation to the personal relationship with God 7.6. The course from ignorance (avidya) to knowledge (vidya) and the centrality of Christ as meaning of life 7.7. The apophatisme neti, neti and Christian apophatisme 7.8. Brahma-sktkra - the intuitive vision of non-duality and vision of God in the light 7.9. Brahmanubhava and Christian deification 7.10. There are premises of a possible inter-religious dialogue between Advaita Vedanta and Christianity? CONCLUSIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY Dictionaries and encyclopedias Sources Sources Hindu Sruti texts Texts Smrti Works of Sankara

Works of advaitine thinkers Buddhist and Taoist Sources Christian sources Secondary literature Advaitine literature and various works of History and Philosophy of Religion Theological literature Studies and articles

The argument and the objectives of the research A comprehensive study of the entire section of Indian philosophy and religion is impossible within the limits of a doctoral dissertation. The complexity of beliefs and philosophical thought lines that make up the structure of what we call Hinduism makes the assignment to a systematic research of each item virtually impossible. For these methodological reasons, we limited our research to Advaita Vedanta, one of the six Darshans, respectively Nyya, Vaieika, Skhya, Yoga, Mimms, Vednta, the most widely-spread in the Indian space. To be more precise, our attention will be Advaita as it was indicated by akara on the basis of the Hindu scriptures. The motivation for choosing this research topic lies primarily in the tendency to clarify, in the philosophicaltheological Romanian space, the proper reception of the Vedantic principles of non-dualism, which, in different situations, has been only partially presented by the new religious movements of Eastern orientation or had been totally absent. We must admit that, in terms of indologism, the Romanian school of the History of Religions, has no profile and direction analysis based on a research programme that would require international attention. While assessing the undeniable contribution of Mircea Eliade, Sergiu Al-George, Nicolae Achimescu - Advaita Vedanta has been insufficiently researched. Let us note that, although we have witnessed that in the last 20 years a number of translations into Romanian of various Upanishads1 and of some of the most important works attributed to some important Advaita researchers2, so far we have not had a translation of a sankarian bhya (comment) to the Upanishads Brahma-Stra. Further, we do not find in the Romanian Indian studies a systematic research paper on the doctrine of Advaitia as orthodox hermeneutics of the Hindu scripts. For this reason, our work will be a pioneering one and we shall accept the supplements or additions of those who study the Advaita Vednta. Secondly, our research has also approached the mechanism of the comparison and evaluation of the sankarian Advaita Vednta from the perspective of the Orthodox Christian theology, seeking to highlight, in the context of interreligious dialogue, the convergences, the parallels as well as the differences on which a possible dialogue can develop. The Christian theologian need not live in isolation for he is mandated to make the Gospel of Christ known, to share its unique values with the other who, in his turn, displays his own values. Living in isolation in the current context of religious pluralism and increasingly aggressive secularization is a risk that the Church should not take. Moreover, through accurate and complete understanding of the elements of non-Christian religions, the Church will articulate a mature response that would be able to complete what any other non-Christian religion lacks: the affirmation of a personal God who engages, within the historical framework, in a personal dialogue and communion with man. Therefore, our research should not be regarded reluctantly and suspiciously, in that it would violate basic principles of the Christian religion value as the only one which guarantees salvation. We have reached the point where the discourse of the Church in the society should address both its faithful and those of other religions. Christ is not a particular God; He is the creative and saving Logos of all mankind. This research paper has apriori set out to investigate valences and meaning of the Vedantic non-dualism in philosophical-religious horizon of the Indian culture. We are interested in investigating the metaphysical and religious foundations of the teachings of Advaita Vedanta, on which our research will focus on, trying to offer a detailed and comprehensive approach to each point: (1) the Brahman absolute is nirgua, the only Reality is ekam-eva-advityam (One-without-the-second), transcendental and wholly presented in negative terms: niravayava (infinite and indivisible), nirdharmaka (uncharacterized), asaga (independent, without connection), avikr (unchanging), avyabhicr (immutable), akriy (without activity), ahrasva, adrgha (not short, not long), nirkra (shapeless), aoraiyn (sizeless), avin the advaita teachings (indestructible), avyakta (unmanifested), avyakita (undifferentiated), niprapacha (acosmic), anirvachana (indeterminate); (2) What is the connection between the phenomenal universe with Brahman nirgua, universe endowed with a certain degree of degree of relative reality; (3) Knowledge (jna, vidy) is the premise of the subject-object non-dualism and the only accepted method from the perspective of ignorance (avidy) disposal, as factor of the samsaric existence; (4) The valences of the brahmanubhava experince as liberation (moka).

The oldest Upanishads. Bhadranyaka-Upaniad i Chndogya-Upaniad, translation from Sanskrit, introduction, notes and comments , by Radu Bercea, Editura tiinific, Bucureti, 1993; Swami Lokeswarananda, a Upaniad. Kena Upaniad. Kaha Upaniad. Prana Upaniad. Translation and notes based on akaras comments, transl. Dana ugu, Editura Ritam, Bucureti, 1998; Upaniad (Taittirya, Aitareya, Kautaki-Brhmaa, vetvatara, Muaka, Mkya, Maitreya, Vajrascika, Kaivalya, Jbla, Kali-Santaraa, Yogarja), , translation from Sanskrit, introduction and comments Ovidiu Cristian Nedu, Editura Herald, Bucureti, 2006. 2 akarcrya, Upadea-Shasri (Cartea celor o mie de nvturi), , translation from Sanskrit: Florina Dobre i Vlad ovrel, Editura Herald, Bucureti, 2001; Advaita Vednta. Guadapda-akara-Sadnanda (Doctrina i tratatele clasice), research of the doctrine, , translation from Sanskrit, introduction, notes and comments byOvidiu Cristian Nedu, Editura Herald, Bucureti, 2002
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We must also mention that our research will focus on Sankaras thinking (788-820), who systematized as argumentative logics the references of the ruti and smti texts to the Advaita teachings (in current European translation, non-dualism or non-duality). These references that state the relationship between Brahman and the universe of our experience3, with the mention that this is Brahman ekam-eva-advityam (One-without-the-second), are present both in The Upanishads and The Bhagavad Gita. Framing these references into a coherent system with a philosophical and religious aspect that has prevailed in the Indian thought belongs to akara. Where we come across inaccuracies in akara argumentation, we have appealed to post- akarian thinkers and contemporary researchers. Last but not least, the objective of our research has been to attempt an assessment of the Advaita teachings from the perspective of Christian Orthodox theology. In this regard, we have drawn the main premises of a possible inter-religious dialogue and the display of the sankariene teachings and the essential elements of Christian theology and their correspondences from a comparative perspective (eg the neti apophatism, the neti Christian apophatism, the brahmanubhava experience the mystical experience deification). The relevance of the topic in the context of the current research Advaita Vednta became fundamental in the comparative study of the academic research in the West, as evidenced by the number of publications in the field, which confirms the time relevance and the increasing interest in the philosophical-religious culture of India. Basically, there is an interest from both parties, as we record a series of works by Vedantic thinkers that parallel elements of Western religious philosophy with advaitine ones: we mention here J. Grimes4,, Francis X. Clooney5, Vensus A. George6, Bosco Correya7. In regard to the PhD research papers on the topic of the vedntin non-dualism, we must mention extremely imporatant contributions such as: : John Myers, The Journey of Self-Knowledge: A Comparative Study of Meister Eckhart`s Concept of Detachement and akaracarya`s Concept of Knowledge, Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, 1990, Bruce Kenneth Hanson, Mystical Realism:Epsitemology and Nondual Awareness, 1991, Brock Travis, Awarenes itself: The non-dual view, The Union Institute, 1994, Carl F. Severance, A Study of the Metaphysic-Epistemic Relationship in Advaita Vednta Philosophy, Denver Seminary, 1995, Amy Maline Wright, Knowing the Knower: An Investigation into Contemporary Enlightenment Claims in View of the Epistemology of Classical Advaita Vednta, 1996, John J. Thatamanil, Nonduality and Ecstasy: akara and Tillich on Theological Anthropology, Boston University, 2000, Travis D. Webster, Discourse of Advaita: Hinduism and the Vednta Myth, University of Sydney, 2009, Neil Akshay Dalal, Texts beyond words contemplation and practice in akara`s Advaita Vednta, University of Texas at Austin, 2009. We must also mentionthe fact that up to now, we have not found any doctoral thesis that provides a comparative perspective of Advaita elements and Orthodox Christian theology. The title of the current thesis, while having a certain high degree of generality, - The vedntin non-dualism. Metaphysics and mystics in Sankaras thinking - anticipates the working method that we shall follow and places Advaita Vednta both in the field of metaphysics and mystics, which cause outrage at first sight from the perspective of the Western thinker. In defending the title, we must consider the fact that in India religion and philosophy are not two separate segments, two separate typologies of human thought. It is unfortunate that the West has lost this integrating dimension of the unity between philosophy and religion while the Orthodox theology preserved it. For these reasons two distinct directions were outlined in the research Advaita Vednta: 1) First, we find a course that examines the Advaita philosophy exlusively from a metaphysical perspective and 2) another way that corrects the previous position, in that Advaita must be observed simultaneously as philosophy and as a way to spiritual achievement.8 We note in this regard Deutsch Eliots remark: Advaita Vednta is a religion as much as a technical philosophy, it is a way of spiritual fulfilment as much as a system of thought. However, the fact that the Vedntei mainly focuses on spiritual perfection does not lessen its seeming of technical philosophy.9 "For the same E. Deutsch, Advaita Vednta answers the four

The issue of the relation between Brahman and the phenomenal universe is the central issue of Indian metaphysics, cf. R. K. Tripathi, The Central Problem of Indian Metaphysics, in Philosophy East and West, Vol. 19, No. 1 (1969), p. 43. Our research will focus on the relation between Brahman and the universe in justifying the Vedantin non-dualismului on the ontological level. 4 John Grimes, Quest for Certainty. A Comparative Study of Heidegger and Sankara, Peter Lang Publishing, New York, 1989; akara and Heidegger. Being, Truth, Freedom, Indica Books, Varanasi, 2007. 5 Francis X. Clooney, Theology after Vednta. An Experiment in Comparative Theology, Sri Satguru Publications (Indian Books Centre), Delhi, 1993. 6 Vensus A. George, Authentic Human Destiny. The Paths of akara and Heidegger, The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, Washington, 1998. 7 Bosco Correya, Heidegger and Sankara. A Comparative Study of Thinking of Being and Advaita, Jyotir Dharma Publication, Kerala, 2003. 8 N. K. Devaraja, Contemporary Relevance of Advaita Vednta, in Philosophy East and West, Vol. 20, No. 2 (1970), p.131. 9 Eliot Deutsch, Advaita Vednta: A Philosophical Reconstruction, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1973, pp. 4-5.

questions that confirms its philosophical-religious profile: (1) metaphysical: what is Brahman? What is the world? Which is the relationship between Brahman and the world?, (2) meta-psychological: what is the status of the Self in relation to Brahman? (3) epistemological: How to know Brahman? (4) axiological: How can a man obtain salvation? 10 However, one must state the inadequacy of the Western terms that operate in defining Advaitei Vednta: philosophy, metaphysics, mysticism. It should be noted that both metaphysics and mysticism are terms belonging to Western linguistics. For these reasons their application in defining Advaita Vednta can be contested. Certainly, a brief overview of the definition of the metaphysics will reveal that there is nothing wrong in considering the Advaita metaphysical: Metaphysics is a broad field of philosophy, marked by two types of research. The first aims at being the most general possible investigation into the nature of reality: are there principles that apply to all that is real in everything?; If we disregard the particular nature of the existing things that we distinguish from each other, what can we know about them only by virtue of the fact that they exist? The second type of research aims at discovering what is ultimately real, often providing answers in stark contrast to the everyday experience of the world. Understood in terms of these two answers, metaphysics is very closely related to ontology, which involves both what is existence (being) and what kind of things (fundamentally distinct) exist.11 We also quote R. Balasubramanian that resizes the concept of metaphysics in particular notes when applied to Advaita Vednta: Metaphysics is research into the nature of reality that should analyze the data of our experience in order to discover the real in it, which means that the reality which is immanent in our experience remains hidden in it. What prevents us from seeing the real is the falseness, the real remains obscured by what is not real. Metaphysics, therefore, aims at real discovery by removing the tide set by what is false. This means that what is real cannot be found unless we are able to identify the false and remove it through research. The discrimination between the non-real and real can be based on the criterion of the real and the false. Also, the criterion itself must be grounded transcendentally if it is to be accepted.12 The semantic field of these terms must be extended if we use them in researching the Advaitei. In this context, Joseph Milne is very blunt in criticizing the Western research on the issue in question: the correct meaning of the nondualism (i.e. advaita) has often been misinterpreted, especially by Western philosophers. Its essential meaning has often only partially been understood, quite often simplified and frequently distorted. These disagreements are reflected in the use of terms such as absolutely impersonal, non-theist and monism, when referring to the akara teaching. We can notice these misunderstandings by identifying two main reasons: (1) first, the non-duality is considered to be a doctrine or belief of akara and (2) secondly, the advaita is approached as a metaphysical or philosophical theory of reality. In both cases, the advaita is removed from its original religious context, where it has a soteriological function. These different ways of addressing the non-duality arose mainly from the methodologies of the Western researchers of comparative religion, methodologies in which the focus has been on classifying and comparing the systems of thought and belief of the world religions, which tends to be reductive. For akara, Advaita should neither be taken as faith nor as philosophical system that is demonstrated, proved or justified by rational arguments.13 akara is not a philosopher in the Western sense of the word, proposing a metaphysical system in which reality is interpreted or explained; nor does he propose a scientific theory of the nature of reality. Non-duality is neither an objective description of the phenomenal existence nor a rejection of such objective descriptions. Non-dual knowledge is that which transcends rational understanding, and therefore the ultimate support of the non-duality is not reason, but the authority of the Scriptures, especially the Upanishads as well as direct, intuitive experience, the anubhava. The nondual knowledge is absolute knowledge (brahma-jna) is not knowledge of or knowledge about, like the rational knowledge that involves the knower and known polarity It is important to understand that akaras approach is, first of all, to a primarily experiential problem. We mention the most important researchers who presented in a mystical note akara, on whose line of thinking we also structure our presentation: Bernard Barzel14, Olivier Lacombe15, Rudolf Otto16, A. Ramamurti17, G. Sundara Ramaiah18.

Eliot Deutsch & J. A. B. van Buitenen, A Source Book of Advaita Vednta, The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1971, pp. 73-76. Concise Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor & Francis Routledge, London and New York, 2000, p. 567. 12 R. Balasubramanian, Advaita Vednta, Centre for Advanced Study in Philosophy University of Madras, 1976, p. 30. 13 Joseph Milne, Advaita Vednta and Typologies of Multiplicity and Unity: An Interpretation of Nondual Knowledge, in International Journal of Hindu Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1 (1997), p. 165. 14 Mystique de L`Ineffable dans l`hindouisme et le christianisme. ankara et Eckhart, Les ditions du Cerf, Paris, 1982. 15 L`exprience du Soi. tude de mystique compare, Descle de Brouwer, 1981. 16 Mistica Orientului i mistica Occidentului, transl. Mihail Grdinaru i Friedrich Michael, Editura Septentrion, 1993. 17 Advaitic Mysticism of Sankara, Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy - Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, 1974. 18 A Philosophical Study of the Mysticism of Sankara, KP Bagchi & Company, Calcutta-New Delhi, 1982.
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In the subjective experience of the separation, of the incompleteness and relativity of the being, duality appears. The notion of duality is not a philosophical or metaphysical notion, but an experiential fact. Reality is One, this is the basics of the advaita; still, it is a negative term, meant to deny multiple empirical realities. It denies an absolute ontological distinction between subject and object, between the perceiver and the perceived. Equally wrong is the translation of advaita through monism as it has generally become customary during the first translations of the akara writings in Western languages. Although this term is used in an attempt to translate the negative term advaita with a positive equivalent from the Western philosophy, this results in a distortion of the concept of advaita. Denial of difference and the merging with One are confused. 19

A short framework of the paper

This doctoral dissertation is divided into seven chapters. Respecting the methodological order, the first chapter akara and the religious philosophy of the non-dualism in Vednta - I initially placed Advaita Vednta in Indian religious philosophical landscape, emphasizing that it has the greatest reception in Hinduism (I.1). The object of our research is the thought of akara (788-820); therefor, we have briefly outlined his biography and his works (I.2). W could not have moved on without specifying the conceptual valences of the term Advaita (I.3), translated in the Western philosophical field by non-dualism or non-duality. Next, we pointed out, relyng on a research by D. Loy, the fact that the non-dualism that has echoes in the Mahyna Buddhism negation as denying the dualistic thinking as well (I.4.1), in Daoism as the non-plurality of the world (I.4.2). The particularity of the the non-dualism type of in Advaita Vednta is maintained by overcoming the subject-object polarity in the cognitive act (I.4.3). In the last part of this chapter (I.5) we have tried to correct the reception of the advaitine teaching in Western philosophical thought in that we cannot equate monism with Advaita. Chapter II - Brahman ekam-eva-advityam ankaras metaphysical perspective of One-without-the-second begins with etymological explanations of the terms Brahman and tman (II.1.1). Given that Advaita is an interpretation of the Upanishads and Badryanas Brahma-Stra, we have briefly highlighted the antinomy of Brahman in Prasthnatray (Upaniade, Bagavad-Gt i Brahma-Stra) (II.1.2) in order to observe what was reported and what ankara emphasized in his hermeneutics profile. In this context, the specification of the identity of tman-Brahman, fundamental in the Upanishads, could not be overlooked (II.1.3). We could not omit the fact that the profile in which Brahman - the ultimate Reality - is presented in Advaita as relying on two criteria: first, on the two aspects Nirgua and Sagua, akara emphasizes the unqualified, undifferentiated ultimate Reality; secondly, in the debate of the Vedantin with Skhya, the school of thought that promotes the purua-praktri dualism and that excludes Brahman from the equation of the origins of the universe, proposing pradhna as the material cause of the universe (II.1.4). The last two parts of this chapter (II.2 and II.3) are reserved to akaras perspective on Brahman as ekameva-advityam and its transcendence and proposes a paradoxical dialectics of the One and the multiplicity (the phenomenal world of names and forms) . As One-without-the-second, Brahman is the only undifferentiated Reality, meaning that it cancels any relation to an other. Brahman is ekam-eva-advityam (One-without-the-second), undifferentiated, non-relational, the full Existence and the Being, the transcendental other. The three words written in the compound ekam-eva-advityam involves the criticism of the three differences: sajtya-bheda, vijtya-bheda and svagata-bheda, i.e. the homogeneous difference, the heterogeneous difference and the inner difference. Chapter III is reserved for the Brahman nirgua - Saguna Brahman polarity in order to highlight that akara does not allow two Brahmins, two absolute Entities, but one and the same ultimate Reality, seen from the angle of the two truths: pramrthika (absolute) and vyvahrika (relative) (III.1). In the light of these specifications, we have turned to akar terminology in the equation of two Brahmans", trying to offer an explanation what the terms nirgua, sagua, par-Brahman, apar- Brahman, paramevara, vara (III.4). In akaras thinking, Brahman nirgua has priority, the undifferentiated and non-relational Reality, combined with an absolute apophatism (neti, neti). Nirgua Brahman is beyond language and discursive thinking and, in this equation, it plays a decisive role: we deny everything is not Brahman, but it is incorrectly assigned, from the angle of ignorance (avidy) attributes and characteristics (III.6). Saguna Brahman is the Absolute, qualified by the virtue of being creator, supporter of the universe and it is valid only in the sphere of its ignorance, as object of meditation and worship (III.7). Chapter IV - Brahman as Sat-Cit- nanda - complements the previous chapter. Although completely indefinable, Brahman is indicated by the terms village, CIT (jnana) and Anand (Ananta). In this context, we have mentioned the function of the definition in Indian thought in two ways: taastha-lakaa - the accidental definition of

19

Ibidem, pp. 167-168.

Brahman, or svarpa-lakana the essential definition of Brahman, while also mentioning that the terms sat-janamanantam from Taittirya-Upaniad II.1.1 represent svarpa-lakana, with negative connotation: sat denies what is unreal, jnam denies the empirical equation of knowledge in the three factors - knower, knowledge, known - and namtam - everything that is finished (IV. 1). The following sections contain a detailed analysis of each term (IV.2IV.4). The relation between the phenomenal universe and Brahman and specification of its ontological status is the subject of Chapter V: The ontology of the real and the unreal in akaras Advaita. In this section, we have set out to analyze key terms of the Advaita metaphysics, namely my (V.1), avidy (V.2), adhysa (V.2), updhi i nma-rpa (V.3). The universe is not an entity in itself, it only exists by way of relating it to Brahman, updna kraa (the material cause) and nimitta kraa (the efficient cause) of the universe. Defined as my (illusionary), the universe should not be reduced to non-existence, to the unreal or vacuum (V.3.8). This is explained by reference to the three levels of reality: pramrthika, vyvahrika, prtibhsika (V.3.7), which helps us clarify the fact that the universe has a relative reality, until liberation is attained. To certify the intermediate ontological status of the world, we used the following equation: the universe is a stream between real and unreal, or between to be and not to be (V.3.4). Our focus shifts from the ontological level to the cognitive one in Chapter VI: Brahmnubhava the non-dual experience. akaras paradigm from knowing to being. In this section, we have set out to highlight the liberation prerequisites (moka) or in akaras terms, the achievement of the brahmanubhava experience, the non-dual supreme experience. For a better presentation of this issue, we have divided the subject into six sections. Firstly, we argued that Advaita Vednta cannot be approached from a reductionist perspective only as metaphysics. Advaita is, par excellence, is a school of mystical knowledge (VI.1). The possibility of mystical experience in Advaita is based on the following assumptions: the non-difference between tman and the plurality of jva (the individual self), tman is Brahman, tman is skin (the witnessing consciousness), tman is the consciousness that is unchanging during the jgrat, svapna and suupti experience (VI.2). At the foundation of all existences lies tman, the inner self, or tmans achievement coincides with the process of knowledge discriminating between the Self and the non-Self, between the Real and the non-Real, by denying the empirical factors, the restrictive adding set up by tman through ignorance. The only way proposed by akara in the liberation perspective is the knowledge (jnamarga). Although having a secondary role, but still necessary in the process of the non-dual status, there is also the contemplative exercise - mukhya-antaragasdhana (VI.3). The aspiring one engaged in finding the true identity (tman) must follow the course of empirical knowledge (vtti-jna) the supreme knowledge (vidy) (VI.4). The advaitin apophasis (VI.5) creates the prerequisites of the non-dual experience: although Brahman is avcya (unuttered) anirukta (inexpressible) nirgua (unqualified), it can be fully experienced in brahmanubhava (VI.6). To this end, we have tried to argue that brahmanubhava maintains the features of the mystical experience (VI.6.1). In this ineffable experience, occurs the seeing of the One in whom there [...] is nothing else to be seen (Chndogya-Upanishads VII.24.1), in that the knower of Brahman becomes Brahman" (Muaka Upanishads, III.2.9). This change should neither be translated as mystic union nor as change into being of the individual self. Its about identity (tdmya), not between the empirical self and Brahman, but between tman the inner self that has got rid of limitative additions through knowledge - and Brahman. Not in the sense that two become one, but one is one: tat tvam asi. The last chapter of this thesis (VII) is a general assessment from the perspective of Christian Orthodox theology the Vedantic non-dualism, through parallelism between the alleged resemblance of the two traditions: Brahman ekamevdvityam and the reality of the Christian universe (VII.2 ) Brahman nirgua as ultimate impersonal reality and God as personal Trinitarian reality (VII.3) jvtman as a the pale shadow of Brahman - man as community being and subject participating in a personal relationship with God (VII.4), 7.5. knowledge as a human act of participation in personal relationship with God (VII.5), the passage from ignorance (avidy) to knowledge (vidy) and the centrality of Christ as meaning of Christian life (VII.6), the neti apophatism, neti and Christian apophatism (VII.7), Brahmasktkra - the intuitive vision of to non-duality and the vision of God in the light (VII.8) and Brahmanubhava and Christian deification (VII.9).

Methods and approach

In developing our theme, we have pursued those advaitin directions which are claimed by some researchers as the corresponding to elements of Orthodox Christian theology and spirituality. The topic was systematically developed in order to specify elements that conjugate the Vedantic non-dualism at the ontological level (Brahman is Reality, One-without-the-second, the universe has a relative existence), at the cognitive level (the identity knower -

knowledge-known, subject-object) and at the mystical level (the tman-Brahman identity), but also comparatively, which will allow us a comparative analysis of the corresponding elements in the two traditions. This systematic and comparative analysis has the advantage of offering the possibility of drawing certain conclusions as premises of a possible inter-religious dialogue, in terms of convergence and possible correlations between Christian spirituality and advaitin spirituality, particularly those concerning the akaras mystics. One might think that such reflection on akaras teaching entails great objectivity. As Christian theologian, I cannot approach this topic ignoring the truths of the Christian faith, fully revealed in Jesus Christ, Son of God, God and true Man, that reached maximum ontological proximity to us through Incarnation. Being a pioneering thesis, which aims to set off the comparative study of religions in theological interest in interreligious perspective, as a real opportunity for the testifying of Jesus Christ, we do not intend to make a report of the value and quality of the Advaita Vednta teaching. akaras thinking is specific to a culture, to an identity that is different from the Christian tradition, that stems from a millennial tradition with its own values. A real guiding factor in approaching the current topic was the explanations of R. Gunon, who criticized the improper manner in which many Western scholars specialized in the Far East have translated and addressed the elements of the Hindu teachings, i.e. from the perspective of the Eastern philosophical-religious terms and categories: [...] the capital error of these scholars, leaving aside the question of method, is to see everything in terms of Western and their own mentality, while the first condition to a correct interpretation of any doctrine is, naturally, to make some effort to assimilate it and to adopt, as much as possible, the point of view of those who conceived it.20 Among the sources we have used in order to present the Advaintin teachings, we mention first of all, the ruti i smti texts, i.e. The Upanishads (Bhadrayaka, Chndogya, Aitareya, Muaka, Mkya, Prana, a, Kena, Kaha, Taittirya), Bhagavad-Gt, the English version. We have mostly focused on quoting akaras works whose authenticity was acknowledged for the comments on The Upanishads, particularly Eight Upanishads. Volume I (a, Kena, Kaha and Taittirya). With the Commentary of akarcrya, transl. Swami Gambhirananda, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1972 and Eight Upanishads. Volume II (Aitareya, Muaka, Mkya & Krik and Prana), Translation by S. Gambhirananda, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1973, for commentary on Brahma-Stra - Brahma-Stra-ShnkaraBhshya. Bdarya`s Brahma-Stras with Shankarchry`s Commentary, Translated into English by V. M. Apte, Popular Book Depot, Bombay, 1960 i Vednta-Stras. With the Commentary by akarkrya, Translated by Gheorge Thibaut, Part I, The Sacred Books of the East, Max Mller (Ed.), Vol. XXXIV, At the Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1890, and for Bhagavad-Gt - The Bhagavad-Gt with the Commentary of r akarchrya, translated in English by A. Mahdeva stri, Samata Books, Madras, 1977. Regarding the assessment of the Vedantic non-dualism from the perspective of the Orthodox Christian theology, we have primarily used the Holy Scripture (Editura Institutului Biblic i de Misiunea al Bisericii Ortodoxe Romne, Bucureti, 1990) and the writings of the Holy Fathers (JP Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, Paris, 1844-1866). Regarding secondary critical works we have generally used the works of Vedantic philosophers, works written in English, but also works of Western researchers. Last but not least, we mention that the interpretation of ancient texts written in Sanskrit will involve a linguistic analysis of key terms, which led us to lexicons, dictionaries and specialized encyclopedias. The script of Sanskrit texts was carried out by transliteration in Roman letters (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration- IAST).

20 Ren Gunon, Introducere general n studiul doctrinelor hinduse, traducere din limba francez de Daniel Hoblea, Editura Herald, Bucureti, 2006, p. 15.

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Saha, Sukharanjan, Studies in Advaita Vednta. Towards an Advaita Theory of Consciousness, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 2004. Sankaranarayanan, P., What is Advaita?, BharatIya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, 1970. Satapathy, D. R., The Doctrine of My in Advaita Vednta, Punthi-Pustak, Calcutta, 1992. Satchidnandendra, Sri Swami, The Method of the Vednta. A Critical Account of the Advaita Tradition, Translated by A. J. Alston, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1997. Satprakashananda, Swami, The Universe, God, and God-Realization. From the Viewpoint of Vednta, The Vednta Society of St. Louis, 1977. Sharma, Arvind, Advaita Vednta. An Introduction, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi, 2004. _____________, Sleep as a State of Consciousness in Advaita Vednta, State University of New York Press, New York, 2004. _____________, The Philosophy of Religion and Advaita Vednta. A Comparative Study in Religion and Reason, The Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park - Pennsylvania, 1995. Sharma, C., The Avaita Tradition in Indian Philosophy. A Stusy of Advaita in Buddhism, Vednta and Kshmra Shaivism, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2007. Sinha, Debabrata, The Metaphysic of Experience in Advaita Vednta. A Phenomenological Approach, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1983. Sinha, Priti, The Philosophy of Advaita (A Transition from akara to r Aurobindo), ivarja Publications, 1986. Sreenivasulu, M., The Test of Truth and Error in Indian Philosophy, Published by Dr. M. Sreenivasulu, Tirupati, 1991. Staal, J. F., Advaita and Neo-Platonism: A Critical Study in Comparative Philosophy, University of Madras, Madras, 1961. Stace, W. T., Mysticism and Philosophy, MacMillian, London, 1972. Stafford-Betty, L., Vdirja`s Refutation of akara`s Non-dualism. Clearing The Way For Theism. A Translation of Vdirja`s Nyyaratnval with a Commentary by the Translator, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1978. Sundaram, P. K., Advaita Metaphysics, Swadharma Swaarajya Sangha, Madras, 1980. Suthren-Hirst, J. G., akara`s Advaita Vednta. A way of teaching, Routledge Curzon, London and New York, 2005. Taber, John A., Transformative Philosophy. A Study of akara, Fichte, and Heidegger, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1983. Timalsina, S., Consciousness in Indian Philosophy. The Advaita doctrine of awareness only, Routledge, London and New York, 2009. Vallooran, A. D., In Search of the Absolute. A Critical Study of the Advaitic Philosophy of Religion as Intrpreted by T.M.P. Mahadevan, Vendrame Institue, Shilong, 1988. Zaehner R. C., Mysticism Sacred and Profane: An Inquiry into Some Varieties of Praternatural Experience, Oxford University Press, London, 1973. Theological literature Chioiu, Dan, Repere n filosofia bizantin, Editura Fundaiei Axis, Iai, 2003. Lossky, Vladimir, Introducere n teologia ortodox, traducere de Lidia i Remus Rus, Editura Enciclopedic, Bucureti, 1993. _____________, Teologia mistic a Bisericii de Rsrit, traducere din limba france za de Pr. Vasile Rduc, Editura Bonifaciu, Bucureti, 1998. _____________, Vederea lui Dumnezeu, traducere de Prof. dr. Remus Rus, Editura Institutului Biblic i de Misiune al Bisericii Ortodoxe Romane, Bucureti, 1995. Meyendorf, John, Sfntul Grigorie Palamas i mistica ortodox, traducere de Angela Pagiu, Humanitas, Bucureti, 2007. Stniloae, Pr. prof. dr. Dumitru, Teologia dogmatic ortodox, Vol. I, Editura Institutului Biblic i de Misiune al Bisericii Ortodoxe Romne, Bucureti, 1996. _____________, Trirea lui Dumnezeu n Ortodoxie, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 2000. _____________, Ascetic i mistica Bisericii Ortodoxe, Editura Institutului Biblic i de Misiune al Bisericii Ortodoxe Romne, Bucureti, 2002. _____________, Viaa i nvtura Sfntului Grigorie Palama, Editura Scripta, Bucureti, 1993. Yannaras, Christos, Heidegger i Areopagitul, traducere Nicolae erban Tanaoca, Anastasia, Bucureti, 1996. Studies and articles Achimescu, Pr. Conf. Dr. Nicolae, n cutarea Absolutului. Apofatismul upaniadic, n Analele tiinifice ale Universitii A. I. Cuza din Iai, Teologie, Tom. V, 1999-2000, Editura Universitii Al. I. Cuza, pp. 231-239.

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_____________, akara`s Rationale for ruti as the Definitive Source of Brahmajna: A Refutation of Some Contemporary Views, n Philosophy East and West, Vol. 36, No. 1 (1986), pp. 25-40. Schroeder, Craig, Levels of Truth and Reality in the Philosophies of Descartes and akara, n Philosophy East and West, Vol. 35, No. 3 (1985), pp. 285-293. Sharma, Arvind, Is Anubhava a Prama According to akara?, n Philosophy East and West, Vol. 42, No. 3 (1992), pp. 517-526. _____________, Sacred Scriptures and the Mysticism of Advaita Vednta, n Mysticism and Sacred Scripture, Steven T. Katz (Ed.), Oxford University Press, New York, 2000, pp. 169-183. Shrivastava, S. N. L., akara on God, Religion, and Morality, n Philosophy Eadt and West, Vol. 7, No. 3/4 (1957-1958), pp. 91-106. Skoog, Kim, akara on the Role of ruti and Anubhava in Attaining Brahmajna, n Philosophy East and West, Vol. 39, No. 1 (1989), pp. 67-74. Smart, Ninian, Interpretation and Mystical Experience, n Religious Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1 (1965), pp. 75-87. _____________, Our Experience of the Ultimate, n Religious Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1 (1984), pp. 19-26. Smith, Margaret, The Nature and Meaning of Mysticism, n Understanding Mysticism, Richard Woods (Ed.), Doubleday & Co., New York, 1980, pp. 19-25. Stafford-Betty, L., A Death-Blow to akara`s Non-Dualism? A Dualist Refutation, n Religious Studies, Vol. 12, No. 3 (1976), pp. 281-290. Stoeber, Michael, Introvertive Mystical Experiences: Monistic, Theistic, and the Theo-Monistic, n Religious Studies, Vol. 29, No. 2 (1993), pp. 169-184. Tiwari, D. N., Advaitic Critique of Experience, n Indian Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. XXVII, No. 1-2 (2000), pp. 133-150. Tripathi, Chhote Lal, The Problem of Negation in Indian Philosophy, n East and West, Vol. 27, No.1/4 (1977), pp. 345-355. Williams, Kyle Lee, Understanding O (Aum), Turya, and the Three States of Consciousness in the Mkya Upaniad, n Psychological Perspectives, Vol. 51, No. 2 (2008), pp. 287-315.

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KEYWORDS: Vedanta, Advaita, Sankara, Metaphysics, Mysticism, Nondualism, Indian philosophy, Brahman, Atman, Ekam-eva-advitiyam, Knowledge, Brahmajnana, Brahmanubhava, Univers, Ontology, Epistemology

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