Sankara and vedanta

says the one unchanging entity (Brahman) alone exists, and that changing entities do not
have absolute existence, much as the ocean's waves have no existence in separation from the
ocean.
Brahman is the only truth, the spatio-temporal world is an illusion, and there is
ultimately no difference between Brahman and Atman(individual self).
This is the reason why this philosophy is called an experiential philosophy-the underlying tenet
being "That thou art", meaning that ultimately there is no difference between the experiencer
and the experienced (the world) as well as the universal spirit (Brahman).
He taught that it was only through direct knowledge that one could realise Brahman. "A
perception of the fact that the object seen is a rope will remove the fear and sorrow which
result from the illusory idea that it is a serpent".
although Advaita proposes the theory of Maya, likening the universe to "a trick of a magician",
Adi Shankara and his followers see this as a consequence of their basic premise
that Brahman alone is real. Their theory of Maya emerges from their belief in experiential
reality of the absolute consciousness 'Brahman' (as emphasized in Upanishads), as opposed
to Buddhist doctrine of emptiness, which emerges from the Buddhist approach of observing the
nature of reality.
Regarding meditation, Shankara refuted the system of Yoga and its disciplines as a direct
means to attain moksha, rebutting the argument that it can be obtained through
concentration of the mind. His position is that the mental states discovered through the
practices of Yoga can be indirect aids to the gain of knowledge, but cannot themselves
give rise to it. According to his philosophy, knowledge of Brahman springs from inquiry into
the words of the Upanishads, and the knowledge of Brahman that shruti provides cannot be
obtained in any other way.

Vedanta philosophy
The schools of Vednta seek to answer questions about the relation between atman and
Brahman, and the relation between Brahman and the world.[1]
The schools of Vedanta are named after the relation they see between atman and Brahman:[2]

According to Advaita Vedanta, there is no difference.[2]

According to Dvaita the jvtman is totally different from Brahman. Even though he is
similar to brahman, he is not identical.

According to Vishishtadvaita, the jvtman is a part of Brahman, and hence is similar, but

not identical.
Madhva said: "Man is the servant of God," and established his Dvaita philosophy. Ramanuja
said: "Man is a ray or spark of God," and established his Visishtadvaita philosophy. Sankara
said: "Man is identical with Brahman or the Eternal Soul," and established his Kevala Advaita
philosophy

All schools of Vedanta subscribe to the theory of Satkryavda,[web 6] which means that the
effect is pre-existent in the cause. But there are two different views on the status of the "effect",
that is, the world. Most schools of Vedanta,[27][web 6] as well as Samkhya,[web
6]
support Parinamavada, the idea that the world is a real transformation (parinama) of Brahman
[A]lthough Brahman seems to undergo a transformation, in fact no real change takes place.
The myriad of beings are essentially unreal, as the only real being is Brahman, that ultimate
reality which is unborn, unchanging, and entirely without parts.[27]
Even though there are many sub-schools of vedantic philosophy, all these schools share some
common features, that can be called the vedantic core:[40]

Brahman is the supreme cause of the entire universe and is all pervading and eternal, as
found in the PrasthanatrayiThe Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.

Actions are subordinate to knowledge or devotion. Actions are useful only for preparing the
mind for knowledge or devotion; and once this is achieved, selfish actions and their
rewards must be renounced.

Bondage is subjection to Sasra, the cycle of death and rebirth.

Liberation is deliverance from this cycle.

Traditional Vednta considers scriptural evidence, or shabda pramna, as the most authentic
means of knowledge, while perception, or pratyaksa, and logical inference, or anumana, are
considered to be subordinate (but valid)

According to the Bhedbheda Vednta schools the individual self (jvtman) is both different
and not different from Brahman
According to Dvaitdvaita, the jvtman is at once the same and yet different from Brahman.
The jiva relation may be regarded as dvaita from one point of view and advaita from another
). Achintya-Bheda-Abheda represents the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and
difference,[52] in relation to the power creation and creator, (Krishna), svayam bhagavan.[53] and
also between God and his energies[54] within the Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition.
In Sanskrit achintya means 'inconceivable',[52] bheda translates as 'difference',
and abheda translates as 'one-ness'. It can be best understood as integration of strict dualist
(Dvaita) view of Madhvacharya and qualified monism Vishishtadvaita of Ramanujacharya while
rejecting absolute monism Advaita of Adi Sankara.
In the school of Vednta, Brahman is the only reality, and the world, as it appears, is illusory.
As Brahman is the sole reality, it cannot be said to possess any attributes whatsoever. An
illusory power of Brahman called My causes the world to arise. Ignorance of this reality is the
cause of all suffering in the world and only upon true knowledge of Brahman can liberation be
attained. When a person tries to know Brahman through his mind, due to the influence of
My, Brahman appears as God (Ishvara), separate from the world and from the individual. In
reality, there is no difference between the individual soul jvtman (see Atman) and Brahman.

Liberation lies in knowing the reality of this non-difference (i.e. a-dvaita, "non-duality"). Thus,
the path to liberation is finally only through knowledge (jna).[51]
Vishishtadvaita was propounded by Rmnuja (10171137 CE) and says that the jvtman is
a part of Brahman, and hence is similar, but not identical. The main difference from Advaita is
that in Visishtadvaita, the Brahman is asserted to have attributes (Saguna brahman), including
the individual conscious souls and matter. Brahman, matter and the individual souls are distinct
but mutually inseparable entities. This school propounds Bhakti or devotion to God visualized
as Vishnu to be the path to liberation. My is seen as the creative power of God
Dvaita was propounded by Madhwchrya (11991278 CE). It is also referred to as tatvavd
- The Philosophy of Reality. It identifies God with Brahman completely, and in turn
with Vishnu or his various incarnations like Krishna,Narasimha, Srinivsa etc. In that sense it is
also known as sat-vaishnava philosophy to differentiate from the Vishishtadvaita school known
by sri-vaishnavism. It regards Brahman, all individual souls (jvtmans) and matter as eternal
and mutually separate entities. This school also advocates Bhakti as the route to sattvic
liberation whereas hatred (Dvesha)-literally 'twoness') and indifference towards the Lord will
lead to eternal hell and eternal bondage respectively. Liberation is the state of attaining
maximum joy or sorrow, which is awarded to individual souls (at the end of their sdhana),
based on the souls' inherent and natural disposition towards good or evil. The achintyaadbhuta shakti (the immeasurable power) of Lord Vishnu is seen as the efficient cause of the
universe and the primordial matter or prakrti is the material cause. Dvaita also propounds that
all action is performed by the Lord energizing every soul from within, awarding the results to
the soul but Himself not affected in the least by the results