Sri Sankara, the great revivalist

Adi Shankara, the great Indian philosopher and revivalist whose contributions to the world of spirituality is immeasurable as he revolutionized the spiritual realm of  India by reviving and propagating the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta.

He restored the real essence of Upanishads, the Vedic Sanskrit texts of Hindu philosophy which form the foundation of Hinduism , proclaimed, Jeevanmukthi , a liberated state of mind attained through the unity of Atman and Brahman and propounded the oneness in the whole.

On May17 this year, which was Adi Shankara’s 1233rd birth day, an article written by Dr.Rajesh.O in Mathrubhumi recognizes  that Shankara graciously accepted the Buddhist thoughts and techniques too. Shankara also accepts Mahayana Buddhist thinker Nagarjuna’s emptiness theory, the article said.

In Theravada Buddhism, Suññata or emptiness is the truth which is the non-self experience attained through six sense spheres. Suññata is also often used to refer to a meditative state or experience.

However, in Advaita Vedanta, truth is referred to Brahman which is the fundamental reality behind all objects and experiences.

Even though the approaches were different, it is obvious that the Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta philosophies  envisaged the possibility of Individual’s liberated state of mind and a revolution in consciousness.

Dr. Rajesh also states that Adi Shankara had the greatness to accept other perceptive too.