Sage Sankara had to criticize the Buddhist literature prevailing then as the Buddhists themselves were confused as to what Shunyata is.+

The Buddhist scriptures were completely distorted by the time of Sage Sankara. Sage Sankara had to criticize the Buddhist literature prevailing then as the Buddhists themselves were confused as to what Shunyata is.

Vasubandhu and his disciple Dignaga (the latter lived about a couple of centuries before Sage Sankara) could not retain the original teachings of the Bhagavan Buddha. At first, Vasubandhu did not agree with his half-brother Asanga and wrote one book on Abhidharma and later on, he went to the side of Asanga and wrote a second book, where? he opposed his own earlier views on Abhidharma.  

 

Sage Sankara? had to criticize the Buddhist knowledge? and literature of his time as he wanted to bring to us back the Pure Vedantic knowledge through his work on the Prasthanatraya. That is why there is a reference to the writing of Dharmakirti in Sutrabashya.

There is another aspect also? Vishnu Purana also says that Bhagavan Buddha created confusion. In Sarnath, he first taught about the basic Moral code. He talked about Anatma. Then? two decades later he taught the concept of Shunyata and? The tenets of the Mahayana Buddhism.? Despite Nagarjuna’s telling that Shunyata is not Nihilism and that Parajanaparamita also mentioning about the Shunyata after one leaves? the five? Skandhas, there are and there will always be people who will go on calling Buddha's philosophy as Nihilism. About the origin of the? Tantric Buddhism also? there are controversies.

 

The most valuable contribution of Sage Sankara is that he gained general consciousness on the issue that the authoritative explanation of Upanishads, Gita, and Brahma Sutra was the final say in the matter of religion. Anything that goes contrary to the trio is not authentic. He also made a clear distinction between Vedas and Upanishads in his commentary on Gita. He stated that the Karma Kanda of the Vedas deals with the injunctions relating to the performance of duties and actions. These are for ordinary householders.

  

The path of religion, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

 

Sage Sankara’s whole teaching can be summed up into one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahma. He says that Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Bliss are real. The universe is not real.

 

Sage Sankara says that Brahma and Atmana are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances.

 

In fact, Sage Sankara states a paradox- the world is and is not. It is neither real nor unreal. It leads us to recognize the existence of Maya.

 

Sage Sankara e thinks that the world is illusory from one perspective and from the second it is nothing but Brahma, Itself in manifestation. This apparent world is Maya and has its basis in Brahman, the Eternal. It looks real. It has names and forms and actually, it is not real.  In the light of true knowledge, it disappears and the Soul, the ‘Self’ alone shines as real. However, Sage Sankara's Mayavada has not been accepted by many preachers and philosophers.

 

 

When Sage Sankara says clearly, the universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is Real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances, then it indicates the form (universe) is unreal the formless is real (Soul).  Therefore, only Atman is real because there is no second thing other than Atman.

 

Sage Sankara also clearly mentions that the path of religion, theory of karma, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Thus we have to know the fact that Bhagavan Buddha, Sage Gaudapada, and Sage  Sankara are not only reformers but also the greatest Sage scientists. Since their original thesis has been lost in the labyrinths of philosophy and mutilated by pundits and priestcraft, it becomes very difficult to understand and assimilate the wisdom expounded by the great masters. In addition, the conservativeness of the orthodox scholars will not allow any research other than playing with the words, which suits the mass mindsets, because of their egocentric outlook.

All the add-ons have to be deleted, to understand and assimilate the real fragrance of the wisdom expounded by the great masters of Advaita, but it is a hurricane task.  Thus, it is no use going through all the scriptures, when there is a direct path to non-dual truth.  The same time and effort can be used to reach the nondual destination, in lesser time and effort.   

Nonduality does not need the support of any Scripture or Revelation like the Veda. For it is based, not upon the varying theological fancies, which are as numerous as the sands of the sea, but upon reason, the common heritage of all mankind, irrespective of color or creed or clime.

Sage Sankara was criticized for his views on Maya (illusion) without understanding him.

Sage Sankara said:~

(1) Brahman (the Self) is real,

(2) The universe is unreal,

(3) Brahman is the universe.

He did not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the Self and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self. Hence Maya and reality are one and the same. 

Seeker of truth has to know that something is inadequate in Buddhist or Advaitic teachings to reach the nondual destination because of the add-ons and adulteration. Thus it becomes difficult to reach a destination directed by the Bhagavan Buddha, Sage  Sankara, and Sage Goudpada.  It is for the seeker to remove all the obstacles.  The greatest hindrance is mixing religion, god, scriptures, and yogic theories. Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal god, and religious code of conduct keep one permanently in the grip of duality.

 

For the same reason Sage Sri, Raman Maharishi said: ~ fortunate are the ones who do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. Bhagwan says: Take Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of 15 pranas the names and functions of it which the student is asked to commit memory. Will, it is not sufficient if he thought, only one prana does the whole work of maintaining the body? Again the antakaran is said to think, to desire, to will, to reason, etc. Why all these details? Has anyone seen antakarana or all these pranas? Do they really exist? They are conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these concepts end? Why should confusion be created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which they all arise. (GURU RAMANA. By S.S Cohen -vii Danger of philosophy-Page -58-59)

The duality is the reality from the standpoint of the false Self (ego or body as the Self).  The duality is merely an on the base of the true Self, which is the formless consciousness. This understanding comes only to the serious seeker, who has a real urge to know the ultimate truth, which is beyond all the teachings and teachers. There is neither teaching, nor teacher, nor student in the realm of truth.  

Different paths will not converge to the same Ultimate Reality because they are based on the false Self. They are not the different stages in the same path. People fight about the differences and greatness of their chosen paths but only through wisdom one can realize the Ultimate Reality.

One has to have perfect understanding and march ahead, surely and steadily, towards that Ultimate Reality, which is consciousness or Brahman or Christ or Buddha. One becomes limited to the concepts, names, and forms within the waking/dream. Waking/dream originates from the Soul.

The Soul is the true Self.  The Soul is in the form of consciousness. Realizing the consciousness as the true Self is truth realization. Consciousness is formless, limitless, permanent, and unchanging, and by its nature non-dual and universal. The consciousness is the formless knower of the mirage (universe) which comes and goes. The knower(Self, which is in the form of consciousness)  and the known(three states) are one, in essence, therefore there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.  

Realize Brahman or ultimate truth here and now, in this very life, not in next life and in the next world by realizing the fact that, this life within the waking experience itself is an illusion because the waking experience is itself is an illusion.:~Santthosh Kumaar