The Advaitha Doctrine

          Sri Ãdi Śankarā was the main advocator of the Advaitha doctrine. The main philosophical principle of the philosophy is concentrated upon the idea that there is only one force and whatever else we see in this world or in the visible universe is only illusion and so without any power or as such is not real. The principle fails to give any importance to the visible manifestation of this world and the illusory part of one force is said to be seen to us like a reflection upon water. The philosophy is in itself very powerful as, the theory is the main theme of the Upanishads; but the later proponents of the doctrine were themselves confused or were unable to explain all the manifestations of this illusory power called Māya; which seems to us very very real!!!

          Advaitha philosophy is not a newly added spiritual path to the Indian spiritual heritage as, the root of all the Vedic teachings is based upon the origin of this universe from the cosmic mind called `Brahma' (Creator), which is just movement of consciousness without cause and is a manifestation of a much much greater unmanifest power which is indescribable by words and from which countless Brahma's have originated previously and countless would originate afterwards also in the present arrow of time.

It is interesting to note that Ãdi Śankara who was intelligent and conscious enough to understand this by direct realization, was somewhat unable to explain this in theory to his immediate disciples or the finer parts of the original principle may have been profound enough to be grasped by the less expanded minds of the later disciples. Whatever be the situation, the Advaitha theory was questioned and put aside by the future inquisitive generations of spiritual seekers and the other theories of spiritual realization gained in popularity, just because of the inability of succeeding disciples to explain his Sānskrit doctrines well in the background of Upanishads. But The Advaitha Sidhanta gained popularity in the modern ages and the order that he established surpassed the tests of time and now the establishment is the most respected with devotees world over.

 Shankara's doctrine's shouldn't be new to a mind which has gone through the Upanishads and understood the meaning, but his words are stronger and the examples are extra ordinary, for a not so ancient denouncer. His works are a must read for every spiritual aspirant and some of the most important works are given here.