Shankara (Advaita)

Shankara, a great Indian philosopher, founded Advaita Vedanta, a spiritual tradition emphasizing non-dualism. He taught that the true nature of reality is a singular, unchanging consciousness called Brahman. According to him, individual soul (Atman) and Brahman are essentially one; differences are illusions created by ignorance. By achieving self-realization through knowledge and meditation, one recognizes this oneness, overcoming suffering caused by attachment to the material world. In essence, Advaita guides us to understand that our true self is identical with the universal consciousness, and realizing this unity leads to liberation (moksha).