Tag Archives: Śaṅkara

Before the continuation of our series, reference needs to be made to the most renowned exponent of the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy, Adi Śaṅkara (700-750 CE), since we shall be utilizing from time to time his commentary on the Māṇḍukya Kārikā. Some have placed his death at 32 years of age but the dates, 700-750, grounded in modern scholarship, are more widely acceptable. He wrote numerous works during his brief stay on this earth, but his monumental work, Brahmasūtrabhāṣya , is considered to be second to none in Indian metaphysics. His teacher was Govinda, who in turn was originally taught by Gauḍapāda. His primary assent to truth is psychological and religious rather than logical; thus, he is perhaps best known as a prominent religious teacher rather than a philosopher in today’s modern terminology. read more