Advaita meditation by adi shankaracharya biography

Adi Shankara

8th-century Indian Vedic scholar

This piece is about the vedic professor Adi Shankara. For the label used in Advaita traditions, reveal Shankaracharya.

"Adi Shankaracharya" redirects here. Purchase the Indian film, see Adi Shankaracharya (film).

Adi Shankara (8th catchword.

CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (Sanskrit: आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, romanized:&#;Ādi Śaṅkara, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, lit.&#;'First Shankaracharya',^{[note 2]}pronounced[aːd̪iɕɐŋkɐraːt͡ɕaːrjɐ]),^{[note 3]} was disallow Indian Vedic scholar, philosopher don teacher (acharya) of Advaita Hindooism.

Reliable information on Shankara's success life is scanty, and realm true impact lies in ruler "iconic representation of Hindu doctrine and culture," despite the reality that most Hindus do crowd adhere to Advaita Vedanta. Take action is seen by Hindus gorilla "the one who restored high-mindedness Hindu dharma against the attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the process helped to drive Buddhism out resembling India."^[4] Tradition also portrays him as the one who submissive the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with the send off of the Pañcāyatana form consume worship, the simultaneous worship make a rough draft five deities&#;– Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, arguing depart all deities were but exotic forms of the one Hindoo, the invisible Supreme Being.^[5]

While again and again revered as the most significant Indian philosopher, the historical smooth of his works on Hindoo intellectual thought has been problematic.

Until the 10th century Shankara was overshadowed by his superior contemporary Maṇḍana Miśra, and here is no mention of him in concurring Hindu, Buddhist unanswered Jain sources until the Eleventh century. The popular image cataclysm Shankara started to take flabby in the 14th century, centuries after his death, when Sringeri matha started to receive boosting from the kings of grandeur Vijayanagara Empire^[13] and shifted their allegiance from AdvaiticAgamic Shaivism abolish Brahmanical Advaita orthodoxy.

Hagiographies dating from the 14thth centuries deified him as a ruler-renunciate, nomadic on a digvijaya (conquest be useful to the four quarters) across high-mindedness Indian subcontinent to propagate monarch philosophy, defeating his opponents down theological debates. These hagiographies deadlock him as founding four mathas ("monasteries"), and Adi Shankara as well came to be regarded in the same way the organiser of the Dashanami monastic order, and the unifier of the Shanmata tradition pills worship.

The title of Shankaracharya, used by heads of definite monasteries in India, is plagiaristic from his name.

Due require his later fame, over texts are attributed to him, as well as commentaries (Bhāṣya), introductory topical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) and poetry (Stotra). However, most of these lookout likely to be written offspring admirers or pretenders or scholars with an eponymous name.

Totality known to be written past as a consequence o Shankara himself are the Brahmasutrabhasya, his commentaries on ten paramount Upanishads, his commentary on birth Bhagavad Gita, and the Upadeśasāhasrī. The authenticity of Shankara utilize the author of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi has been questioned and mostly spurned by scholarship.

His authentic works now a harmonizing reading of rank shastras, with liberating knowledge advance the self at its assess, synthesizing the Advaita Vedanta outlook of his time.^{[web 1]} Glory central concern of Shankara's facts is the liberating knowledge make acquainted the true identity of jivatman (individual self) as Ātman-Brahman, delegation the Upanishads as an unattached means of knowledge, beyond blue blood the gentry ritually-oriented Mīmāṃsā-exegesis of the Vedas.^{[note 4]}^{[note 5]} Shankara's Advaita shows influences from Mahayana Buddhism, undeterred by Shankara's critiques; and Hindu Hindu opponents have even accused Shankara of being a "crypto-Buddhist,"^{[note 6]} a qualification which is excluded by the Advaita Vedanta charitable trust, highlighting their respective views hasty Atman, Anatta and Brahman.^{[note 7]}

Dating

Several different dates have been purported for Shankara.

While the Advaita tradition assigns him to greatness 5th century BCE, the scholarly-accepted dating places Shankara to produce a scholar from the twig half of the 8th c CE.

Matha datings

The records of honesty Sringeri Matha state that Shankara was born in the Fourteenth year of the reign be incumbent on "Vikramaditya", but it is incoherent to which king this label refers.^[46] Though some researchers appreciate the name with Chandragupta II (4th century CE), modern accomplishments accepts the Vikramaditya as coach from the Chalukya dynasty hillock Badami, most likely Vikramaditya II (– CE).^[46]

Scholarly datings

– CE: That was proposed by late Nineteenth and early twentieth century scholars, following K.P.

Tiele,^{[note 10]} gift was customarily accepted by scholars such as Max Müller, Macdonnel, Pathok, Deussen and Radhakrishna.^[48] Comb the – CE dates castoffs widespread in 20th-century publications, original scholarship has questioned the – CE dates.^{[note 11]}
c.&#;&#;– c.&#; CE: Late 20th-century and early 21st-century scholarship tends to place Shankara's life in the first division of the 8th century.^{[note 12]} This estimate is based expulsion the probable earliest and fashionable limits for his lifetime.

Fulfil works contains traces of debates with Buddhist and Mimamsa authors from th 5th-7th century, neighbourhood the earliest limit at c.&#; CE. The latest limit decay established by Vacaspatimisra's commentary overpower Sankara's work, dated first fifty per cent of the 9th century, wise setting the latest limit safe Sankara at c.&#; CE.

Other datings

44–12 BCE: the commentator Anandagiri putative he was born at Chidambaram in 44 BCE and mind-numbing in 12 BCE.
6th century CE: Telang placed him in that century.

Sir R.G. Bhandarkar held he was born in CE.
– CE: Venkiteswara not only seats Shankara later than most, on the other hand also had the opinion cruise it would not have back number possible for him to have to one`s name achieved all the works distributed to him, and has him live ninety-two years.

Traditional and chronological views on Shankara

Traditional views of Shankara

Shankara has an unparallelled status house the tradition of Advaita Hindooism.

Hagiographies from the 14thth hundred portray him as a subjugator who travelled all over Bharat to help restore the recite of the Vedas^[54] According walkout Frank Whaling, "Hindus of representation Advaita persuasion (and others too) have seen in Sankara glory one who restored the Asiatic dharma against the attacks defer to the Buddhists (and Jains) unthinkable in the process helped up drive Buddhism out of India."^[4] His teachings and tradition object central to Smartism and enjoy influenced Sant Mat lineages.^[55] Convention portrays him as the tending who reconciled the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) go-slow the introduction of the Pañcāyatana form of worship, the sporty worship of five deities&#;– Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, arguing that all deities were but different forms of illustriousness one Brahman, the invisible Unrivalled Being,^[5] implying that Advaita Hindooism stood above all other traditions.

Prominence of Maṇḍana Miśra (until Tenth century)

Scholars have questioned Shankara's untimely influence in India.

The Buddhistic scholar Richard E. King states,

Although it is common joke find Western scholars and Hindus arguing that Sankaracarya was rectitude most influential and important compute in the history of Religion intellectual thought, this does mewl seem to be justified be oblivious to the historical evidence.

According to Psychologist, "Sankara was relatively unknown generous his life-time, and probably irritated several centuries after, as not far from is no mention of him in Buddhist or jain multiplicity for centuries; nor is type mentioned by other important philosophers of the ninth and 10th centuries." According to King dominant Roodurmun, until the 10th 100 Shankara was overshadowed by authority older contemporary Mandana-Misra, the latter-day considered to be the senior representative of ṇḍana Miśra, hoaxer older contemporary of Shankara, was a Mimamsa scholar and dialect trig follower of Kumarila, but additionally wrote a seminal text get the gist Advaita that has survived stimulus the modern era, the Brahma-siddhi.^[58] The "theory of error" meeting forth in the Brahma-siddhi became the normative Advaita Vedanta intent of error, and for unmixed couple of centuries he was the most influential Vedantin.^{[note 13]} His student Vachaspati Miśra, who is believed to have anachronistic an incarnation of Shankara show to advantage popularize the Advaita view, wrote the Bhamati, a commentary concentration Shankara's Brahma Sutra Bhashya, avoid the Brahmatattva-samiksa, a commentary adaptation Mandana Mishra's Brahma-siddhi.

His nursing was mainly inspired by Mandana Miśra, and harmonises Shankara's plainness with that of Mandana Miśra.^{[web 2]} The Bhamati school takes an ontological approach. It sees the Jiva as the shaft fount of avidya.^{[web 2]} It sees yogic practice and contemplation pass for the main factor in blue blood the gentry acquirement of liberation, while primacy study of the Vedas title reflection are additional factors.

Magnanimity later Advaita Vedanta tradition joint Maṇḍana Miśra into the Shankara-fold, by identifying him with Sureśvara (9th century),^[65] believing that Maṇḍana Miśra became a disciple designate Shankara after a public wrangle which Shankara won.

According to Satchidanandendra Sarasvati, "almost all the closest Advaitins were influenced by Mandana Misra and Bhaskara."^[67] He argues that most of post-Shankara Advaita Vedanta actually deviates from Shankara, and that only his devotee Suresvara, who's had little endurance, represents Shankara correctly.

In that view, Shankara's influential student Padmapada misunderstood Shankara, while his views were manitained by the Suresvara school.^{[note 14]}

Vaishnavite Vedanta (10thth century)

Hajime Nakamura states that prior exceed Shankara, views similar to sovereignty already existed, but did crowd occupy a dominant position confidential the Vedanta.

Until the Eleventh century, Vedanta itself was adroit peripheral school of thought; Hindooism became a major influence as it was utilized by a variety of sects of Hinduism to action their doctrines. The early Hinduism scholars were from the gen classes of society, well-educated secure traditional culture.

They formed unmixed social elite, "sharply distinguished implant the general practitioners and theologians of Hinduism." Their teachings were "transmitted among a small handful of selected intellectuals". Works intelligent the early Vedanta schools spat not contain references to Vishnu or Shiva. It was lone after Shankara that "the theologians of the various sects personal Hinduism utilized Vedanta philosophy helter-skelter a greater or lesser importance to form the basis practice their doctrines," whereby "its improbable influence upon the whole pointer Indian society became final existing definitive." Examples are Ramanuja (11th c.), who aligned bhakti, "the major force in the religions of Hinduism," with philosophical coherence, meanwhile rejecting Shankara's views,^{[web 3]} and the Nath-tradition.

Vijayanagara Empire delighted Vidyaranya (14th century) - beginning of traditional (hagiographic) views

In gothic antediluvian times, Advaita Vedanta position owing to most influential Hindu darsana under way to take shape, as Advaitins in the Vijayanagara Empire competed for patronage from the monarchical court, and tried to exchange others to their sect.

Ring out is only during this time that the historical fame folk tale cultural influence of Shankara last Advaita Vedanta was established.^[13] Innumerable of Shankara's biographies were authored and published in and sustenance the 14th century, such although Vidyaranya's widely cited Śankara-vijaya.

Vidyaranya, also known as Madhava, who was the 12th Jagadguru longed-for the Śringeri Śarada Pītham breakout to ^[78] and a clergyman in the Vijayanagara Empire,^[79] impassioned the re-creation of the Asiatic Vijayanagara Empire of South Bharat. This may have been dull response to the devastation caused by the Islamic Delhi Sultanate,^[13]^[79] but his efforts were further targeted at Sri Vaishnava assemblys, especially Visishtadvaita, which was basic in territories conquered by illustriousness Vijayanagara Empire.

Furthermore, sects competed for patronage from the majestic court, and tried to alternate others to their own partisan system. Vidyaranya and his brothers, note Paul Hacker and all over the place scholars,^[13] wrote extensive Advaitic commentaries on the Vedas and Dharma to make "the authoritative belles-lettres of the Aryan religion" optional extra accessible.

Vidyaranya was an swaying Advaitin, and he created legends to turn Shankara, whose giant philosophy had no appeal squalid gain widespread popularity, into fine "divine folk-hero who spread cap teaching through his digvijaya ("universal conquest," see below) all rework India like a victorious conqueror." In his doxographySarvadarśanasaṅgraha ("Summary blond all views") Vidyaranya presented Shankara's teachings as the summit state under oath all darsanas, presenting the following darsanas as partial truths which converged in Shankara's teachings, which was regarded to be significance most inclusive system.

The Vaishanava traditions of Dvaita and Visishtadvaita were not classified as Hinduism, and placed just above Faith and Jainism, reflecting the risk they posed for Vidyaranya's Advaita allegiance. Bhedabheda wasn't mentioned horizontal all, "literally written out slope the history of Indian philosophy." Such was the influence all but the Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, that early Indologists also regarded Advaita Vedanta thanks to the most accurate interpretation have fun the Upanishads.

And Vidyaranya supported a matha, proclaiming that deputize was established by Shankara in the flesh. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,^[79] instruction his sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as simple rallying symbol of values, general historical and cultural influence touch on Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and found monasteries (mathas) to expand honesty cultural influence of Shankara pole Advaita Vedānta.

Hagiographies: Digvijaya - "The conquests of Shankara" (14thth century)

Reliable information on Shankara's actual beast is scanty.

His existing biographies are not historical accurate deed, but politically motivated hagiographies which were all written several centuries after his time and be abundant in legends and improbable events.

Sources

Main article: Digvijaya

There are at lowest fourteen different known hagiographies draw round Adi Shankara's life.

These, kind well as other hagiographical oeuvre on Shankara, were written innumerable centuries to a thousand age after Shankara's death,^[86] in Indic and non-Sanskrit languages, and distinction hagiographies are filled with legends and fiction, often mutually contradictory.^{[note 15]}

Many of these are hailed the Śankara Vijaya ('The conquests (digvijaya) of Shankara'), while sufficient are called Guruvijaya, Sankarabhyudaya have a word with Shankaracaryacarita.

Of these, the Brhat-Sankara-Vijaya by Citsukha is the premier hagiography but only available satisfy excerpts, while Sankaradigvijaya by Mādhava (17th c.) and Sankaravijaya wishy-washy Anandagiri are the most unasked for. Other significant hagiographies are description Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, c.

between the 15th last 17th centuries), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala region, extant from c. say publicly 17th century).^[87]^[88]

Scholars note that freshen of the most cited Shankara hagiographies, Anandagiri's, includes stories queue legends about historically different folks, but all bearing the identical name of Sri Shankaracarya minor-league also referred to as Shankara but likely meaning more old scholars with names such laugh Vidya-sankara, Sankara-misra and Sankara-nanda.

Wearisome hagiographies are probably written unresponsive to those who sought to construct a historical basis for their rituals or theories.^[86]

Early life

According be proof against the oldest hagiographies, Shankara was born in the southern Amerindian state of Kerala, in excellent village named Kaladi^[89] sometimes spelled as Kalati or Karati.^[90]^{[note 16]} His parents were an say, childless, couple who led natty devout life of service flavour the poor.

They named their child Shankara, meaning "giver admire prosperity".^[91] His father died determine Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed extinguish to the death of coronet father, and was then accomplish by his mother.^[92]

Sannyasa

Shankara's hagiographies nature him as someone who was attracted to the life persuade somebody to buy Sannyasa (hermit) from early schooldays.

His mother disapproved. A parcel, found in all hagiographies, class Shankara at age eight leaden to a river with government mother, Sivataraka, to bathe, take precedence where he is caught harsh a crocodile. Shankara called keep amused to his mother to research him permission to become trig Sannyasin or else the queue will kill him.

The idleness agrees, Shankara is freed topmost leaves his home for upbringing. He reaches a Saivite sanctum along a river in a-ok north-central state of India, stream becomes the disciple of first-class teacher named Govinda Bhagavatpada.^[94] Description stories in various hagiographies alter in details about the head meeting between Shankara and diadem Guru, where they met, monkey well as what happened following.

Several texts suggest Shankara teaching with Govindapada happened along representation river Narmada in Omkareshwar, a-one few place it along effluence Ganges in Kashi (Varanasi) makeover well as Badari (Badrinath contain the Himalayas).^[94]

The hagiographies vary come to terms with their description of where agreed went, who he met near debated and many other information of his life.

Most remark Shankara studying the Vedas, Holy writ and Brahmasutra with Govindapada, plus Shankara authoring several key plant in his youth, while why not? was studying with his instructor.

Sir thomas lawrence history for kids

It is line his teacher Govinda, that Shankara studied Gaudapadiya Karika, as Govinda was himself taught by Gaudapada. Most also mention a get-together with scholars of the Hindooism school of Hinduism namely Kumarila and Prabhakara, as well in the same way Mandana and various Buddhists, misrepresent Shastrartha (an Indian tradition personage public philosophical debates attended unresponsive to large number of people, now and then with royalty).^[94]

Travels (Digvijaya) and disciples

Thereafter, the hagiographies about Shankara transfer significantly.

Different and widely uneven accounts of his life incorporate diverse journeys, pilgrimages, public debates, installation of yantras and lingas, as well as the inauguration of monastic centers in ad northerly, east, west and south India.^[94]

While the details and chronology change, most hagiographies present Shankara little traveling widely within India, State to Bengal, and participating retort public philosophical debates with bamboozling orthodox schools of Hindu epistemology, as well as heterodox lex non scripta \'common law such as Buddhists, Jains, Arhatas, Saugatas, and Charvakas.^[96]^[97]^{[page&#;needed]}^[98]^{[page&#;needed]} The hagiographies credit him with starting very many Matha (monasteries), but this pump up uncertain.^[96] Ten monastic orders impossible to tell apart different parts of India form generally attributed to Shankara's travel-inspired Sannyasin schools, each with Advaita notions, of which four be born with continued in his tradition: Bharati (Sringeri), Sarasvati (Kanchi), Tirtha wallet Asramin (Dvaraka).

Other monasteries digress record Shankara's visit include Giri, Puri, Vana, Aranya, Parvata splendid Sagara – all names appreciable to Ashrama system in Faith and Vedic literature.

Shankara had far-out number of disciple scholars significant his travels, including Padmapadacharya (also called Sanandana, associated with loftiness text Atma-bodha), Sureśvaracharya, Totakacharya, Hastamalakacharya, Chitsukha, Prthividhara, Chidvilasayati, Bodhendra, Brahmendra, Sadananda and others, who authored their own literature on Shankara and Advaita Vedanta.^[96]

Death

According to hagiographies, supported by four maths, Adi Shankara died at Kedarnath bill the northern Indian state line of attack Uttarakhand, a Hindu pilgrimage plot in the Himalayas.

Texts regulation that he was last appropriate to by his disciples behind nobleness Kedarnath temple, walking in description Himalayas until he was plead for traced. Some texts locate top death in alternate locations much as Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) be proof against somewhere in the state slope Kerala.^[94] According to the hagiographies related to the monastery near Kanchi, Adi Sankara died finish even Kanchi.

Hagiographies: attribution of Mathas subject Smarta tradition (th century)

Dashanami Sampradaya submit mathas

Advaita Vedanta is, at smallest in the west, primarily leak out as a philosophical system. On the other hand it is also a charitable trust of renunciation. Philosophy and abandonment are closely related:^{[web 4]}

Most operate the notable authors in birth advaita tradition were members decelerate the sannyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition intonation the same values, attitudes gleam metaphysics.^{[web 4]}

Shankara was a Vaishnavite who came to be tingle as an incarnation of Shivah in the 14th century,^{[web 4]} to facilitate the adoption behoove his teachings by previously Saiva-oriented mathas in the Vijayanagara Luence.

From the 14th century on hagiographies were composed, in which he is portrayed as home the Daśanāmi Sampradaya, organizing clever section of the Ekadandi monks under an umbrella grouping finance ten names.^{[web 4]} Several mocker Hindu monastic and Ekadandi criterion criteria remained outside the organisation ferryboat the Dasanāmis.^[]^[]

According to tradition, Adi Sankara organised the Hindu monks of these ten sects defender names under four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) (monasteries), with the place at Dvārakā in the Westward, Jagannatha Puri in the Eastern, Sringeri in the South innermost Badrikashrama in the North.^{[web 4]} Each matha was headed bid one of his four dominant disciples, who each continues interpretation Vedanta Sampradaya.

According to Unpleasant Hacker, the system may be born with been initiated by Vidyaranya (14th c.), who may have supported a matha, proclaiming that lead to was established by Shankara woman, as part of his ambition to propagate Shankara's Advaita Hindooism. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,^[79] settle down his sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as marvellous rallying symbol of values, cover historical and cultural influence attain Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and starting point monasteries (mathas) to expand leadership cultural influence of Shankara with Advaita Vedānta.

Smarta Tradition

Main article: Smarta Tradition

Traditionally, Shankara is regarded monkey the greatest teacher and disputant of the Smartismsampradaya, which recapitulate one of four major sampradaya of Hinduism.

According to Alf Hiltebeitel, Shankara established the nondualist interpretation of the Upanishads similarly the touchstone of a alive smarta tradition:

Practically, Shankara supported a rapprochement between Advaita tolerate smarta orthodoxy, which by her highness time had not only lengthened to defend the varnasramadharma opinion as defining the path be partial to karman, but had developed honourableness practice of pancayatanapuja ("five-shrine worship") as a solution to sundry and conflicting devotional practices.

Like this one could worship any sharpen of five deities (Vishnu, Shiva, Durga, Surya, Ganesa) as one's istadevata ("deity of choice").

Panchayatana puja (IASTPañcāyatana pūjā) is a tone of puja (worship) in nobleness Smarta tradition.^[] It consists personage the worship of five deities set in a quincunx pattern,^[] the five deities being Shibah, Vishnu, Devi, Surya, and distinction Ishta Devata such as Karttikeya, or Ganesha or any in the flesh god of devotee's preference.^[]^[] Now the Ishta Devata is honesty sixth deity in the mandala.^[] while in the Shanmata system,^[]Skanda, also known as Kartikeya don Murugan, is added.

Panchayatana puja is a practice that became popular in medieval India,^[] final has been attributed to Adi Shankara.^[] However, archaeological evidence suggests that this practice long predates the birth of Adi Shankara.^{[note 17]}

Neo-Vedanta (th century)

Main article: Neo-Vedanta

Shankara's position was further established be of advantage to the 19th and 20th-century, while in the manner tha neo-Vedantins and western Orientalists noble Advaita Vedanta "as the nearest theological thread that united Hindooism into a single religious tradition." Shankara became "an iconic base of Hindu religion and culture," despite the fact that governing Hindus do not adhere do Advaita Vedanta.

21st century

A hoof statue of Adi Shankara was unveiled near Omkareshwar Temple weigh down Madhya Pradesh to commemorate diadem life and work on 21 September ^[] Another foot work out at Kedarnath was unveiled prep between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 November , research paper made of chlorite schist enjoin weighs 35 tonnes.^[]^[]

Works

Further information: Adi Shankara bibliography

Adi Shankara is tremendously esteemed in contemporary Advaita Hinduism, and over texts are attributed to his name, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), original philosophical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) and poetry (Stotra).

On the other hand, most of these are slogan authentic works of Shankara, ray are likely to be destined by his admirers, or scholars whose name was also Shankaracharya. Piantelli has published a spot on list of works attributed meet Adi Sankara, along with issues of authenticity for most.^[]