[Advaita-l] Non-Dualism and Advaita

[Kripa Shankar]

Namaste, 

There are some scholars who declare that Non-Dualism is a universal phenomenon and hence it is commonly experienced by all * even by those who don't study the Vedas *. So is the study of Vedas / Vedanta really necessary for Nirvana  or does it complicate things ? And to add to that there is Adhikara bedha in the Vedas which discriminates among people of different gender and birth. 
‎
Non-Dualism or universalism on the other hand assures you the same benefit - Nirvana/'one-ness'/'universal consciousness'. ‎Not just that it boasts of a more romantic ideal of inclusive ness where people of all caste / creed /gender has the same adhikara. 

1) Can this school of philosophy be classed under nAstika? ‎
2) Is it not a case of cultural (mis)appropriation ?‎


1) nAstika does not mean 'Atheism' as is commonly understood. If that was the case, 'Mimamsa' school is the classic Atheist philosophy as it denies the diety apart from the mantra. But nAstika means the school which does not accept the Vedas(shruti, Smriti, Puranas)  as pramana. ‎And this is exactly why Adi Shankaracharya is known as the reviver of sanAtana dharma. Because he didn't care two hoots about Buddhism which was already beaten to death by the Jains and the Ajivikas, but he emphasised the importance of ShAstra pramana.  

N. N. Bhattacharyya writes:
The followers of Tantra were often branded as Nāstika by the political proponents of the Vedic tradition. The term Nāstika does not denote an atheist since the Veda presents a godless system with no singular almighty being or multiple almighty beings. It is applied only to those who do not believe in the Vedas. TheSāṃkhyas and Mīmāṃsakas do not believe in God, but they believe in the Vedas and hence they are not Nāstikas. The Buddhists, Jains, and Cārvākas do not believe in the Vedas; hence they are Nāstikas.

‎2) I can understand if someone from the west profess this view. This is because the western philosophy is mainly rooted in colonialism. They (seem to) have a deep sense of despise towards other cultures. But what I don't understand is why are some Indians professing this very same back door nastika school, knowingly or unknowingly. I feel that most Advaita teachers are unwittingly or deliberately misleading others. 

Regards 
Kripa 


Vyasaya Vishnu roopaya Vyasa roopaya Vishnave 
Namo vai Brahma nidhaye Vasishtaya namo namaha