Introduction

Vedanta#

“Vedanta”: end of the Veda, referring within the Indian philosophical tradition to the teachings of the Upanisads, the Brahma-sutras, and the Bhagavadgita (these three collection of works are known as the prsthanas, foundations of systematic Vedanta), and to the various philosophical systemizations of them. It is intimately bound up with spiritual experience, and is also a practical guide to spiritual experience.

Bhagavadgita is not as important as these other works for Advaita Vedanta since it presents on the whole a more pronounced theistic orientation, though contain an Advaitic dimension. The early Upanisads (e.g. Brhadaranyaka, Chandogya) lend themselves more easily to an Advaitic interpretation than do some of the later ones.

A Vedantic system bases itself upon ancient texts, and one of its primary tasks is to show that these texts represent a consistent and singular viewpoint. Systematic Vendanta was thus formualted in terms of scriptual exegesis as much as was formulated in terms of philosophical analysis.