The unique characteristics of the tradition of Sankara bhagavad pada

[Michael Chandra Cohen]

The tradition of Sankara Bhagavad Pada has these totally unique characteristics. 

1. Because the absolute reality is bereft of any multiplicity and is also not the object of speech or mind in the Upanishads, this absolute reality is taught by the method of deliberate superimposition followed by negation. This is the method that is accepted in Sankara’s sampradaya

2. Following this method, in the Self it is accepted that there is someone who is inquiring into the truth and that there is an object to be inquired into. This distinction is temporarily accepted. Because this absolute reality is the “Self of all” and therefore is universally evident. This method of accepting that there should be an inquiry into Brahman becomes understandable in this context

3. The Upanishad’s only object is to teach the absolute nature of the self which is free from the totality of the Universe and it is not primarily to teach action or some type of injunctions as is accepted in all other interpretations of Vedanta. 

4. Because the Upanisad completely destroys, without any remains all of avidya which is in fact the cause of distinction such as knower known knowledge etc. and this occurs only through the direct experience that is called “brahmajnana” that arises only from Upanishadic teaching. That destruction of avidya is accepted as the supreme goal of life. 

5. It is only the reasoning that is offered by the scriptures as well as worldly reasoning that is accepted in Sankara’s Vedantic tradition. That only serves as an aid to direct experience to Truth. This tradition does not accept independent reasoning. 

6. By merely determining the true nature of Upanishadic knowledge one becomes kritakrityata, he has accomplished all that is to be accomplished. And it is not the case in Shankara Vedanta that after the knowledge of the Upanishadic sentences has arisen there remains something more to be done.

Sri Swami Satchidanandendra Saraswatiji, Intro to Sutra Bhasya Artha Tattva Vivedani.

[Jaishankar Narayanan]

Dear Michael ji,

All the below points are acceptable to the Sampradayavits in the teaching tradition.

with love and prayers,

Jaishankar

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[Michael Chandra Cohen]

Jaishankarji, #4 would not accept avidya-lesa nor #6, any type of prasamkhyavada like akhandakara vritti. Also, the intention here is to promote adhyaropa apavada above all other manana. 

and you've seen Bhaskar Yrji and Smt Manjushree Hedge's reply? 

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[Jaishankar Narayanan]

Dear Michael ji,

You may not like the term avidyalesha but bAdhita-anuvritti of body-mind-sense complex due to prArabdha which has already begun fructifying has to be accepted by all based on Br Up 1.4.7 Bhasya and BS 4.1.15 bhasya. 

Also #4 does not mean dvaita perception  will vanish for a jnAni thereby denying a jnAni his / her svAnubhva as a jnAni. It also does not mean jIvanmukta is a projection of ajnAnis.

Reg #6 akhandAkAra-vrtti is just a vrtti which destroys Atma-ajnAna. It has got nothing to do with prasamkhyAna which is not anyway accepted by sampradAyavit traditional teachers.

With love and prayers,

Jaishankar