ADI SHANKARA - PERCEPTS AND PRACTICE OF ADVITA
Theme: Using ideas in ancient Indian texts, Shankara systematized the foundation for Advaita Vedanta (literally End (Antah) of Vedas) in 8th century CE, one of the six orthodox schools of Hinduism founded many centuries earlier by Badarayana.
His thematic focus extended beyond metaphysics and soteriology, laying a strong emphasis on Pramanas (evidence), also known as epistemology or "means to gain knowledge, reasoning methods that empower one to gain reliable knowledge".
Shankara Scholar Rambachan observes as follows: According to these [widely represented contemporary] studies, Shankara only accorded a provisional validity to the knowledge gained by inquiry into the words of the Sruti (Vedas) and did not see the latter as the unique source (pramana) of Brahmagyana.
The affirmations of the Sruti, it is argued, need to be verified and confirmed by the knowledge gained through direct experience (anubhava) and the authority of the Sruti, therefore, is only secondary.
Sengaku Mayeda concurs, adding Shankara maintained the need for objectivity in the process of gaining knowledge (vastutantra), and considered subjective opinions (purushatantra) and injunctions in Sruti (codanatantra) as secondary citing Shankara's explicit statements emphasizing epistemology (pramana-janya) in section 1.18.133 of Upadesasahasri and section 1.1.4 of Brahmasutra-bhasya.
According to Michael Comans, Adi Shankara considered perception and inference as primary most reliable epistemic means, and where these means to knowledge help one gain "what is beneficial and to avoid what is harmful", there is no need for or wisdom in referring to the scriptures.
In certain matters related to metaphysics and ethics, says Shankara, the testimony and wisdom in scriptures such as the Vedas and the Upanishads become important.
Adi Shankara cautioned against cherrypicking a phrase or verse out of context from Vedic literature, and remarks in the opening chapter of his Brahmasutra-Bhasya that the Anvaya (theme or purport) of any treatise can only be correctly understood if one attends to the Samanvayat Tatparya Linga.
Samanvayat Tatparya consists of six characteristics of the text under consideration:
(1) The common in Upakrama (introductory statement) and Upasamhara (conclusions);
(2) Abhyasa (message repeated);
(3) Apurvata (unique proposition or novelty);
(4) Phala (fruit or result derived);
(5) Arthavada (explained meaning, praised point) and
(6) Yukti (verifiable reasoning).
While this methodology has roots in the theoretical works of Nyaya school of Hinduism, Shankara consolidated and applied it with his unique exegetical method called Anvaya-Vyatireka, which states that for proper understanding one must "accept only meanings that are compatible with all characteristics" and "exclude meanings that are incompatible with any".
Hacker and Phillips note that this insight into rules of reasoning and hierarchical emphasis on epistemic steps is "doubtlessly the suggestion" of Shankara in Brahma-sutra, an insight that flowers in the works of his companion and disciple Padmapada.
Merrell-Wolff states that Shankara accepts Vedas and Upanishads as a source of knowledge as he develops his philosophical theses, yet he never rests his case on the ancient texts, rather proves each thesis, point by point using pranamas (epistemology), reason and experience.
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