Vedānta
Tradition · Interpretation · Self
“What does Vedānta mean?”
A family of Indian philosophical schools reading the Upanishads, disagreeing sharply about the relationship between self and ultimate reality.
Overview
The name means 'end of the Veda' — both the closing texts and their culminating teaching.
It is a tradition of commentary. Its major thinkers argue by interpreting the same passages differently, which makes it a good example of how a tradition can be internally plural without dissolving.
Perspectives
There is no single answer here. Each reading comes from a different tradition and should be judged in its own terms.
Advaita
Non-dual: the individual self and ultimate reality are not two. Difference belongs to appearance.
Viśiṣṭādvaita
Qualified non-dualism: real distinction within a single whole, as body relates to self.
Dvaita
Dualist: self and ultimate reality are permanently distinct, and the relationship is devotional.
Claims
1 of 1 carry a source · 100%
Each statement is held separately, with what supports it and how firmly.
Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita and Dvaita reach incompatible conclusions while commenting on the same base text.
Attested in a primary textAll three schools wrote commentaries on the Brahma Sūtra and disagree on its meaning.
- Brahma Sūtra — Bādarāyaṇa · c. 200 BCE – 200 CE
Related ideas
Cited sources
Brahma Sūtra — Bādarāyaṇa · c. 200 BCE – 200 CE
The shared text on which Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita and Dvaita all wrote opposing commentaries.
Sources
Brahma Sūtra
The shared text all three schools comment on.
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