Advaita Epistemology and Metaphysics - A Critical Analysis
International Journal of Social Science and Human Research March 21, 2022 Dr. Kalo Sona Roy
Advaita Vedanta holds that Brahman, the ultimate reality characterized as eternal existence, consciousness, and bliss, is unknown and unknowable through any source of cognition (pramana). While ordinary knowledge involves a relationship between knower, known object, and means of cognition at the empirical level, Brahman transcends this framework. The paper examines how Advaita epistemology treats cognition as conditioned consciousness at the lower level, with mental modifications (vrittis) taking the form of objects. Notably, Advaita teachers deny any direct relationship between knowledge (pramiti) and Brahman, yet admit a relationship between the means of cognition (pramana) and Brahman, and accept a mental modification taking the form of Brahman (brahmakara antahkaranavrtti), secondarily called brahmajnana.