Time and Change in Advaita—Gauḍapāda in Dialogue with Vasiṣṭha and Nāgārjuna
Religions January 30, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/rel15020167 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that within Advaita Vedānta, as presented in Gauḍapāda's Gauḍapāda-kārikā, reality is the singular, changeless Brahman of non-differentiated consciousness, and that Gauḍapāda's doctrine of 'non-origination' (ajāti) holds that nothing is ever originated. Change or deviation is possible only under illusion. The paper compares this position with other classical non-dual philosophies and examines arguments for and against change in Advaita. |
Abstract
In the classical philosophical landscape of India, the Advaita of Śaṅkara occupies central stage. Besides the Upaniṣadic literature, the Gauḍapāda-kārikā (GK) of Gauḍapāda is the primary text in this school. Relying primarily on the GK, this essay explores the ways the issue of change can be addressed within the Advaita paradigm. For Advaitins, there exists only the singular reality of Brahman, of the character of non-differentiated consciousness. In this paradigm, the attributes of both being and blissfulness never change. Furthermore, the central teaching of Gauḍapāda is the doctrine of ‘non-origination’ (ajāti), that nothing is ever originated. For Advaita, change or deviation is possible only under the spell of illusion, as the absolute is changeless. By comparing the position of Gauḍapāda with other classical, non-dual philosophies, this paper explores arguments for and against change in the classical philosophical school of Advaita.