On Hinduism

Since the Vedic scriptures are highly cryptic, several schools of philosophical thought emerged in Hinduism, owing to different interpretations. Among them the most prominent one is the Advaita School.

The term Advaita refers to the darshana or philosophy that Brahman alone is ultimately real, the phenomenal transient world is an illusory appearance (maya) of Brahman, and the true Self, atman, is not different from Brahman.

Advaita is the path of knowledge. By removing ignorance of Self, knowledge is attained. It is a path of self-enquiry that leads to realization.

In Advaita you have to come to the knowledge that you are not the body, you are not the mind. Advaita leads to the knowledge that there is no self. Through that knowledge it leads to the state of no-self.

Advaita is the idea that there is only Brahman, and that everything is Brahman–non-dualism or monism.

Also read:

Other reading material:

Relevant videos: Swami Tadatmanda on reincarnation, 

Contributor: Rajeev Singh

Location of this post (1j): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-advaita/

The ultimate purpose and goal for a Hindu’s religious and spiritual practice is to attain moksha. Moksha is Self-realization (atma-jnana) or realization of one’s true divine nature. Hindus Consider each individual (anything living) to be a divine self (atman, soul, life principle, consciousness), but that spiritual ignorance leads one to identify the self completely with the body and ego, thereby forgetting the divine nature of not only one’s self, but all of existence.  Self realization is knowledge of the true self beyond both delusion and identification with material phenomena.

Other reading material:

Relevant videos: Swami Nikhil Anand Hinduism Q & A: What is Self Realization

Contribution: Kaushik Macherla

Location of this post (6b): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-self-realization/