Vivartavada

Vivartavada is a philosophical concept within Hindu Advaita Vedanta, specifically associated with the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya, a prominent philosopher and theologian of the 8th century CE. Vivartavada is a doctrine that explains the nature of the world and its relationship to the ultimate reality (Brahman).

Key features and characteristics of Vivartavada include:

1. Illusionary Nature of the World: Vivartavada proposes that the entire manifest world, known as the empirical reality (vyavaharika satta), is an illusion (vivarta) or appearance. It is not ultimately real in the absolute sense.
2. Brahman as the Ultimate Reality: In Vivartavada, the ultimate reality is Brahman, which is the nondual, unchanging, and indescribable cosmic principle that underlies all existence. Brahman is considered the only true reality, beyond time, space, and causation.
3. Maya: The concept of Maya plays a crucial role in Vivartavada. Maya refers to the creative power or illusionary energy of Brahman, which veils the true nature of reality and gives rise to the appearance of the world. Maya is not considered absolutely real but has a relative existence within the realm of empirical reality.
4. Superimposition (Adhyasa): According to Vivartavada, the illusion of the world arises due to a process of superimposition. The empirical world is superimposed on the substratum of Brahman due to the power of Maya. Just as a rope is mistaken for a snake in dim light, the world is mistakenly perceived as separate from Brahman.
5. Example of the Rope and Snake: A common analogy used in Vivartavada is the example of a rope being mistaken for a snake. In dim light, a rope may be wrongly perceived as a snake, but upon closer examination, the snake is found to be an illusion, and only the rope remains as the true reality.
6. Unity of Self and Brahman: Vivartavada teaches that the individual self (Atman) and Brahman are fundamentally one and the same. The individual self, in its true nature, is nondifferent from the ultimate reality. The illusion of separateness arises due to the ignorance (avidya) caused by Maya.
7. Liberation (Moksha): The purpose of Vivartavada is to lead individuals to spiritual liberation (moksha) by dispelling the ignorance and realizing the oneness of the self with Brahman. Liberation is achieved through self-knowledge (atma-jnana) and transcending the illusion of the world.

Vivartavada is a central aspect of Advaita Vedanta, which is one of the major philosophical schools within Hinduism. While Vivartavada explains the illusory nature of the world, it also emphasizes the importance of attaining self-realization and liberation to awaken to the underlying reality of Brahman, which is beyond all duality and change.