Advaita's Place in Vedantic Schools
Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism) is one of three major Vedantic schools — the others being Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism of Ramanuja) and Dvaita (dualism of Madhva) — each offering a different reading of the Brahmasutras.
The three major schools of Vedanta all claim fidelity to the Prasthana Trayi (the three canonical sources: Upanishads, Brahmasutras, Bhagavad Gita) but interpret them in radically different ways: (1) Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism — Shankara): Brahman alone is real; the individual self and the world are Brahman appearing through Maya; liberation is the direct recognition of Brahman-Atman identity. (2) Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism — Ramanuja, 11th century): Brahman alone is real but is qualified (Vishishta) by the world (cit/conscious souls and acit/matter as Brahman's body); liberation is eternal participation in Brahman's bliss through devotion. (3) Dvaita (dualism — Madhva, 13th century): Brahman (Vishnu) is fundamentally different from the individual souls and the world; liberation is eternal proximity to Vishnu through devotion; some souls are eternally predestined to damnation. The philosophical debates between these three schools constitute one of the richest and most technical bodies of philosophical argument in any tradition.
All three schools seek liberation, but understand Brahman, the world, and the self differently — and therefore prescribe different paths.
Philosopher Bimal Matilal's analysis of the Vedanta schools documents that the debate between Shankara and Ramanuja is one of the most sophisticated philosophical exchanges in any tradition — Ramanuja's criticism of Shankara's Maya as 'unintelligible' and Shankara's defenders' responses constitute philosophy of the highest order.
Vedanta tradition