I think we carry a very carefully constructed image of Adi Shankaracharya in popular Hindu psyche today which is very different from traditional commentary. Part of the blame is with the Indological discovery of Shankaracharya in early 18th/19th century or so.
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https://twitter.com/NSIND2/status/1494537250138636289
Most traditional commentators are clear that Shankara Advaita style realisation isn't going to be possible for millions in same lifetime. They acknowledge it is not for everyone. The path exists. But not everyone can withstand the ordeal in same lifetime.
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So they don't portray Shankaracharya discourse as some form of a "Individual is sovereign.This is Hindu liberalism" style construct.
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Neither do they push for Shankara Advaita as "Liberation theology". That which liberates the oppressed from hegemony, societal inequality blah blah here and now.
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The tragedy is that we have a living traditional parampara of amnaaya peethams that Shankaracharya himself established and we don't pay attention to them in understanding Shankara Advaita!
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People reject that parampara's interpretation of Shankara Advaita saying it doesn't suit their sensibilities or these guys are wrong I am correct or this is later day degeneration muh Adi Shankaracharya wasn't like this etc
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Even outside of the Amnaaya peethams, read traditional scholarship on Darshanas, Advaita interpretations and commentary of Gita etc. Including those attributed to Shankaracharya himself!
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You won't find this individual is sovereign element except in a very adhyatmic sense of it.
Shankaracharya himself spearheaded and established mathams.
He tried to streamline temple worship traditions and was very much engaged on a societal sphere. The here and now sphere!
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Shankaracharya himself spearheaded and established mathams.
He tried to streamline temple worship traditions and was very much engaged on a societal sphere. The here and now sphere!
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He didn't argue anywhere for this Swecchachara style liberalism.
Infact some of the strictest defenders of ritual life are found amongst Shankara Advaita followers down to our times today!
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Infact some of the strictest defenders of ritual life are found amongst Shankara Advaita followers down to our times today!
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I think this is coming from a very indology PDF kind reading of Shankaracharya that too primarily in English.
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I see people pick up some such stuff and suddenly jump ship to diss ritualism, dismiss Puranas, temple worship and anything that demands compliance to customs etc.
This is a very worrying trend.
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This is a very worrying trend.
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This is one of the reasons why the Advaita knowledge was carefully guarded and not everyone was allowed to get there without the needed Sadhana, Adhikara etc.
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Course correction long due.
Shankaracharya's Advaita wasn't meant for "Anyone can do anything. To hell with religious rules" style liberalism.
Neither was it for some sort of a catch all sanyasa deal to pull people into monastic orders.
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Shankaracharya's Advaita wasn't meant for "Anyone can do anything. To hell with religious rules" style liberalism.
Neither was it for some sort of a catch all sanyasa deal to pull people into monastic orders.
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Infact many traditionalists echo that the whole purpose of Shankaracharya Advaita discourse was to guard against the Buddhist monastic order excesses of luring one too many people towards sanyasa.
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So yeah i am not comfortable with appropriating Shankara Advaita for some sort of Hindu Liberalism formulation.
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Neither are so many of his real serious followers. I speak based on the confidence I get from reading, seeing the commentary on Shankaracharya's discourse from those who are real Sadhakas and have the Adhikara.
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I am a mere ally for traditionalists and not even so much of a practitioner myself. Just trying to seperate the wheat from the chaff really.
/End
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