Adi Shankara · Theology

Brahman Is Real, the World Is Not

Shankara’s half-verse compresses an entire philosophy: only Brahman is finally real, the world is a dependent appearance, and your deepest self is Brahman.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned Shankara’s great saying: Brahman alone is finally real, the world is mithya (a dependent appearance, neither absolutely real nor sheer non-existence), and the individual self is identical with Brahman. Reconstruct the three claims and explain why ‘mithya’ is the crucial middle term.

Leads to Nagarjuna.

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