Vedanta

Vedanta (; Sanskrit: वेदान्त, IAST: '; also Uttara Mīmāṃsā"') is one of the six ("āstika") schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, the speculations and philosophies contained in the Upanishads, specifically, knowledge and liberation. Vedanta contains many sub-traditions on basis of a common textual connection called the "Prasthanatrayi": "the Upanishads", the "Brahma Sutras" and the "Bhagavad Gita."
All Vedanta schools, in their deliberations, concern themselves with, but differ in their views regarding, ontology, soteriology and epistemology. The main traditions of Vedanta are:
Modern developments in Vedanta include Neo-Vedanta, and the growth of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. All of these schools, except Advaita Vedanta and Neo-Vedanta, are related to Vaishavism and emphasize devotion, regarding Vishnu or Krishna or a related manifestation, to be the highest Reality. While Advaita Vedanta attracted considerable attention in the West due to the influence of Hindu modernists like Swami Vivekananda, most of the other Vedanta traditions are seen as discourses articulating a form of Vaishnav theology.
Etymology and nomenclature.
The word "Vedanta" is made of two words :
The word "Vedanta" literally means the "end of the Vedas" and originally referred to the "Upanishads". Vedanta is concerned with the or knowledge section of the vedas which is called the "Upanishads". The denotation of Vedanta subsequently widened to include the various philosophical traditions based on to the "Prasthanatrayi".
The "Upanishads" may be regarded as the end of "Vedas" in different senses:
Vedanta is one of the six orthodox ("āstika") schools of Indian philosophy. It is also called "Uttara Mīmāṃsā", which means the 'latter enquiry' or 'higher enquiry'; and is often contrasted with "Pūrva Mīmāṃsā", the 'former enquiry' or 'primary enquiry'. "Pūrva Mīmāṃsā" deals with the "karmakāṇḍa" or ritualistic section (the "Samhita" and "Brahmanas") in the "Vedas".
Vedanta philosophy.
Common features.
Despite their differences, all schools of Vedanta share some common features:
"Prasthanatrayi" (the Three Sources).
The "Upanishads", the "Bhagavad Gita" and the "Brahma Sutras" constitute the basis of Vedanta. All schools of Vedanta propound their philosophy by interpreting these texts, collectively called the "Prasthanatrayi", literally, "three sources".
The "Brahma Sutras" attempted to synthesize the teachings of the "Upanishads". The diversity in the teaching of the "Upanishads" necessitated the systematization of these teachings. This was likely done in many ways in ancient India, but the only surviving version of this synthesis is the "Brahma Sutras" of "Badarayana".
All major Vedantic teachers, including Shankara, Bhaskara, Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Vallabha, and Madhva have composed commentaries not only on the "Upanishads" and "Brahma Sutras", but also on the "Bhagavad Gita". The "Bhagavad Gita", due to its syncretism of Samkhya, Yoga, and Upanishadic thought, has played a major role in Vedantic thought.
Metaphysics.
Vedanta philosophies discuss three fundamental metaphysical categories and the relations between the three.
Brahman / Ishvara – Conceptions of the Supreme Reality.
Shankara, in formulating Advaita, talks of two conceptions of "Brahman": The higher "Brahman" as undifferentiated Being, and a lower "Brahman" endowed with qualities as the creator of the universe.
Ramanuja, in formulating Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, rejects "nirguṇa" – that the undifferentiated Absolute is inconceivable – and adopts a theistic interpretation of the "Upanishads", accepts "Brahman" as "Ishvara", the personal God who is the seat of all auspicious attributes, as the One reality. The God of Vishishtadvaita is accessible to the devotee, yet remains the Absolute, with differentiated attributes.
Madhva, in expounding Dvaita philosophy, maintains that "Vishnu" is the supreme God, thus identifying the "Brahman", or absolute reality, of the "Upanishads" with a personal god, as Ramanuja had done before him. Nimbarka, in his dvaitadvata philosophy, accepted the "Brahman" both as "nirguṇa" and as "saguṇa". Vallabha, in his shuddhadvaita philosophy, not only accepts the triple ontological essence of the "Brahman", but also His manifestation as personal God ("Ishvara"), as matter and as individual souls.
Relation between Brahman and Jiva / Atman.
The schools of Vedanta differ in their conception of the relation they see between "Ātman" / "Jivātman" and "Brahman" / "Ishvara":
Epistemology.
Pramana.
"Pramāṇa" (Sanskrit: प्रमाण) literally means "proof", "that which is the means of valid knowledge". It refers to epistemology in Indian philosophies, and encompasses the study of reliable and valid means by which human beings gain accurate, true knowledge. The focus of Pramana is the manner in which correct knowledge can be acquired, how one knows or does not know, and to what extent knowledge pertinent about someone or something can be acquired. Ancient and medieval Indian texts identify six "pramanas" as correct means of accurate knowledge and truths:
The different schools of Vedanta have historically disagreed as to which of the six are epistemologically valid. For example, while Advaita Vedanta accepts all six "pramanas", Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita accept only three "pramanas" (perception, inference and testimony).
Advaita considers "Pratyakṣa" (perception) as the most reliable source of knowledge, and "Śabda", the scriptural evidence, is considered secondary except for matters related to Brahman, where it is the only evidence. In Vishistadvaita and Dvaita, "Śabda", the scriptural testimony, is considered the most authentic means of knowledge instead.
Theories of cause and effect.
All schools of Vedanta subscribe to the theory of "Satkāryavāda", which means that the effect is pre-existent in the cause. But there are two different views on the status of the "effect", that is, the world. Most schools of Vedanta, as well as Samkhya, support "Parinamavada", the idea that the world is a real transformation ("parinama") of Brahman. According to , "the "Brahma Sutras" espouse the realist Parinamavada position, which appears to have been the view most common among early Vedantins". In contrast to Badarayana, Adi Shankara and Advaita Vedantists hold a different view, "Vivartavada", which says that the effect, the world, is merely an unreal ("vivarta") transformation of its cause, Brahman.
Overview of the main schools of Vedanta.
The "Upanishads" present an associative philosophical inquiry in the form of identifying various doctrines and then presenting arguments for or against them. They form the basic texts and Vedanta interprets them through rigorous philosophical exegesis to defend the point of view of their specific "sampradaya". Varying interpretations of the "Upanishads" and their synthesis, the "Brahma Sutras", led to the development of different schools of Vedanta over time.
According to Gavin Flood, while Advaita Vedanta is the "most famous" school of Vedanta, and "often, mistakenly, taken to be the only represntative of Vedantic thought," and Shankara a Saivite, "Vedanta is essentially a Vaisnava theological articulation," a discourse broadly within the parameters of Vaisnavism." Within the Vaishnava traditions four "sampradays" have special status, while different scholars have classified the Vedanta schools ranging from three to six as prominent ones.
Bhedabheda (difference and non-difference).
Bhedābheda means "difference and non-difference" and is more a tradition than a school of Vedanta. The schools of this tradition emphasize that the individual self ("Jīvatman") is both different and not different from "Brahman". Notable figures in this school are Bhartriprapancha, Nimbārka (7th century) who founded the Dvaitadvaita school, Bhāskara (8th–9th century), Ramanuja's teacher Yādavaprakāśa, Caitanya (1486–1534) who founded the Achintya Bheda Abheda school, and Vijñānabhikṣu (16th century).
Dvaitādvaita.
Nimbārka (7th century) sometimes identified with Bhāskara, propounded "Dvaitādvaita". "Brahman" (God), souls "(chit)" and matter or the universe "(achit)" are considered as three equally real and co-eternal realities. "Brahman" is the controller "(niyanta)", the soul is the enjoyer "(bhokta)", and the material universe is the object enjoyed "(bhogya)". The Brahman is "Krishna", the ultimate cause who is omniscient, omnipotent, all-pervading Being. He is the efficient cause of the universe because, as Lord of "Karma" and internal ruler of souls, He brings about creation so that the souls can reap the consequences of their "karma". God is considered to be the material cause of the universe because creation was a manifestation of His powers of soul "(chit)" and matter "(achit)"; creation is a transformation "(parinama)" of God's powers. He can be realized only through a constant effort to merge oneself with His nature through meditation and devotion. 
Achintya-Bheda-Abheda.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 – 1533) was the prime exponent of "Achintya-Bheda-Abheda". In Sanskrit "achintya" means 'inconceivable'. "Achintya-Bheda-Abheda" represents the philosophy of "inconceivable difference in non-difference", in relation to the non-dual reality of "Brahman"-"Atman" which it calls ("Krishna"), "svayam bhagavan". The notion of "inconceivability" ("acintyatva") is used to reconcile apparently contradictory notions in Upanishadic teachings. This school asserts that "Krishna" is "Bhagavan" of the "bhakti yogins", the "Brahman" of the "jnana yogins", and has a divine potency that is inconceivable. He is all-pervading and thus in all parts of the universe (non-difference), yet he is inconceivably more (difference). This school is at the foundation of the "Gaudiya Vaishnava" religious tradition.
Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism).
Advaita Vedanta (IAST ""; Sanskrit: अद्वैत वेदान्त), propounded by Gaudapada (7th century) and Adi Shankara (8th century), espouses non-dualism and monism. "Brahman" is held to be the sole unchanging metaphysical reality and identical to the individual "Atman". The physical world, on the other hand, is always-changing empirical "Maya". The absolute and infinite "Atman"-"Brahman" is realized by a process of negating everything relative, finite, empirical and changing.
The school accepts no duality, no limited individual souls ("Atman" / "Jivatman"), and no separate unlimited cosmic soul. All souls and their existence across space and time are considered to be the same oneness. Spiritual liberation in "Advaita" is the full comprehension and realization of oneness, that one's unchanging "Atman" (soul) is the same as the "Atman" in everyone else, as well as being identical to "Brahman".
Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism).
"Vishishtadvaita", propounded by Ramanuja (11–12th century), asserts that "Jivatman" (human souls) and "Brahman" (as "Vishnu") are different, a difference that is never transcended. With this qualification, Ramanuja also affirmed monism by saying that there is unity of all souls and that the individual soul has the potential to realize identity with the "Brahman". "Vishishtadvaita", like "Advaita", is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta in a qualified way, and both begin by assuming that all souls can hope for and achieve the state of blissful liberation. On the relation between the "Brahman" and the world of matter ("Prakriti"), "Vishishtadvaita" states both are two different absolutes, both metaphysically true and real, neither is false or illusive, and that "saguna" "Brahman" with attributes is also real. Ramanuja states that God, like man, has both soul and body, and the world of matter is the glory of God's body. The path to "Brahman" ("Vishnu"), according to Ramanuja, is devotion to godliness and constant remembrance of the beauty and love of the personal god ("bhakti" of "saguna" "Brahman").
Dvaita (dualism).
Dvaita, propounded by Madhvacharya (13th century), is based on the premise of dualism. "Atman" (soul) and "Brahman" (as "Vishnu") are understood as two completely different entities. "Brahman" is the creator of the universe, perfect in knowledge, perfect in knowing, perfect in its power, and distinct from souls, distinct from matter. In "Dvaita" Vedanta, an individual soul must feel attraction, love, attachment and complete devotional surrender to "Vishnu" for salvation, and it is only His grace that leads to redemption and salvation. Madhva believed that some souls are eternally doomed and damned, a view not found in "Advaita" and "Vishishtadvaita" Vedanta. While the "Vishishtadvaita" Vedanta asserted "qualitative monism and quantitative pluralism of souls", Madhva asserted both "qualitative and quantitative pluralism of souls".
Shuddhādvaita (pure nondualism).
Shuddhadvaita (pure non-dualism), propounded by Vallabhacharya (1479–1531 CE), states that the entire universe is real and is subtly "Brahman" only in the form of "Krishna". Vallabhacharya agreed with Advaita Vedanta's ontology, but emphasized that "prakriti" (empirical world, body) is not separate from the "Brahman", but just another manifestation of the latter. Everything, everyone, everywhere – soul and body, living and non-living, "jiva" and matter – is the eternal "Krishna". The way to "Krishna", in this school, is "bhakti". Vallabha opposed renunciation of monistic "sannyasa" as ineffective and advocates the path of devotion ("bhakti") rather than knowledge ("jnana"). The goal of "bhakti" is to turn away from ego, self-centered-ness and deception, and to turn towards the eternal "Krishna" in everything continually offering freedom from "samsara".
History.
The history of Vedanta can be divided into two periods: one prior to the composition of the "Brahma Sutras" and the other encompassing the schools that developed after the "Brahma Sutras" were written.
Before the "Brahma Sutras" (before the 5th century).
Little is known of schools of Vedanta existing before the composition of the "Brahma Sutras" (400–450 CE). It is clear that Badarayana, the writer of "Brahma Sutras", was not the first person to systematize the teachings of the "Upanishads", as he quotes six Vedantic teachers before him – Ashmarathya, Badari, Audulomi, Kashakrtsna, Karsnajini and Atreya. References to other early Vedanta teachers – Brahmadatta, Sundara, Pandaya, Tanka and Dravidacharya – are found in secondary literature of later periods. The works of these ancient teachers have not survived, but based on the quotes attributed to them in later literature, Sharma postulates that Ashmarathya and Audulomi were Bhedabheda scholars, Kashakrtsna and Brahmadatta were Advaita scholars, while Tanka and Dravidacharya were either Advaita or Vishistadvaita scholars.
"Brahma Sutras" (completed in the 5th century).
Badarayana summarized and interpreted teachings of the "Upanishads" in the "Brahma Sutras", also called the "Vedanta Sutra", possibly "written from a Bhedābheda Vedāntic viewpoint." Badarayana summarized the teachings of the classical Upanishads and refuted the rival philosophical schools in ancient India. The Brahma Sutras laid the basis for the development of Vedanta philosophy.
Though attributed to Badarayana, the Brahma Sutras were likely composed by multiple authors over the course of hundreds of years. The estimates on when the Brahma Sutras were complete vary, with Nakamura in 1989 and Nicholson in his 2013 review stating, that they were most likely compiled in the present form around 400–450 CE. Isaeva suggests they were complete and in current form by 200 CE, while Nakamura states that "the great part of the "Sutra" must have been in existence much earlier than that."
The book is composed of four chapters, each divided into four-quarters or sections. These sutras attempt to synthesize the diverse teachings of the Upanishads. However, the cryptic nature of aphorisms of the "Brahma Sutras" have required exegetical commentaries. These commentaries have resulted in the formation of numerous Vedanta schools, each interpreting the texts in its own way and producing its own commentary.
Between the "Brahma Sutras" and Adi Shankara (5th–8th centuries).
Little with specificity is known of the period between the "Brahma Sutras" (5th century CE) and Adi Shankara (8th century CE). Only two writings of this period have survived: the "Vākyapadīya", written by Bhartṛhari (second half 5th century,) and the "Kārikā" written by Gaudapada (early 6th or 7th century CE).
Shankara mentions 99 different predecessors of his school in his commentaries. A number of important early Vedanta thinkers have been listed in the "Siddhitraya" by Yamunācārya (c. 1050), the "Vedārthasamgraha" by Rāmānuja (c. 1050–1157), and the "Yatīndramatadīpikā" by Śrīnivāsa Dāsa. At least fourteen thinkers are known to have existed between the composition of the Brahma Sutras and Shankara's lifetime.
A noted scholar of this period was Bhartriprapancha. Bhartriprapancha maintained that the Brahman is one and there is unity, but that this unity has varieties. Scholars see Bhartriprapancha as an early philosopher in the line who teach the tenet of Bhedabheda.
Gaudapada, Adi Shankara (Advaita Vedanta) (6th–9th centuries).
Influenced by Buddhism, Advaita vedanta departs from the bhedabheda-philosophy, instead postulating the identity of "Atman" with the Whole ("Brahman"),
Gaudapada.
Gaudapada (c. 6th century CE), was the teacher or a more distant predecessor of Govindapada, the teacher of Adi Shankara. Shankara is widely considered as the apostle of Advaita Vedanta. Gaudapada's treatise, the ' – also known as the ' or the "" – is the earliest surviving complete text on Advaita Vedanta.
Gaudapada's ' relied on the Mandukya, Brihadaranyaka and Chhandogya "Upanishads". In the ', Advaita (non-dualism) is established on rational grounds ("upapatti") independent of scriptural revelation; its arguments are devoid of all religious, mystical or scholastic elements. Scholars are divided on a possible influence of Buddhism on Gaudapada's philosophy. The fact that Shankara, in addition to the "Brahma Sutras", the principal "Upanishads" and the "Bhagvad Gita", wrote an independent commentary on the "" proves its importance in literature.
Adi Shankara.
Adi Shankara (788–820), elaborated on Gaudapada's work and more ancient scholarship to write detailed commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi and the '. The Mandukya Upanishad and the ' have been described by Shankara as containing "the epitome of the substance of the import of Vedanta". It was Shankara who integrated Gaudapada work with the ancient "Brahma Sutras", "and give it a "locus classicus"" alongside the realistic strain of the "Brahma Sutras". His interpretation, including works ascribed to him, has become the normative interpretation of Advaita Vedanta.
A noted contemporary of Shankara was Maṇḍana Miśra, who regarded Mimamsa and Vedanta as forming a single system and advocated their combination known as "Karma-jnana-samuchchaya-vada". The treatise on the differences between the Vedanta school and the Mimamsa school was a contribution of Adi Shankara. Advaita Vedanta rejects rituals in favor of renunciation, for example.
Early Vaishnavism Vedanta (7th–9th centuries).
Early Vaishnava Vedanta retains the tradition of "bhedabheda", equating Brahman with Vishnu or Krishna.
Nimbārka and Dvaitādvaita.
Nimbārka (7th century) sometimes identified with Bhāskara, propounded "Dvaitādvaita" Bhedābheda.
Bhāskara and Upadhika.
Bhāskara (8th–9th century) also taught Bhedabheda. In postulating "Upadhika", he considers both identity and difference to be equally real. As the causal principle, "Brahman" is considered non-dual and formless pure being and intelligence. The same "Brahman", manifest as events, becomes the world of plurality. "" is "Brahman" limited by the mind. Matter and its limitations are considered real, not a manifestation of ignorance. Bhaskara advocated "bhakti" as "dhyana" (meditation) directed toward the transcendental "Brahman". He refuted the idea of "Maya" and denied the possibility of liberation in bodily existence.
Vaishnavism Bhakti Vedanta (12th–16th centuries).
The Bhakti movement of late medieval Hinduism started in the 7th-century, but rapidly expanded after the 12th-century. It was supported by the Puranic literature such as the Bhagavata Purana, poetic works, as well as many scholarly bhasyas and samhitas.
This period saw the growth of Vashnavism Sampradayas (denominations or communities) under the influence of scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Vedanta Desika, Madhvacharya and Vallabhacharya. Bhakti poets or teachers such as Manavala Mamunigal, Namdev, Ramananda, Surdas, Tulsidas, Eknath, Tyagaraja, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and many others influenced the expansion of Vaishnavism. These Vaishnavism sampradaya founders challenged the then dominant Shankara's doctrines of Advaita Vedanta, particularly Ramanuja in the 12th century, Vedanta Desika and Madhva in the 13th, building their theology on the devotional tradition of the Alvars (Shri Vaishnavas), and Vallabhacharya in the 16th century.
In North and Eastern India, Vaishnavism gave rise to various late Medieval movements: Ramananda in the 14th century, Sankaradeva in the 15th and Vallabha and Chaitanya in the 16th century.
Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita Vedanta) (11th–12th centuries).
Rāmānuja (1017–1137 CE) was the most influential philosopher in the Vishishtadvaita tradition. As the philosophical architect of Vishishtadvaita, he taught qualified non-dualism. Ramanuja's teacher, Yadava Prakasha, followed the Advaita monastic tradition. Tradition has it that Ramanuja disagreed with Yadava and Advaita Vedanta, and instead followed Nathamuni and Yāmuna. Ramanuja reconciled the "Prasthanatrayi" with the theism and philosophy of the Vaishnava Alvars poet-saints. Ramanuja wrote a number of influential texts, such as a bhasya on the "Brahma Sutras" and the "Bhagavad Gita", all in Sanskrit.
Ramanuja presented the epistemological and soteriological importance of bhakti, or the devotion to a personal God (Vishnu in Ramanuja's case) as a means to spiritual liberation. His theories assert that there exists a plurality and distinction between Atman (souls) and Brahman (metaphysical, ultimate reality), while he also affirmed that there is unity of all souls and that the individual soul has the potential to realize identity with the Brahman. Vishishtadvaiata provides the philosophical basis of Sri Vaishnavism.
Ramanuja was influential in integrating "Bhakti", the devotional worship, into Vedanta premises.
Madhva (Dvaita Vedanta)(13th–14th centuries).
Dvaita Vedanta was propounded by Madhvacharya (1238–1317 CE). He presented the opposite interpretation of Shankara in his Dvaita, or dualistic system. In contrast to Shankara's non-dualism and Ramanuja's qualified non-dualism, he championed unqualified dualism. Madhva wrote commentaries on the chief "Upanishads", the "Bhagavad Gita" and the "Brahma Sutra".
Madhva started his Vedic studies at age seven, joined an Advaita Vedanta monastery in Dwarka (Gujarat), studied under guru Achyutrapreksha, frequently disagreed with him, left the Advaita monastery, and founded Dvaita. Madhva and his followers Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, were critical of all competing Hindu philosophies, Jainism and Buddhism, but particularly intense in their criticism of Advaita Vedanta and Adi Shankara.
Dvaita Vedanta is theistic and it identifies Brahman with Narayana, or more specifically Vishnu, in a manner similar to Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita Vedanta. But it is more explicitly pluralistic. Madhva's emphasis for difference between soul and Brahman was so pronounced that he taught there were differences (1) between material things; (2) between material things and souls; (3) between material things and God; (4) between souls; and (5) between souls and God. He also advocated for a difference in degrees in the possession of knowledge. He also advocated for differences in the enjoyment of bliss even in the case of liberated souls, a doctrine found in no other system of Indian philosophy.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Achintya Bheda Abheda) (16th century).
"Achintya Bheda Abheda" (Vaishnava), founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE), was propagated by Gaudiya Vaishnava. Historically, it was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who founded congregational chanting of holy names of Krishna in the early 16th century after becoming a sannyasi.
Modern times (19th century – present).
Swaminarayan and Akshar-Purushottam Darshan (19th century).
The Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, which is philosophically related to Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, was founded in 1801 by Swaminarayan (1781-1830 CE), and is contemporarily most notably propagated by BAPS. Due to the commentarial work of Bhadreshdas Swami, the Akshar-Purushottam teachings were recognized as a distinct school of Vedanta by the "Shri Kashi Vidvat Parishad" in 2017 and by members of the 17th World Sanskrit Conference in 2018. Swami Paramtattvadas describes the Akshar-Purushottam teachings as "a distinct school of thought within the larger expanse of classical Vedanta," presenting the Akshar-Purushottam teachings as a seventh school of Vedanta.
Neo-Vedanta (19th century).
Neo-Vedanta, variously called as "Hindu modernism", "neo-Hinduism", and "neo-Advaita", is a term that denotes some novel interpretations of Hinduism that developed in the 19th century, presumably as a reaction to the colonial British rule. writes that these notions accorded the Hindu nationalists an opportunity to attempt the construction of a nationalist ideology to help unite the Hindus to fight colonial oppression. Western orientalists, in their search for its "essence", attempted to formulate a notion of "Hinduism" based on a single interpretation of Vedanta as a unified body of religious praxis. This was contra-factual as, historically, Hinduism and Vedanta had always accepted a diversity of traditions. asserts that the neo-Vedantic theory of "overarching tolerance and acceptance" was used by the Hindu reformers, together with the ideas of Universalism and Perennialism, to challenge the polemic dogmatism of Judaeo-Christian-Islamic missionaries against the Hindus.
The neo-Vedantins argued that the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy were perspectives on a single truth, all valid and complementary to each other. sees these interpretations as incorporating western ideas into traditional systems, especially Advaita Vedanta. It is the modern form of Advaita Vedanta, states , the neo-Vedantists subsumed the Buddhist philosophies as part of the Vedanta tradition and then argued that all the world religions are same "non-dualistic position as the philosophia perennis", ignoring the differences within and outside of Hinduism. According to , neo-Vedanta is Advaita Vedanta which accepts universal realism:
A major proponent in the popularization of this Universalist and Perennialist interpretation of Advaita Vedanta was Vivekananda, who played a major role in the revival of Hinduism. He was also instrumental in the spread of Advaita Vedanta to the West via the Vedanta Society, the international arm of the Ramakrishna Order.
Criticism of Neo-Vedanta label.
 writes that the attempts at integration which came to be known as neo-Vedanta were evident as early as between the 12th and the 16th century− 
Matilal criticizes Neo-Hinduism as an oddity developed by West-inspired Western Indologists and attributes it to the flawed Western perception of Hinduism in modern India. In his scathing criticism of this school of reasoning, says:
Influence.
According to , the Vedanta school has had a historic and central influence on Hinduism:
Frithjof Schuon summarizes the influence of Vedanta on Hinduism as follows:
Gavin Flood states,
Hindu traditions.
Vedanta, adopting ideas from other orthodox ("āstika") schools, became the most prominent school of Hinduism. Vedanta traditions led to the development of many traditions in Hinduism. Sri Vaishnavism of south and southeastern India is based on Ramanuja's "Vishishtadvaita" Vedanta. Ramananda led to the "Vaishnav Bhakti" Movement in north, east, central and west India. This movement draws its philosophical and theistic basis from "Vishishtadvaita". A large number of devotional "Vaishnavism" traditions of east India, north India (particularly the Braj region), west and central India are based on various sub-schools of "Bhedabheda" Vedanta. "Advaita" Vedanta influenced "Krishna Vaishnavism" in the northeastern state of Assam. The Madhva school of Vaishnavism found in coastal Karnataka is based on "Dvaita" Vedanta.
"Āgamas", the classical literature of "Shaivism", though independent in origin, show Vedanta association and premises. Of the 92 "Āgamas", ten are ("dvaita") texts, eighteen ("bhedabheda"), and sixty-four ("advaita") texts. While the "Bhairava Shastras" are monistic, "Shiva Shastras" are dualistic. finds the link between Gaudapada's "Advaita" Vedanta and "Kashmir Shaivism" evident and natural. Tirumular, the Tamil "Shaiva Siddhanta" scholar, credited with creating "Vedanta–Siddhanta" (Advaita Vedanta and Shaiva Siddhanta synthesis), stated, "becoming "Shiva" is the goal of Vedanta and "Siddhanta"; all other goals are secondary to it and are vain."
"Shaktism", or traditions where a goddess is considered identical to "Brahman", has similarly flowered from a syncretism of the monist premises of "Advaita" Vedanta and dualism premises of "Samkhya–Yoga" school of Hindu philosophy, sometimes referred to as "Shaktadavaitavada" (literally, the path of nondualistic "Shakti").
Influence on Western thinkers.
An exchange of ideas has been taking place between the western world and Asia since the late 18th century as a result of colonization of parts of Asia by Western powers. This also influenced western religiosity. The first translation of "Upanishads", published in two parts in 1801 and 1802, significantly influenced Arthur Schopenhauer, who called them the consolation of his life. He drew explicit parallels between his philosophy, as set out in "The World as Will and Representation", and that of the Vedanta philosophy as described in the work of Sir William Jones. Early translations also appeared in other European languages. Influenced by Śaṅkara's concepts of "Brahman" (God) and "māyā" (illusion), Lucian Blaga often used the concepts "marele anonim" (the Great Anonymous) and "cenzura transcendentă" (the transcendental censorship) in his philosophy.
Similarities with Spinoza's philosophy.
German Sanskritist Theodore Goldstücker was among the early scholars to notice similarities between the religious conceptions of the Vedanta and those of the Dutch Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza, writing that Spinoza's thought was
Max Müller noted the striking similarities between Vedanta and the system of Spinoza, saying,
Helena Blavatsky, a founder of the Theosophical Society, also compared Spinoza's religious thought to Vedanta, writing in an unfinished essay,