Question on Advaita Vedanta?

Question

Is the term Anatman (Pali: anatta) used by Sankaracharya in the exact same fashion as the Buddhist doctrine?

If so, how? If not, kindly explain.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Buddha based his philosophy on Sankhya Yoga which says there are 3 eternal entities viz. Purusha (consciousness), Prakriti (unconscious nature) and Jiva (individual soul). Sankhya also rejected a personal God, hells & heavens, but accepted re-birth and Karma

Buddha accepted all other from Sankhya but not the individual soul...the Purusha he defined as void, which is not wrong because it is without attributes and without Karma

Shankracharya on the other hand spoke of One supreme Brahmm which due to Maya looks like stuck up as individual soul

The subtle difference between Antman of buddhism and self of Shankar is that as per Buddhism Anatman is not actually there but it looks like one due to flow of Karma

Shankar almost said same thing, but he said it is Brahmm who looks like soul due to Maya.

Buddhists Anatman dissolves when karma are transcended, whereas Shankar's Soul finds its real self (Brahm) when it cuts the chains of Maya.

I personally think they both talked same thing, with different technicalities

Answer 2

Dear Sihapati

The only one notable difference between Buddha and Shankaracharya is about question of"Existence of God"

Buddha totally denied the existence of God and refused Veda; whereas Shankaracharya established the existence of God on the basis of Vedanta.

But basically both are agreeing that UNKNOWN thing called GOD is within our SELF
Buddha tried to erase the word GOD whereas Shankara tried to erase the word SELF

Otherwise both great souls expressed passion over all of us who are suffering and struggling to understand the purpose of our creation in this sorrowful world.

The ADWAITA (NON DUALITY) declares" That is you"
The ANATTA ( EXTREME NON DUALITY) declares "Only you"