Advaita Vedanta is a school of Hindu philosophy and religious practice, and one of the classic Indian paths to spiritual realization.
Advaita (
Sanskrit;
not-two, "no second") refers to the idea that the true Self,
Atman, is the same as the highest Reality,
Brahman. It gives "a unifying interpretation of the whole body of Upanishads", providing scriptural authority for the postulation of the nonduality of
Atman and
Brahman. Followers seek
liberation/release by acquiring
vidya (knowledge) of the identity of Atman and Brahman. It emphasizes
Jivanmukta, the idea that
moksha (freedom, liberation) is achievable in this life.