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ATMABODHA (Self-Knowledge) is a deeply explanatory text on the essence of the Advaita Vedanta Teaching. Shankara addresses those who have purified themselves through the practice of austerity, attained peace in their hearts, are liberated from all fear, and are freed from the desires of the senses and who now aspire to just one thing: identity with the Being-without-a-second.
For Advaita Vedanta what imprisons us is avidya or metaphysical ignorance. It is therefore only through 'knowledge' of a metaphysical order that we can defeat ignorance concerning the nature of Being. This Knowledge implies a deep transformation, a realizative sadhana whose phases are only moments of transformation-transfiguration of the entity following the unfolding of realizations, i.e. 'recognitions. And this is so because the entity is already in itself absolute Consciousness.
About the author
SANKARA is regarded as one of the pre-eminent philosophical minds in the
history of India. He realized the most perfect synthesis and harmonization of
the entirety of Indian philosophical thought. His "method" for the research
of Truth, which consisted primarily in liberating it from the veils that cover
it, has given a contribution of great value to the metaphysical philosophical
thought of the entire world.
Sankara is considered from many perspectives a philosopher, a mystic, an
exegete of the Sruti, a founder of monastic orders (mathas), an Avatara
(Siva's incarnation). But above all, he is to be considered as the supreme
Instructor (Acarya) who was able to indicate the true and supreme end of
human existence, based on Knowledge, and which constitutes the very end of
the Upanisad: the recognition of our own real nature and liberation (moksa)
from samsara-becoming.
