Shankara — Questions and answers

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According to Dr. Thorne, what is the main idea of Advaita Vedanta?

Choices

  1. That the world is full of many different things that are truly separate.
  2. That everything that seems separate is actually part of one big, indivisible reality. ✓
  3. That Dr. Lena Petrova nodded slowly.
  4. That Adi Shankara was an influential Indian philosopher.

Answer: That everything that seems separate is actually part of one big, indivisible reality.

From page 1

What does Dr. Petrova compare Brahman to to help explain it?

Choices

  1. A large, intricate illustration of the cosmos.
  2. The waves, foam, and ripples in the ocean.
  3. The underlying 'water' of existence. ✓
  4. A collection of separate objects.

Answer: The underlying 'water' of existence.

From page 3

What is the meaning of the Advaita claim 'Tat Tvam Asi'?

Choices

  1. "Thou Art That" ✓
  2. "Our individual self is separate from Brahman"
  3. "A drop of water is separate from the ocean"
  4. "The cosmic pattern is dissolving"

Answer: "Thou Art That"

From page 4

What is Maya, according to Shankara?

Choices

  1. The way a single source of light creates many colors.
  2. An inexplicable power that makes the one Brahman appear as many different things. ✓
  3. The audience seeing distinct objects in a magician's trick.
  4. A separate creation from Brahman.

Answer: An inexplicable power that makes the one Brahman appear as many different things.

From page 5

How did Ramanuja's view of Brahman differ from Shankara's?

Choices

  1. Ramanuja believed Brahman was utterly without attributes.
  2. Ramanuja argued that Brahman possesses attributes and distinctions. ✓
  3. Ramanuja thought Shankara's view made reality richer.
  4. Ramanuja did not offer a counter-argument to Shankara.

Answer: Ramanuja argued that Brahman possesses attributes and distinctions.

From page 7

How do Shankara's ideas resonate in psychology today?

Choices

  1. They emphasize that objective matter is more fundamental than subjective experience.
  2. They suggest that the ego is a constructed self, separate from a deeper awareness. ✓
  3. They are only discussed in ancient philosophical texts.
  4. They find parallels in quantum physics and neuroscience only.

Answer: They suggest that the ego is a constructed self, separate from a deeper awareness.

From page 9

According to Dr. Thorne, what happens if we perceive all beings as manifestations of the one Brahman?

Choices

  1. It leads to more conflict and boundaries.
  2. It fosters deep empathy and a sense of interconnectedness. ✓
  3. It makes us feel anxious about our ego.
  4. It only helps in academic discussions, not real life.

Answer: It fosters deep empathy and a sense of interconnectedness.

From page 10