Advaita Is Without End

“Among the six doctrines declared to be without beginning, that non-duality (Advaita) alone is without end, whereas the other five doctrines have an end. Bearing this in mind, know it clearly.”

~ Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Guru Vachaka Kovai (Verse 1233)

Commentary by Sadhu Om:

“The six doctrines mentioned in this verse are the Ṣaḍ-Darśana, the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy, namely the Nyāya school of Gautama, the Vaiśeṣika school of Kanada, the Sāṅkhya school of Kapila, the Yoga school of Patanjali, the Pūrva Mīmāṃsā school of Jaimini, and the Vedānta school of Vyasa. The doctrine referred to in this verse as Advaita is the doctrine of Vedānta, whose final conclusion is that the non-dual Self or Brahman, which transcends Māyā, alone is the ever-existing reality, which has neither beginning nor end. On the other hand, the conclusions of the other five schools are all concerned with what is within the range of Māyā’s play. Therefore, just as Māyā is said to have no beginning but have an end, these five schools of philosophy are also said to have no beginning but to have an end, since they cannot remain when the truth (Self) is realized and when Māyā thereby comes to an end. Since all doctrines other than Advaita are thus invalidated when Self-knowledge dawns, Advaita alone is the truth which exists and shines forever without either beginning or end.”

• Sri Muruganar (2013). Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of Guru's Sayings) Translation and Commentary by Sri Sadhu Om and Michael James. Tiruvannamalai: ArunachalaRamana Book Trust