Here is a wiki article about
Adi Shankara for those who are interested.
Adi Shankara was a philosopher and theologian from
India who consolidated the doctrine of
Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in
Hinduism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara
A link for Advaita Vadanta...
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 [soul], 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
vidyā of the identity of Atman and Brahman. It emphasizes
Jivanmukta, the idea that
moksha (freedom, liberation) is achievable in this life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta
Here is a link explaining the term 'Brahman'...
In
Hinduism,
Brahman connotes the highest Universal Principle, the
Ultimate Reality in the universe. In major schools of
Hindu philosophy it is the material, efficient, formal and final
cause of all that exists. It is the pervasive, genderless, infinite, eternal truth and bliss which does not change, yet is the cause of all changes. Brahman as a metaphysical concept is the single binding unity behind the diversity in all that exists in the universe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman
Here are some quotes by Adi Shankara.
The Soul appears to be finite because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed the Self which does not admit of any multiplicity truly reveals itself by itself: like the Sun when the clouds pass away.
Like bubbles in the water, the worlds rise, exist and dissolve in the Supreme Self, which is the material cause and the prop of everything.
All the manifested world of things and beings are projected by imagination upon the substratum which is the Eternal All-pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence-Intelligence; just as the different ornaments are all made out of the same gold.
On the destruction of the Upadhis, the contemplative one is totally absorbed in "Vishnu", the All-pervading Spirit, like water into water, space into space and light into light.
Realise That to be Brahman, the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves no other blessing to be desired and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
All objects are pervaded by Brahman. All actions are possible because of Brahman: therefore Brahman permeates everything as butter permeates milk.
Knowing that I am different from the body, I need not neglect the body. It is a vehicle that I use to transact with the world. It is the temple which houses the Pure Self within.
jan.
So present your case.
