Vedanta

Vedanta (/vædɑːntə/; Hindustani pronunciation: [ʋeːd̪aːn̪t̪], Vedānta) or Uttara Mīmāṃsā is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. The term veda means "knowledge" and anta means "end," and originally referred to the classical Upanishads, a collection of foundational texts in Hinduism. Vedanta also refers to various philosophical traditions based on the three basic texts of Hindu philosophy, namely the Principal Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.

Vedanta adopted ideas from other schools of Hinduism such as Yoga and Nyaya, and, over time, became the most prominent of the orthodox schools of Hinduism, influencing the diverse traditions within it. The term Vedanta may also be used to refer to Indian philosophy more generally. There are at least ten schools of Vedanta, of which Advaita Vedanta, Vishishtadvaita, Achintya-Bheda-Abheda and Dvaita are the best known.

Etymology

The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns". It is also said that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal [end] of the Vedas". Vedanta can also be used as a noun to describe one who has mastered all four of the original Vedas.

Vedanta (disambiguation)

Vedanta can refer to: