Sub-Schools of Vedanta

Question 1

Shankaracharya (ADVAITA VEDANTA)/ Monism or
Non-Dualism -

Answer 1

He considers Brahm to be without
any attributes. The goal in Advaita is to gain self
knowledge and complete understanding of Atman
and Brahman. He considers knowledge or Gyan of
Atman and Brahman leads toliberation.

Question 2

Ramanujan (VISHISTADVAITA)/ Qualified Monism
or Qualified Non-Dualism -

Answer 2

He considers Brahm
to possess certain attributes. He considers loving the
faith and practising devotion as the path to attain
salvation. Ramanuja differs from Sankara only a
little in the sense that he considers the ji - va or the
individual soul as the entity different from the body
and is infinite in number and cannot be one with the
Supreme as long as it is confined in a body

Question 3

Madhavacharya (DVAITA)/ Dualism -

Answer 3

It stands
in opposition to the non-dualism and monism of
Shankaracharya. He believed that the world is not an
illusion (maya) but a reality full of differences and
there is difference between Atman and Brahman. He
says that the jivas or the souls can attain liberation
through bhakti and the grace of God.

Question 4

Nimbarka (DVAITADVAITA)/ Differential Monism
or Dualistic Non-Dualism -

Answer 4

He believes that God
transformed himself into the world and soul. This
world and soul are different from God (Brahman).
They could survive with the support of God only. They
are separate but dependent.

Question 5

Vallabhacharya (SUDDHADVAITA)/ Pure Non-
Dualism -

Answer 5

He wrote commentaries on Vedanta Sutra
and Bhagavad Gita. For him, Brahman (God) was Sri Krishna, who manifested himself as soul and matter.
God and soul are not distinct, but one. The stress
was on pure non-dualism. His philosophy came to be
known as Pushtimarga (the path of grace) and the
school was called Rudrasampradaya.