What does the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta serve?

Advaita Vedanta is strictly knowledge for liberation. Vedanta literally means “End of Knowledge”. This truth is manifested as a conscious living reality for only those who are qualified to turn attention inward and remain in the pure presence of the self via the highest spiritual power of viveka. This means you can only rest as the self void of all upadhis and superimpositions of the body-mind, IF you have this spiritual power of separating awareness from the false appearance of Maya. This is how one experiences the actual knowledge that Vedanta points to.

 

While there is a traditional framework of Advaita which many follow, such as Karma, Upasana and other yogas, these are only means to help keep the mind one-pointed so that concentration can be cultivated to perform inquiry. When one’s mind is always chasing after this and that, how can one channel their attention inward and expose the self in continuous motion? Their attention will only divert to something else that is not real. This is why non-attachment and control of desires should be practiced and why the traditional teachings of Advaita call for spiritual practice in order to gain the necessary qualifications of having an equanimous mind. 

 

There are also many practices to help keep the mind one-pointed such as mantras, japa, pranayama, meditation, etc. depending on how mature one’s mind is. This is how one eventually remains fixed onto ‘one thing’ instead of ‘other things’. And so when concentration becomes continuous without any diversions, and one loses themselves in this meditation, it is known as samadhi. This samadhi needs to be practiced continuously to develop viveka, which then allows one to pierce through the veil of the body mind appearance to expose the timeless and dimensionless center of their true self (even while being engaged in activities).

 

This should give you the direct answer as to what the teachings of Advaita is truly for. In order for you to eventually experience the knowledge of Vedanta, you need to practice on keeping the mind one-pointed, so one doesn't resort to attachment and dualistic experiences. This is why it’s important to integrate what you’ve learned or else this knowledge will not bear fruit. The alternative is to dismiss practice altogether and convince yourself you are Brahman, which only leads to nihilism, neo-Advaita, etc. all of which do not produce liberation but only continues to reinforce the dream.

 

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