Question

Which of the following statements best summarizes the core teachings of Vedanta philosophy?

• A. Vedanta emphasizes ritual sacrifices and the worship of multiple deities as the path to liberation.
• B. Vedanta is primarily concerned with material prosperity and social duties as outlined in the early Vedas.
• C. Vedanta teaches that the individual self (Atman) is identical with the ultimate reality (Brahman), and realization of this unity leads to liberation (moksha).
• D. Vedanta promotes atheism and denies the existence of any metaphysical reality beyond the physical world.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Vedanta teaches that the individual self (Atman) is identical with the ultimate reality (Brahman), and realization of this unity leads to liberation (moksha).

Vedanta Philosophy Vedanta refers to the philosophical teachings found in the Upaniṣads, which form the concluding portion of the Vedas. Broadly, it encompasses the core principles expressed in the Prasthana-trayi—the Upaniṣads, the Brahma Sutra, and the Bhagavad Gita. The term Vedanta literally means “the end of the Veda,” signifying both its position in the Vedic corpus and its culmination in spiritual thought. The foundational text of this system is the Brahma Sutra by Badarayaṇa, compiled around the 2nd century BCE. In Vedanta, Brahman is considered the ultimate, unchanging reality, while the phenomenal world is seen as Maya—an illusion or impermanent appearance. The individual self, or Atman, is regarded as identical with Brahman. Realization of this unity through true knowledge leads to liberation (moksha). Both Brahman and Atman are eternal, infinite, and indestructible.