Brahman of Sankara and Sunyata of Madhyamikas
Summary
Bhattacharyya compares two profound philosophical notions: the Brahman of Śaṅkara’s Advaita Vedānta and the śūnyatā (emptiness) of the Madhyamaka school. The article begins by summarising Śaṅkara’s view that Brahman is the sole reality – eternal, unchanging and attributeless – while the world of multiplicity is illusion (māyā). It then outlines Nāgārjuna’s doctrine that all phenomena are empty of intrinsic nature and exist only in dependence on causes and conditions. The author examines similarities: both traditions use a dialectic of negation to dismantle conceptual constructs and caution against taking provisional designations as ultimate truth. He also highlights differences: Advaita posits an underlying absolute, whereas the Madhyamaka refuses to posit any metaphysical substratum. Bhattacharyya explores how later thinkers tried to reconcile or differentiate these positions and discusses the influence of Buddhist arguments on Vedānta. The article concludes that while the two concepts converge in negating duality, they diverge in their final metaphysical affirmations.
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Conclusion
The author concludes that comparing Brahman and śūnyatā illuminates both the common ground and the boundary lines between Buddhist and Vedāntic thought. Recognising the shared methodology of negation can foster dialogue, but one must also respect the distinct goals of the two traditions: the realisation of an absolute Self in Advaita and the realisation of emptiness and dependent origination in Madhyamaka.