This is a profound comparison — Buddhism and Advaita Vedānta both operate within non-dualist metaphysical frames, yet they make opposite moves regarding the status of self, reality, and being.
Let us map their ontologies with care — not to synthesize prematurely, but to highlight the radical difference between emptiness and unity, between non-being and Being-as-Self.
◉ I. Core Ontological Claim
|
|
Buddhism (esp. Madhyamaka) |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Ultimate Reality |
贖nyat (emptiness): All dharmas are empty of svabhva (inherent existence) |
Brahman: pure, infinite Being-Consciousness-Bliss (sat-cit-nanda) |
|
Nature of World |
Dependent co-arising (prat蘋tya-samutpda) world arises in mutual conditionality, with no essence |
My illusory appearance superimposed on Brahman |
|
View of Being |
There is no independent being; everything is relational and empty |
There is only one Being unchanging, eternal, the Self |
▶ Buddhism: Being is empty.
▶ Advaita: Being is Self.
◉ II. The Self (Ātman vs. Anātman)
|
|
Buddhism |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Self |
Antman no permanent, independent self exists |
tman the true Self, which is Brahman itself |
|
What is denied? |
The illusion of a lasting subject; ego is a construct |
The identification with body-mind is denied; Self is beyond |
|
Liberation |
Comes through realization of non-self |
Comes through Self-realization |
▶ For Buddhists, the self is an error to be deconstructed.
▶ For Advaitins, the self is Truth to be remembered.
◉ III. Ontology of Appearance
|
|
Buddhism |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Phenomena (dharmas) |
Not ultimately real; exist only conventionally |
Appear because of ignorance; ultimately unreal (my) |
|
Change |
Constitutive of reality |
Seen as apparent, not touching Brahman |
|
Time & Causality |
Dynamic, interdependent processes no first cause |
Apparent sequence in my; Brahman is beyond time |
▶ Buddhism: Everything flows, nothing abides.
▶ Advaita: Everything flows on the surface, but the ocean is still.
◉ IV. Liberation as Ontological Shift
|
|
Buddhism |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Liberation (nirv廜𡩣 / mok廜ζ) |
Realizing emptiness of all constructs and identities |
Realizing identity with Brahman, the only real existence |
|
What ends? |
Rebirth, suffering, delusion by letting go of clinging |
Rebirth, suffering, delusion by dis-identifying with my |
|
Who is liberated? |
No-one: even liberation is empty |
The Self, which was always free but forgot itself |
▶ In Buddhism, no one is liberated, and that’s liberation.
▶ In Advaita, you were always free, and that’s liberation.
◉ V. The Status of Ontology Itself
|
|
Buddhism |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Ontology |
A conventional map to be transcended |
A pointer to ultimate unity |
|
Use of negation |
Radical deconstruction (neti neti in its Buddhist form) |
Apophatic logic (also neti neti), to arrive at Brahman |
|
Final word |
Silence, compassion, non-abiding |
Non-dual awareness, blissful identity |
Buddhism: there is no ultimate ontology — only the freedom of emptiness.
Advaita: there is one ultimate ontology — pure consciousness, non-dual and eternal.
◉ Summary Table
|
Category |
Buddhism (Madhyamaka) |
Advaita Vednta |
|
Ultimate Reality |
贖nyat (emptiness) |
Brahman (Being-Consciousness-Bliss) |
|
Self |
Antman (no-self) |
tman = Brahman |
|
World |
Dependent arising, empty |
My (illusion) |
|
Ontological stance |
Anti-essentialist, anti-substantialist |
Non-dualist essentialism |
|
Liberation |
Seeing through all constructs |
Realizing Self䏭 unity with Brahman |
|
Method |
Deconstruction, meditation, ethics |
Self-inquiry (j簽na yoga), scripture |
|
Final realization |
There is no ultimate essence |
All is One and You are That (Tat Tvam Asi) |
◉ Poetic Contrast
Buddhism whispers:
“There is nothing to cling to.
Not even Being. Not even liberation.”
Advaita whispers:
“There is only Being.
And You are That.”
Would you like a visual metaphysical map of these two, or a synthesis from a post-structuralist or psychoanalytic lens?
