Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did Shankara consider metaphysical knowledge the means to liberation?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Indian philosophy In the Bhagavad Gita Arjuna and the Hindu deity Krishna, who also serves as Arjuna's charioteer (as depicted in this 17th-century illustration), engaging in a philosophical dialogue.

In the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, Shankara posited that metaphysical knowledge is the sole means to liberation (moksha) because it directly addresses the root cause of human suffering: ignorance (avidya).12

Shankara argued that the phenomenal world, characterized by duality and plurality, is an illusion (maya) superimposed upon the singular, nondual reality of Brahman. Human beings suffer because they mistakenly identify their true self (atman) with finite, illusory limitations—such as the body or mind—rather than recognizing their essential identity with the infinite Brahman.12

Because this state of bondage is caused by a fundamental misapprehension of reality, it can only be resolved through the destruction of that ignorance. Metaphysical knowledge, attained through the study of scriptures, reflection, and meditation, provides the intuitive insight that the individual self and Brahman are one. Once this identity is realized, the illusory nature of the world is transcended, and the soul is liberated from the cycle of transmigratory life.213