The Concept of Falsity in the Upaniṣads: The Advaita Vedāntins’ Approach to the Upaniṣadic Worldview

Abstract

The Problem of reality has played a significant role in Indian philosophical thought. To deal with this problem all the distinguished Indian philosophers have tried their best to ascertain the ontological status of the world as it stands to our sense-experience. In the Upanisads, the final or concluding part of the Vedas there are plenty of statements and passages which imply the falsity of the world and affirm the absolute oneness of the ultimate reality. This worldview has been analyzed and elucidated by the Indian philosophers specially by the Advaita Vedāntins.  According to the Advaita metaphysics, there is one and only one ultimate reality i.e. Brahman. This single non-dual reality can be established only if it can be shown that everything which appears to us is false or illusory in character. So the concept of falsity is of supreme importance in the entire Vedāntic tradition. The Advaita Vedāntins hold that the Upanisads being revealed texts, are of greater authority than other texts composed by human beings. This paper tries to explain and examine the concept of falsity on the basis of those scriptural statements which directly or indirectly deal with the ontological status of the world.