Hinduism · branch
Advaita Vedanta
One reality without a second: what you take to be a separate self is Brahman, misperceived. Knowledge dissolves the error — there is nothing to acquire and nobody separate to acquire it.
What makes it unusual
The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.
- C2 Shape of timecyclical returnFurther toward "cyclical return" than most traditions in the matrix.
- A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or orderFurther toward "impersonal principle or order" than most traditions in the matrix.
- E2 Origin of the cosmosbeginningless or naturalFurther toward "beginningless or natural" than most traditions in the matrix.
- D3 The bodyleaning to be disciplinedFurther toward "to be disciplined" than most traditions in the matrix.
All seventeen positions
Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.
The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.
- position
- tolerated variation
A · The divine
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists | a divine reality certainly existsShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 1.00 | 0.03 |
| A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address | impersonal principle or orderShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.15 | 0.12 |
| A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits | leaning strictly oneShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.30 | 0.15 |
| A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it | fully present within itShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.92 | 0.06 |
B · Knowledge and authority
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience | between revealed and fixed and reason and direct experienceShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.52 | 0.16 |
| B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all | between literal and binding and metaphorical, or no text at allShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.45 | 0.16 |
| B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides | leaning clergy and tradition decideShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.25 | 0.14 |
C · Self and destiny
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form | leaning continues in some formShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.70 | 0.18 |
| C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return | cyclical returnShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.92 | 0.06 |
| C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound | ignorant but fundamentally soundShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.88 | 0.08 |
D · Practice
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight | achieved by effort or insightShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.88 | 0.08 |
| D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent | between essential and prescribed and optional or absentShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.62 | 0.16 |
| D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated | leaning to be disciplinedShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.18 | 0.12 |
E · World and others
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths | leaning many valid pathsShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.78 | 0.12 |
| E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural | beginningless or naturalShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.88 | 0.08 |
| E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice | leaning a people, inheritedShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.35 | 0.18 |
| E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred | leaning animate and itself sacredShankara’s Brahmasutrabhasya and the principal Upanishads | 0.72 | 0.13 |
Further reading
- Shankara, Upadesasahasri — The teaching in its most direct form; the A2 and A4 values come from here.
- The Mandukya Upanishad with Gaudapada’s Karika — Twelve verses that carry most of this row.
Compared with
The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.