What is the meaning of Life and Death for a Hindu?
A very important assumption in all Vedanta (Hindu) philosophy is that man suffers from bonds and attachments in the course of his life in this world. This is said to be ‘samsara’, which involves being caught in an endless cycle of births and deaths. The quest therefore is to seek a way out of this bondage, to break the cycle of rebirths and attain moksha (liberation). The most important issues in Vedanta have to be understood with respect to what constitutes bondage and what constitutes liberation. The Advaita School is of the view that knowledge (Gyana) of man’s true nature is liberation. Bondage arises from ignorance (avidya) of man’s true nature, and therefore removal of ignorance roots out this bondage. Liberation is therefore nothing more or nothing less than man knowing his true nature. This true nature is his innermost essence, the Soul (Atman), which is nothing other than God (Brahman). He who knows this, not merely as bookish knowledge, but through his own Experience, is liber
