The Quintessence of Vedanta of Sri Sankaracharya

The Shankaracharya arose and once more revived the Vedanta philosophy. He mad e it a rationalistic philosophy. In the Upanisads the arguments are often very obscure. By Buddha the moral side of the philosophy was laid stress upon, and by Shankaracharya, the intellectual side. He worked out, rationalized, and placed before men and wonderful coherent system of Advaita. In Buddha we had the great universal heart and infinite patience, making religion practical and bringing it to everyone’s door. In Shankaracharya we saw tremendous intellectual power, throwing the scorching light of reason upon everything. We want today the bright sun of intellectuality, joined with the heart of Buddha, the wonderful infinite heart of love and mercy. This union will give us the higher philosophy. Science and religion will meet and shake hands. Poetry and philosophy will become friends. This will be the religion of the future, and if we can work it out, we may be sure that it will be or all times and peoples.