Buddhism vs Advaita Vedanta—What's the Difference?

Both traditions address and solve the fundamental problem of human suffering, but they differ on the existence or non-existence of a true, inner self, atma. Q&A with Swamiji #12.

Both Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta identify the cause of suffering to be desire, kama or trishna, and identify enlightenment, moksha or nirvana, to be the result becoming free from desire. But Buddhism teaches that freedom from desire is gained by understanding the impermanence of the world, samsara, and the metaphysical absence of an individual person, soul or atma, that is subject to suffering. Advaita Vedanta addresses the problem of desire by leading one to discover the true self, atma, to be sat chit ananda, limitless, uncreated conscious existence, the so-called inner divinity that is the actual source of happiness, ananda, and contentment. Both traditions seek to eradicate ignorance, ajnana.

Swami Tadatmananda is a traditionally-trained teacher of Advaita Vedanta, meditation, and Sanskrit. For more information, please see: https://www.arshabodha.org/