The concept of Sākṣī in Adviata Vedānta

Abstract

<p>I want to trace the development of the concept of Sākṣī in order to arrive at an understanding of its place and significance within tbe Advaita system of Vedānta. The mainconcern of the thesis will be to determine its importance as a counter to those who charge that Advaita philosophy allows for no logicai transition from the empirical to the transcendental. The idea of the witness-self will thus be approached with a view towards demonstrating its viability as a point of contact between ordinary experience and the "higher reality' in Advaita.</p>