The Aparokshanubhuti is a famous work attributed to Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...

. It is a popular introductory work that expounds Advaita Vedanta

Advaita Vedanta

Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...

 philosophy. It describes a method that seekers can follow to directly experience the essential truth of one's one nature. Thus, the work is literally titled Aparokshanubhuti, or Direct Experience. Swami Vimuktananda titles his translation Self-Realization.

Commentaries

The oldest extant commentary on this work is a Sanskrit commentary (Dipika or 'Elucidation') by Sri Vidyaranya

Vidyaranya

' is variously known as being a kingmaker, patron saint and high priest to Harihara Raya I and Bukka Raya I, the founders of the Vijayanagar Empire. He was the 12th Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham from 1380 to 1386 A.D. He was born to and in in 1268 CE. Another account has it that he...

. This work has been repeatedly translated and commented upon in other languages.

External links

• http://www.sankaracharya.org/aparokshanubhuti.php Translation of Aparokshanubhuti, by Swami Vimuktananda.