[[Sutras (सूत्राणि)|Sutra]] works can be easily memorized and condensed within themselves a great deal of thought and teaching. They were apparently didactic tools used to teach the tenets of the [[Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)|six Darshanas]]. Though easily memorized, understanding the full meaning of a sutra work required the help of an explanation from a teacher who had himself studied the sutra from a teacher. Eventually those explanations were transformed into written commentaries and the most authoritative of the commentaries became recognized as the major commentary or [[Bhashya (भाष्यम्)|bhashya]]. Through the Brahmasutras, the school of Vedanta distinguished itself from the other developing schools of thought. A number of different sub-schools of Vedanta grew up, each with its own main commentary or bhashya on the Brahmasutra. They later came to be known as different sub-schools of Vedanta based on the school’s position on the fundamental question of the relationship of Brahman (the supreme truth recognized in the Upanishads) to the living being (forms of life). These include Advaita (non-dualism), Visishta-advaita (qualified non-dualism), Dvaita (dualism), Dvaitadvaita (dualism and non-dualism), Suddhadvaita (pure non-dualism), and others. | [[Sutras (सूत्राणि)|Sutra]] works can be easily memorized and condensed within themselves a great deal of thought and teaching. They were apparently didactic tools used to teach the tenets of the [[Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)|six Darshanas]]. Though easily memorized, understanding the full meaning of a sutra work required the help of an explanation from a teacher who had himself studied the sutra from a teacher. Eventually those explanations were transformed into written commentaries and the most authoritative of the commentaries became recognized as the major commentary or [[Bhashya (भाष्यम्)|bhashya]]. Through the Brahmasutras, the school of Vedanta distinguished itself from the other developing schools of thought. A number of different sub-schools of Vedanta grew up, each with its own main commentary or bhashya on the Brahmasutra. They later came to be known as different sub-schools of Vedanta based on the school’s position on the fundamental question of the relationship of Brahman (the supreme truth recognized in the Upanishads) to the living being (forms of life). These include Advaita (non-dualism), Visishta-advaita (qualified non-dualism), Dvaita (dualism), Dvaitadvaita (dualism and non-dualism), Suddhadvaita (pure non-dualism), and others. |