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How is monism different from monotheism?
Monotheism is a metaphysical duality by definition - in that it isolates a single god and everything else in the universe: as disparate entities. Monoism (as indoctrin…ated by Sri AdiSankara's Advaita (and Spinoza's Monism too)) - believes in the oneness of all that there is in the universe. Advaitic Monism is summed up by four of these aphorisms: * ahambrahmasmi - "I am brahman" (where brahma == the eternal supreme consciousness of the universe * ayamAtmabrahma - "The Atman is brahman" (Where the Atma is the self) * prajnAM brahma - "Consciousness is the brahman" * tattvamasi - "That Thou Art" Shankara also quotes, famously in the vivEkacUdAmaNi - "Brahma satyaM jagat mithyA jIvO brahmaiva nAparaH" - literally, "Ultimately, there is no difference between the self and the eternal - They are one and the same". This Advaitic consciousness however manifests to the unenlightened in deceptive facets of duality - which are labelled as 'prAtibhAshika' and 'vyAvahArika' respectively. The 'pArAmartha' level of realization is the truest and ultimate. You can read more about Advaita here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta And about Spinoza here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinoza (MORE)
