A very important assumption in all Vedanta (Hindu) philosophy is that man suffers from bonds and attachments in the course of his life in this world. This is said to be 'samsara', which involves being caught in an endless cycle of births and deaths. The quest therefore is to seek a way out of this bondage, to break the cycle of rebirths and attain moksha (liberation). The most important issues in Vedanta have to be understood with respect to what constitutes bondage and what constitutes liberation.
The Advaita School is of the view that knowledge (Gyana) of man's true nature is liberation. Bondage arises from ignorance (avidya) of man's true nature, and therefore removal of ignorance roots out this bondage. Liberation is therefore nothing more or nothing less than man knowing his true nature. This true nature is his innermost essence, the Soul (Atman), which is nothing other than God (Brahman). He who knows this, not merely as bookish knowledge, but through his own Experience, is liberated even when living. Such a man is a ‘jivanmukta’, and he does not return to the cycle of rebirths. Once you experience the ‘knowledge’ the difference between ‘observer’ and ‘observed’ ends and observer becomes observed and vice versa. All questions cease to exist as observer becomes one with observed.
According to Advaita School, what is called the universe is in reality a manifestation of God (Brahman). Similarly, what is called the body (jiva) is in reality, the Atman (soul), which is also nothing other than Brahman (God) itself. The real jiva is the Atman (soul), which is unchanging, ever free, and identical with Brahman (God). This is said on the basis of upanishadic (Hindu scriptures) passages where the Atman (soul) is explicitly equated with Brahman (God). The many-fold universes and the individual self, which considers itself bound, are both superimposed upon that Transcendental Reality which is Brahman.
Once the superimposition is understood for what it is, the individual is no more an individual, the universe is no more the universe - all is Brahman (GOD). So for a Hindu life (birth) and death are nothing more and nothing less, then the eternal cycles of immortal soul (Atman) changing from one form to another and ultimately getting liberated from this cycle when Atman (soul) gets the knowledge that it is nothing but Brahman (God), taking different manifestations.
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