Shankara, an 8th-century Indian philosopher, is renowned for consolidating the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, which posits that the true self, Atman, is indistinguishable from the ultimate reality, Brahman. His teachings emphasize the importance of knowledge (jnana) over ritualistic practices for achieving liberation (moksha), and he is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in Hinduism.