Timeline of sages | Modern Non-Duality

Yajnavalkya

700 BCE–

Yajnavalkya is one of the earliest named sages of the Upanishadic tradition, appearing prominently in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Unlike most Upanishadic wisdom—which emerged anonymously from generations of forest-dwelling contemplatives—Yajnavalkya's teachings are preserved in dialogue form, giving us a rare glimpse into an individual voice from this period.

Key teaching: Neti neti (not this, not this)

Yajnavalkya

700 BCE–

Ancient

Yajnavalkya is one of the earliest named sages of the Upanishadic tradition, appearing prominently in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Unlike most Upanishadic wisdom—which emerged anonymously from generations of forest-dwelling contemplatives—Yajnavalkya's teachings are preserved in dialogue form, giving us a rare glimpse into an individual voice from this period.

Gautama Buddha

563 BCE–483 BCE

Ancient

Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"), was born a prince in ancient India. Despite a life of luxury, he was deeply moved by the suffering he witnessed and renounced his privileged existence to seek the cause of and liberation from suffering.

Key teaching: The Middle Way

Gautama Buddha

563 BCE–483 BCE

Ancient

Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"), was born a prince in ancient India. Despite a life of luxury, he was deeply moved by the suffering he witnessed and renounced his privileged existence to seek the cause of and liberation from suffering.

Huang Po

770–850

Medieval

Huang Po (also known as Huangbo Xiyun) was a Chinese Zen master whose teachings represent some of the most direct and uncompromising expressions of Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism. A successor in the lineage of the Sixth Patriarch, he was the teacher of Linji (Rinzai), founder of one of the major schools of Zen.

Key teaching: One Mind

Huang Po

770–850

Medieval

Huang Po (also known as Huangbo Xiyun) was a Chinese Zen master whose teachings represent some of the most direct and uncompromising expressions of Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism. A successor in the lineage of the Sixth Patriarch, he was the teacher of Linji (Rinzai), founder of one of the major schools of Zen.

Adi Shankara

788–820

Medieval

Adi Shankaracharya was an Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, one of the most influential schools of Hindu philosophy. In his brief life of only thirty-two years, he composed extensive commentaries on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras, establishing the philosophical foundation for non-dual understanding.

Key teaching: Brahman alone is real

Adi Shankara

788–820

Medieval

Adi Shankaracharya was an Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, one of the most influential schools of Hindu philosophy. In his brief life of only thirty-two years, he composed extensive commentaries on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras, establishing the philosophical foundation for non-dual understanding.

Rumi

1207–1273

Medieval

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī was a 13th-century Persian poet, scholar, and Sufi mystic whose poetry has transcended cultural and religious boundaries to become beloved worldwide. Born in present-day Afghanistan, he settled in Konya (modern-day Turkey), where he became a respected Islamic scholar.

Key teaching: Divine love and union

Rumi

1207–1273

Medieval

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī was a 13th-century Persian poet, scholar, and Sufi mystic whose poetry has transcended cultural and religious boundaries to become beloved worldwide. Born in present-day Afghanistan, he settled in Konya (modern-day Turkey), where he became a respected Islamic scholar.

Meister Eckhart

1260–1328

Medieval

Meister Eckhart was a German theologian, philosopher, and mystic whose teachings on the direct experience of God represent a peak of Western mystical expression. A Dominican friar and scholar, he held important positions in his order and was known as a brilliant preacher who could communicate profound mystical truths to ordinary people.

Key teaching: Detachment (Gelassenheit)

Meister Eckhart

1260–1328

Medieval

Meister Eckhart was a German theologian, philosopher, and mystic whose teachings on the direct experience of God represent a peak of Western mystical expression. A Dominican friar and scholar, he held important positions in his order and was known as a brilliant preacher who could communicate profound mystical truths to ordinary people.

Ramakrishna

1836–1886

Pre-Modern

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a Bengali mystic and saint whose ecstatic devotion and direct experience of the divine made him one of the most influential spiritual figures of modern India. Serving as a priest at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple near Kolkata, he engaged in intense spiritual practices from various Hindu traditions and later explored Islam and Christianity, declaring that all paths lead to the same divine reality.

Key teaching: All paths lead to God

Ramakrishna

1836–1886

Pre-Modern

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a Bengali mystic and saint whose ecstatic devotion and direct experience of the divine made him one of the most influential spiritual figures of modern India. Serving as a priest at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple near Kolkata, he engaged in intense spiritual practices from various Hindu traditions and later explored Islam and Christianity, declaring that all paths lead to the same divine reality.

Ramana Maharshi

1879–1950

Pre-Modern

Ramana Maharshi was an Indian sage who, at the age of sixteen, experienced a profound spiritual awakening that revealed to him his true nature as pure awareness. Without any formal teaching or initiation, he spontaneously realized the Self and spent the remainder of his life at the holy mountain Arunachala in South India.

Key teaching: Self-inquiry (Who am I?)

Ramana Maharshi

1879–1950

Pre-Modern

Ramana Maharshi was an Indian sage who, at the age of sixteen, experienced a profound spiritual awakening that revealed to him his true nature as pure awareness. Without any formal teaching or initiation, he spontaneously realized the Self and spent the remainder of his life at the holy mountain Arunachala in South India.

Anandamayi Ma

1896–1982

Pre-Modern

Anandamayi Ma, whose name means "bliss-permeated mother," was one of the most renowned saints of twentieth-century India. From early childhood, she displayed unusual spiritual qualities, and by her early twenties, she had passed through various stages of spiritual realization without formal instruction, becoming established in a state of continuous divine consciousness.

Key teaching: Divine presence

Anandamayi Ma

1896–1982

Pre-Modern

Anandamayi Ma, whose name means "bliss-permeated mother," was one of the most renowned saints of twentieth-century India. From early childhood, she displayed unusual spiritual qualities, and by her early twenties, she had passed through various stages of spiritual realization without formal instruction, becoming established in a state of continuous divine consciousness.

Nisargadatta Maharaj

1897–1981

Pre-Modern

Nisargadatta Maharaj was an Indian spiritual teacher who lived and taught in the bustling city of Mumbai. A simple shopkeeper who sold bidis (Indian cigarettes), he received initiation from his guru Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj and attained realization within three years of dedicated practice.

Key teaching: Abidance in "I Am"

Nisargadatta Maharaj

1897–1981

Pre-Modern

Nisargadatta Maharaj was an Indian spiritual teacher who lived and taught in the bustling city of Mumbai. A simple shopkeeper who sold bidis (Indian cigarettes), he received initiation from his guru Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj and attained realization within three years of dedicated practice.

H.W.L. Poonja

1910–1997

Modern

H.W.L. Poonja, affectionately known as Papaji, was a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi whose presence and teachings helped bring Advaita wisdom to countless Western seekers in the final decades of the twentieth century. Born in Punjab, he had spiritual experiences from early childhood and spent years searching for God before meeting Ramana, who showed him his true nature.

Key teaching: Freedom is now

H.W.L. Poonja

1910–1997

Modern

H.W.L. Poonja, affectionately known as Papaji, was a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi whose presence and teachings helped bring Advaita wisdom to countless Western seekers in the final decades of the twentieth century. Born in Punjab, he had spiritual experiences from early childhood and spent years searching for God before meeting Ramana, who showed him his true nature.

Teachers and sages — timeline

Yajnavalkya

Yajnavalkya

Gautama Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Huang Po

Huang Po

Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara

Rumi

Rumi

Meister Eckhart

Meister Eckhart

Ramakrishna

Ramakrishna

Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi

Anandamayi Ma

Anandamayi Ma

Nisargadatta Maharaj

Nisargadatta Maharaj

H.W.L. Poonja

H.W.L. Poonja