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It sounds like you are diving into the profound waters of Advaita Vedanta. To clarify the terms you've encountered, let’s break down the etymology and the philosophical distinction you mentioned regarding Western vs. Eastern perspectives.

The term is actually Advaita Vedanta (often phonetically transcribed from speech as advita vanta). It is composed of two primary Sanskrit words:

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1. Vedanta: The "End of Knowledge"

The word Vedanta is a combination of Veda (knowledge/scripture) and anta (end or culmination).

• The Context: Historically, it refers to the teachings found in the Upanishads, which are the final sections of the Vedas.

• The Goal: It moves beyond the rituals of the early Vedas to ask the "Big Questions": Who am I? What is the nature of reality (Brahman)? What is the relationship between the two?

2. Advaita: "Not Two"

Advaita comes from a (not) and dvaita (two or dual).

• The Core Concept: It is the philosophy of Non-Dualism. It suggests that there is no fundamental difference between the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman).

• The Illusion: Any perception of separation—between you and me, or between us and the Divine—is considered Maya (an illusion or a temporary superimposition).

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Comparison: Western vs. Eastern (Bharatiya) Perspectives

As you noted, there is a distinct shift in the "point of entry" for these two traditions:

Feature	Western Philosophy (Occidental/Objective)	Eastern Philosophy (Bharatiya/Subjective)
Focus	The Object: What is "out there"?	The Subject: Who is the "I" that is looking?
Method	Analysis of sensory data and the material world.	Analysis of consciousness and the observer.
Goal	To understand the laws governing the universe.	To achieve Darshana (a direct "vision" or perspective of Truth).

Advaita Vedanta among the Darshanas

You mentioned Darshana, which is a far more accurate term than "philosophy." While Western philosophy is often an intellectual exercise, a Darshana is a "way of seeing" that is meant to be lived and experienced.

Among the six major orthodox schools (Shat Darshanas), Vedanta is the one that most modern "Hindu" practices are rooted in today. While schools like Nyaya (logic) or Sankhya (enumeration/dualism) provide the groundwork, Advaita Vedanta (popularized largely by Adi Shankara) takes the final step:

"Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya, Jivo Brahmaiva Naparah"

(Brahman is the only truth, the world is appearance, and there is ultimately no difference between the individual self and Brahman.)

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Where we go from here

You mentioned Vidyaranya Swami, a great 14th-century scholar who famously summarized these schools in his work Sarva-Darshana-Sangraha. He outlines how each school (like Yoga or Vaisheshika) acts as a stepping stone toward the ultimate non-dual realization of Vedanta.

Would you like to explore the specific differences between Advaita (Non-dualism) and the other branches of Vedanta, such as Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Non-dualism) or Dvaita (Dualism)?