 Śaṅkara purportedly established the earliest monastic system in Brahmanical religion, including the Daśanāmī (Ten Names) renouncer orders (see Clark 2006 on these orders) as well as four or five principle monasteries (maṭhas) across the subcontinent (see Cenkner 1983 on maṭhas). Many Śaṅkara-identifying lineages, along with the principle monasteries, and several smaller monasteries, hermitages, and learning institutions continue to flourish today in the living Advaita Vedānta tradition. An unbroken lineage beginning with Śaṅkara’s direct disciples, such as Padmapāda and Sureśvara, continued to develop, defend, and expand upon his philosophy into the modern period. At present, Śaṅkara’s Advaita Vedānta extends far beyond its orthodox cultural and geographical confines. Its streams of thought continue to evolve due to the encounter with different philosophical, theological, and socio-political contexts; yet the tradition as a whole demonstrates a significant degree of philosophical continuity from past to present.