Vishishtadvaita
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This article uses secondary sources that critically analyze them.(March 2017) ) |
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History
The Vishishtadvaita philosophy is believed to have a long history, with its earliest works no longer available.[1] The names of these earliest philosophers are only mentioned in Ramanuja's Vedarthasamgraha. Bodhayana, Dramida, Tanka, Guhadeva, Kapardi, and Bharuci are some of the well-known philosophers in the line of those who are thought to have developed the Vishishtadvaita system.
Bodhayana is considered to have written an extensive vritti (commentary) on the
Ramanuja is the main proponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy.
Key principles
There are three key principles of Vishishtadvaita:[4]
- Tattva: The knowledge of the 3 real entities; namely jiva (living souls, the sentient), ajiva (the nonsentient) and Ishvara (Vishnu-Narayana or Parahbrahman, Supreme-self and the cause of all manifestations and in-dwelling giver of grace based on Karma).
- prapatti(self-surrender)
- Purushartha: The goal to be attained, as moksha or liberation from bondage.
Viśiṣṭa means most exclusive (not equal / different from rest).
Epistemology
Pramanas
Pramana ("sources of knowledge", Sanskrit) refers to factual knowledge obtained thorough reasoning of any object. Pramana forms one part of a triputi (trio):
- Pramatir, the subject; the knower of knowledge
- Pramana, the cause or the means of knowledge
- Prameya, the object of knowledge
In Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, only the following three pramanas are accepted as valid means of knowledge:
- Pratyaksa — knowledge gained by means of perception. Perception in this context generally refers to sensory perception. In modern-day usage, this will also include knowledge obtained by means of observation through scientific instruments, since they are considered an extension of perception.
- Anumana — knowledge gained by means of inference. Inference refers to deductive reasoning and analysis.
- shruti. Shruti refers to knowledge gained from scriptures - primarily the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
Rules of epistemology
There are three rules of hierarchy when there is apparent conflict between the three modes of acquiring knowledge:
- Shabda or Shruti, Pramana occupies the highest position in matters which cannot be settled or resolved by pratyaksa (perception) or by anumana (inference).
- Anumana occupies the next position. When an issue cannot be settled through sensory perception alone, it is settled based on inference, that is, whichever is the more logical argument.
- When pratyaksa yields a definitive position on a particular issue, such a perception cannot be ignored by interpreting Shabda in a way which violates that perception.
Metaphysics
Ontology
The ontology in Vishishtadvaita consists of explaining the relationship between Ishvara (Parabrahman), the sentient beings (chit-brahman) and the insentient Universe (achit-brahman). In the broadest sense, Ishvara is the Universal Soul of the pan-organistic body consisting of the Universe and sentient beings. The three ontological entities are described below:
Ishvara
Ishvara (denoted by Vishnu (Narayana)) is the Supreme Cosmic Spirit who maintains complete control over the Universe and all the sentient beings, which together also form the pan-organistic body of Ishvara. The triad of Ishvara along with the universe and the sentient beings is Brahman, which signifies the completeness of existence. Ishvara is Parabrahman endowed with innumerable auspicious qualities (Kalyana Gunas). Ishvara is perfect, omniscient, omnipresent, incorporeal, independent, the creator of the universe, its active ruler and also its eventual destroyer.[5] He is causeless, eternal and unchangeable — and is yet the material and the efficient cause of the universe and sentient beings. He is both immanent (like whiteness in milk) and transcendent (like a watch-maker independent of a watch). He is the subject of worship. He is the basis of morality and giver of the fruits of one's Karma. He rules the world with His Maya — His divine power.
Ishvara is considered to have a 2-fold characteristic: he is the indweller of all beings and all beings dwell in Ishvara.[citation needed]
Antaryamin
The inner controller (antar-yāmin) is the thread connecting everything, governing this world, the next, and all beings from within (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.7.3-23).[6]
"He who inhabits water, yet is within water, whom water does not know, whose body water is and who controls water from within — He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal."
"He who inhabits the sun, yet is within the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose body the sun is and who controls the sun from within — He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal" — Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.7.4–14
Bahuvyapi
When Ishvara is thought of as the all encompassing and the residence of all beings that is, all beings reside in Ishvara, he is referred to as the paramapurusha. The sentient beings and the insentient universe which form part of the pan-organistic body of Ishvara are encapsulated by Ishvara.[original research?]
Sarvam khalv idam Brahma Chandogya Upanishad
Isavasyam idam sarvam Isha Upanishad
Chit
The jivas possess three different types of existence:
- Nityas, or the eternally free Jivas who were never in Samsara
- Muktas, or the Jivas that were once in Samsara but are free
- Baddhas, or the Jivas which are still in Samsara pavana (due to Karma and Ignorance)
Achit
Brahman
There is a subtle difference between Ishvara and Brahman. Ishvara is the substantive part of Brahman, while jivas and jagat are its modes (also secondary attributes), and kalyana-gunas (auspicious attributes) are the primary attributes. The secondary attributes become manifested in the effect state when the world is differentiated by name and form. The kalyana-gunas are eternally manifest.
Brahman is the description of Ishvara when comprehended in fullness– i.e., a simultaneous vision of Ishvara with all his modes and attributes.
The relationship between Brahman and Jivas, Jagat is expressed by Rāmānujā in numerous ways. He calls this relationship as one of:
- sharira/shariri (body/indweller);
- prakara/prakari (attribute or mode/substance);
- shesha/sheshi (Owned/owner);
- amsha/amshi (part/whole);
- Adharadeya/sambandha (supporter/supported);
- niyamya/niyanta (controlled/controller);
- rakshya/rakshaka (redeemed/redeemer);
These relationships can be experienced holding Brahman as the father, son, mother, sister, wife, husband, friend, lover and lord. Hence, Brahman is a personal being.
- What does Nirguna Brahman mean?
Ramanuja argues vehemently against understanding Brahman as one without attributes. Brahman is Nirguna in the sense that impure qualities do not touch it. He provides three valid reasons for staking such a claim:
Shruti/Shabda Pramana: All shrutis and shabdas denoting Brahman always list either attributes inherent to Brahman or not inherent to Brahman. The shrutis only seek to deny Brahman from possessing impure and defective qualities which affect the world of beings. There is evidence in the shrutis to this regard. The shrutis proclaim Brahman to be beyond the tri-gunas which are observed. However, Brahman possesses an infinite number of transcendental attributes, the evidence of which is given in vakhyas like "satyam jnanam anantam Brahma" (Taittiriya Upanishad).
Pratyaksha Pramana: Ramanuja states that "a contentless cognition is impossible". And all cognition must necessarily involve knowing Brahman through the attributes of Brahman.
Anumana Pramana: Ramanuja states that "Nirgunatva" itself becomes an attribute of Brahman on account of the uniqueness of no other entity being Nirguna. Ramanuja had simplified relationship between bramha and soul. According to him though soul is integral part of bramha it has independent existence.[7]
Theory of Existence
The three ontological entities i.e. Ishvara, Chit and Achit are fundamentally real. It upholds the doctrine of Satkaryavada as against Asatkaryavada.
Briefly,
- Satkaryavada is pre-existence of the effect in the cause. It maintains that karya (effect) is sat or real. It is present in the karana (cause) in a potential form, even before its manifestation.
- Asatkaryavada is non-existence of the effect in the cause. It maintains that karya (effect) is asat or unreal until it comes into being. Every effect, then, is a new beginning and is not born out of cause.
More specifically, the effect is a modification of what exists in the cause and does not involve new entities coming into existence. This is called as parinamavada or evolution of effect from the cause. This doctrine is common to the Samkhya system and Vishishtadvaita system. The Samkhya system adheres to Prakriti-Parinama vada whereas Vishishtadvaita is a modified form of Brahma-Parinama vada.
Kārya and kāraṇa
The kāraṇa (cause) and kārya (effect) in Vishishtadvaita is different from other systems of Indian philosophy. Brahman is both the kāraṇa (cause) and the kārya (effect). Brahman as the cause does not become the Universe as the effect.
Brahman is assigned two kāraṇatvas (ways of being the cause):
- Nimitta kāraṇatva — Being the Efficient/ Instrumental cause. For example, a goldsmith is assigned Nimitta kāraṇatva as he acts as the maker of jewellery and thus becomes the jewellery's Instrumental cause.
- Upādāna kāraṇatva — Being the material cause. For example, the gold is assigned Upādāna kāraṇatva as it acts as the material of the jewellery and thus becomes the jewellery's material cause.
According to Vishishtadvaita, the Universe and Sentients always exist. However, they begin from a subtle state and undergo transformation. The subtle state is called a causal state, while the transformed state is called the effect state. The causal state is when Brahman is internally not distinguishable by name and form.
It can be said that Vishishtadvaita follows
Brahman having the subtle (sūkṣma) chit and achit entities as his Śarīra/Prakāra(body/mode) before manifestation is the same Brahman having the expanded (sthūla) chit and achit entities as Śarīra/Prakāra(body/mode) after manifestation.
The essential feature is that the underlying entity is the same, the changes are in the description of that entity.
For e.g. Jack was a baby. Jack was a small kid. Jack was a middle-aged person. Jack was an old man. Jack is dead
The body of a single personality named Jack is described as continuously changing. Jack does not become "James" because of the change.
Ethics
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2023) |
Souls and Matter are only the body of God. Creation is a real act of God. It is the expansion of intelligence. Matter is fundamentally real and undergoes real revelation. The Soul is a higher mode than Matter, because it is conscious. It is also eternally real and eternally distinct. Final release, that comes, by the Lord's
Interpretation of Mahāvākyas
1. sarvam khalv idam brahma from Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1
Translated literally, this means All this is Brahman. The ontology of Vishishtadvaita system consists of:
a. Ishvara is Para-brahman with infinite superlative qualities, whose substantive nature imparts the existence to the modes
b. Jivas are chit-brahman or sentient beings (which possess consciousness). They are the modes of Brahman which show consciousness.
c. Jagat is achit-brahman or matter/Universe (which are non-conscious). They are the mode of Brahman which are not conscious.
Brahman is the composite whole of the triad consisting of Ishvara along with his modes i.e. Jivas and Jagat.
2. ayam ātmā brahma from Mandukya Upanishad 1.2
Translated literally, this means the Self is Brahman. From the earlier statement, it follows that on account of everything being Brahman, the self is not different from Brahman.
3. Tat tvam asi from Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7
Translated literally, it means Thou art that
that here refers to Brahman and thou refers to jiva
Rāmānujā chooses to take the position of universal identity. He interprets this passage to mean the subsistence of all attributes in a common underlying substratum. This is referred to as samānādhikāraṇya. Thus Rāmānujā says the purport of the passage is to show the unity of all beings in a common base. Ishvara (Parabrahman) who is the Cosmic Spirit for the pan-organistic body consisting of the Universe and sentient beings, is also simultaneously the innermost self (Ātman) for each individual sentient being (Jīva). All the bodies, the Cosmic and the individual, are held in an adjectival relationship (aprithak-siddhi) in the one Isvara.
Tat tvam asi declares that oneness of Ishvara.
When multiple entities point to a single object, the relationship is established as one of substance and its attributes.
For e.g. in a statement:
Jack is a tall and intelligent boy
The descriptors tall-ness, intelligence and boy-ness all refer to a common underlying Jack
Similarly, when the Upanishads declare Brahman is the Universe, Purusha, Self, Prana, Vayu, and so on, the entities are attributes or modes of Brahman.
If the statement tat tvam asi is taken to mean as only the self is Brahman, then sarvam khalv idam brahma will not make sense.
Understanding Neti-Neti
This article possibly contains original research. (April 2008) |
This is an Upanishadic concept which is employed while attempting to know Brahman. The purport of this exercise is understood in many different ways and also influences the understanding of Brahman. In the overall sense, this phrase is accepted to refer to the indescribable nature of Brahman who is beyond all rationalisations.
Taittiriya Upanishad 2-9-1 passage "yato vacho nivartante.." (words recoil, mind can not grasp...) etc., state the same concept regarding Brahman. The visishtadvaita interpretation is that these passages do not indicate a black hole, but the incompleteness of any statement or thought or concept concerning Brahman. Brahman is these and more. This interpretation is consistent with "sarvam khalv idam brahma". Antaryami Brahmana of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad passage "yasya prithvi shariram yasya atma shariram" is also interpreted to show that Brahman is not a zero point - "nirvisesha chinmatra" (an entity which has nothing except existence)
The typical interpretation of Neti-Neti is not this, not this or neither this, nor that. It is a phrase meant to convey the inexpressibility of Brahman in words and the futility of trying to approximate Brahman with conceptual models. In VisishtAdvaita, the phrase is taken in the sense of not just this, not just this or not just this, not just that. This means that Brahman cannot be restricted to one specific or a few specific descriptions. Consequently, Brahman is understood to possess infinite qualities and each of these qualities are infinite in extent.
Purpose of human existence
The purpose or goal of human existence is called
Moksha (Liberation)
Moksha means liberation or release from
Bhakti as the means of attaining moksha
Tenkalai and Vadakalai schools of thought
The Sri Vaishnava tradition has two major sub-traditions in
Traditions following Vishishtadvaita
- Sri Vaishnava Sampradayaof southern India
- Sri Ramanandi Sect[13] of Northern India, it has the largest monastic order in whole India
- Dāmodariya Vaiśņava sampradaya of Assam
- Swaminarayan sampradaya of Gujarat
The Absolute Supreme Reality referred to as Brahman, is a Transcendent Personality. He is Narayana, also known as deity Vishnu.
A man who has discrimination for his charioteer and holds the reins of the mind firmly, reaches the end of the road; and that is the supreme position of Vishnu. - 1.3.9 Katha Upanishad
Beyond the senses are the objects; beyond the objects is the mind; beyond the mind, the intellect; beyond the intellect, the Great Atman; beyond the Great Atman, the Unmanifest; beyond the Unmanifest, the Purusha. Beyond the Purusha there is nothing: this is the end, the Supreme Goal.- 1.3.10,11 Katha Upanishad
In terms of theology, Ramanuja puts forth the view that both the Supreme Goddess Lakshmi and Supreme God Narayana together constitute Brahman - the Absolute. Lakshmi is the female personification of Brahman and Narayana is the male personification of Brahman, but they are both inseparable, co-eternal, co-absolute and are always substantially one. Thus, in reference to these dual aspects of Brahman, the Supreme is referred as Sriman Narayana in the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya.
The most striking difference between Sri Vaishnavas and other Vaishnava groups lies in their interpretation of Vedas. While other Vaishnava groups interpret Vedic deities like Indra, Savitar, Bhaga, Rudra, etc. to be same as their Puranic counterparts, Sri Vaishnavas consider these to be different names/roles/forms of Narayana, claiming that the entire Veda is dedicated for Vishnu worship alone. Sri Vaishnavas have remodelled Pancharatra homas like Sudarshana homa, etc. to include Vedic Suktas like Rudram in them, thus giving them a Vedic outlook.
See also
- Turiya
- Achintya Bheda Abheda
- Virashaivism
- Shiva Advaita
- Suddhadvaita
- Dvaitadvaita
References
- ^ Chandrankunnel, Matthew (2008). Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics. New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House. p. 945.
- ISBN 978-0816073368.
- ISBN 0-521-65279-0.
- )
- ^ White Yajurveda 32.3
- ISBN 978-1-84706-448-6.
- ^ J.L.Mehta VOl3
- )
- ^ Tapasyananda, Swami. Bhakti Schools of Vedanta pg. 54-83
- ^ "VishistAdvaitham Part 1 - Sri Velukkudi Krishnan". video.google.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011.
- ^ "9 forms of bhakti".
- ^ a b Chandrankunnel, Matthew (2008). Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics. New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House. p. 946.
- ^ "Ramanandi Sampradaya".
External links
- The Siddhanta Sangraha, English translation from the 18th century
- Viśiṣṭādvaita doctrine of Soul according to Rāmānuja and Veṅkaṭanātha, Surendranath Dasgupta, 1940