posts on Vis'istAdvaita: Aside 2: Advaita and Vis'istAdvaita (mutually exclusive descriptions of the nature of reality)

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

The source for following is “Fundamentals of Vis’istAdvaita VedAnata:

A study based on Vedanta Des’ika’s:Tattva-MuktA-KalApa”, by

Sri. S.M.S. Chari. The material that follows is not verbatim, but is in

accordance with the material presented in the book. Copies are available,

please e-mail if interested. It is our duty to each buy a copy, for Sri.

S.M.S.

Chari produced this excellent work, out of great compassion.

(He is sharing his tremendous knowledge with us, the less fortunate, who

do not have the capacity to read and understand the original Sanskrit

texts. )

 

A breif summary of Advaita and Vis’istAdvaita (just to highlight the concept

of

moksha and the purpose of creation)

 

Kevala Advaita

 

Making use of the pramAnas and the concept of avidya (Non Knowledge) advaita

establishes that there is only one entity, Brahman, which is just

undifferentiated

consciousness. The superimposition of avidya (whose source is not known)

on this entity leads to the illusion of plurality. While subject to avidya

the jiva,

Brahman, and prakriti are all classified as real. At this stage one

undertakes

Saguna Brahma upasana. When an individual gains the intuitive knowledge

that he is one with brahman, he or she is said to be liberated. However,

notice

that a liberated individual does not maintain his or her individuality upon

leaving the body; thus, moksha is impermanent.

 

Vis’istAdvaita

Making use of the pramAnas, without any adjuncts, Vis’istAdvaita establishes

that jiva, Brahman, and prariti are all real, distinct, beginingless and

endless.

The supreme reality is a qualified whole; Isvara is the sustainer of the

whole

and prakriti and jivas are the sustained. Jivas are of three types,

eternally free,

liberated, and enslaved (those who are in misery whether in a manifest or

non

manifest state) by beginningless karma. The true nature of jiva, who is a

subtle

entity, is all pervading knowledge and bliss; in this sense jiva and isvara

are

similar. However, Isvara, who is the source of bliss for the jiva, has the

creative

power maya, which he uses to sustain all three types of jiva. While in

bondage, a

jiva, which is the knower, does not realize its true nature is bliss and

that it

knows everything there is to know. Isvara out of compassion uses his

inherent

creative power maya to fashion a field for the jivatmans in bondage, out of

pre-existing matter, in which to exhaust their load of karma, so that they

can

realize their true nature. Because there are an infinite number of

individual souls,

the process is eternal. The key thing to note is that according to Vis’

isTadvaita

there is a purpose to creation (it is the ultimate act of compassion by the

sustainer)

and liberation is real and permanent. Moksha is described as the full and

perfect experience of the bliss of Brahman!

 

Notes

 

1. Notice Advaita and Vis’istAdvaita are mutually exclusive descriptions of

the

nature of reality. Some, like the members of the RamaKrishna mutt, claim

they

are the same, but that is a dogmatic claim and is rooted in illogic. To say

Advaita

and Vis’istAdvaita is the same, is like saying 2+1=3 and 2+1=4.

2. It is possible for two mutually exclusive axiomatic philosophies to

coexist;

however only one can be the truth.

3. While both are axiomatic; i.e., have a rational basis, Advaita makes use

of an

adjunct (avidya) not sanctioned by scripture.

4. While the state of kaivalya can eventually lead to moksha (it is an

intermediate

state and not the ultimate.)

 

Adiyen,

krishNArpaNam