VishtAdvaita (in connection with Sri Damodar Swarup's queries)

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Sri Damodar swarup had raised few queries and Sri Sadanana answered then

quite well:

 

adiyEn wants to add two cents (in order to understand the VisishtAdvaita

philosophy better).

 

The three authoritative scriptures referred to as Prastaana Trayam are:

-Vedas (Sruti) - Poorva & Uttara Mimaamsa together.

-Bhagavat Gita

-Brahma Sutras - Of Veda Vyasa Bhagavan.

 

Veda is Apourusheyam (unauthored -not authored by anybody).

Lord revealed the same and taught to four faced Brahma.

Veda is eternal, and has no date of origin and end.

Veda is the only ultimate authority and hasno MISTAKES at all. The sruthi

vAkhyams (statements) do not and contradict with each other(unlike our

statements:-) If they appear so to us, it reflects our lack of understanding

of sruthis and not their flaws (where there are no flaws..)

 

As long as any philosophy is in conformity with Statements (encompassed) in

these three scriptures, and more so to Vedas, then, that needs to be

considered as VaidIka philosophy.

Any philosophy which contradicts Vedic statement is uncondiered non-vaidIka.

 

It is not that Sri Ramanuja established this VisishtAdvaita philosophy. He

only expounded the same. He has interpreted Stuthi vAkhyams and Brahma

Suthras /GitA based on his AcharyAs' works. (listed below)

 

In Vedas, there are abhEdha sruthis, bhEdha sruthis and Ghataka sruthis.

 

Advaita- Monism is based on AbhEda sruthis;

Dwaita- Dualism is based on bhEda sruthis

VisishtAdvaita- based on Ghataka sruthis (encompassing both bhEdha and

abhEdha sruthis)

 

Thus, all the three philosophies are based on Vedic statements.

 

Sri Ramanujacharya has based his system of philosphphy and interpretation on

Ghataksa sruthi and on preceptor's works

-Bagavath Bodhayana (who wrote Bodhayana vritthi in 100,000 granthas on

Vyasa's Brahma suthram),

-Dramidacharya (who wrote a commentary on Brahma sUthra- called Dramida

Bhashya),

-TankAcharya (also known as Brahmanandi- who wrote a treatise on Brahma

sUthras - knows as Vartika);

-Guhadevacharya

-Acharya Bharuchi (who wrote a treatise on Dharma saasthra and commented on

Brahma sUthra)

-Acharya Kapardi- (who wrote commentaries on Brahma sUthra and Apasthama

Kalpa sUthras)

-Nathamuni- who wrote NyAya tattvam and Yoga rahsyam

-Yamunacharya (916 CE to 1041 CE) who wrote Siddhitraya (embodying Athma

siddhi, Iswara Siddhi and Samvit Siddhi), Agama pramANya and others)

 

No doubt all three (dwaita, Advaita and Visishtadvaita) are follwing Vedic

statements. With due and high regards to them, adiyEn's intention is to

elaborate the scriptural authority and accepatcne of totality of Vedic

statements in VisishtAdvaita without any conflicts on bhEda /abhEda sruthis.

(as beautifully elaborated by SrI Bhagavath Ramanujacharya)

 

The Vedas do not say anywhere that Bheda Srutis are incorrect or that only

Abheda Srutis are correct or vice versa. The answer is provided by the

Sarira- Sariri Bhava (the Body- Soul-relationship) - the basis of

Visishtadvaita which answers the conflicts.

 

Thus, the central teaching of the VisishtAdvaita philosophy is that

Parabrahman, The Supreme Lord, Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan is in reality,

the only one "TRUTH" (Tattva). It is eternal (Nithya), unconditioned reality

(Satya) and infinitie knowledge (jnAna), infinitie on ppoint of time and

space (anantha), Omnipresent (vibhu), Omniscient (Sarvajna), Omni potent

(Sarvashakthan).

 

He is the Material Cause (UpAdhAna kaaraNa), instrumental cause (nimitta

kaaraNa) as well as the auxiliary cause (Sahakaari kAraNa) of the Universe.

 

Other names given in Vedas for this Parabrahman are:

Sat (Self -existent), Atma (spirit), Brahman (Great?), Isa or ISwara (Lord),

VishNu, Narayana (they are not common names! ), PurushOtthama, Vaasudeva.

 

Parabrahman, being the only Reality (Tattwa) is the cause of the Universe or

worlds. It is knowable in the condition of manifestation but does not belong

to the category of "material" in the normal sense of the term.

 

While Parabrahman is the INDEPENDENT Reality, Chit (sentient) and achit

(non-sentient) are the two dependent realities out of the Lord - Parabrahman

as His SarIra. In fact, these two DEPENDENT RELAITIES are thus, the

QUALITIES of the INDEPENDENT REALITY (the Lord).

 

Thus, there is only one Brahman (advaita), who has chit and achit as its

inseparable attributes (chit-achit viSishTa). It is only the "advaita" of

this sense that is present in the actual reality (jIvAtma and matter are

inseparable attributes of Brahman). Brahman/Iswara, chit and achit are

distinct from one another, though related (with chit and achit as

inseparable attributes to Brahman).

 

These three maintain an indisoluble union, inseparable unity among

themselves.

 

Better said: (in the words of our Sri Anand Karalapakkam)

As VEdAnta dESika says, Brahman alone, as organically related to the entire

cit and acit, is the one ultimate Reality (aSEsha-cidacit-prakAram

brahmaikamEva tattvam). Though there is absolute difference between Iswara

and the other two reals and also among individual souls and matter, the

ultimate Reality is considered as one because as an organic unity it is one.

In this sense, the system of vEdAnta expounded by RAmAnuja is described as

ViSishtAdvaita which means oneness of the organic unity (ViSishtasya

advaitam).

 

Sriman nArAyaNA out of His great compassion towards the baddha

jIvAtmAs propagates vedAs and allied sAstrAs , which are the

only way through which they can possibly know about Him & the

ways to reach Him. The ultimate and final essence of sAstrAs is that

Sriman NArAyaNA is the sarIrI and ,all chit & achit are His sarIrA.

This eternal sarIra sarIrI bhAvA is composed of the following three

things:

 

a. AdheyatvA (ie.being supported by a sarIrI) : Existence of

the sarIrA(body) is due to the sarIrI ie. sarIrI supports

the sarIrA. In other words , if sarIrI ceases to exist ,

sarIrA also ceases to exist.

 

b. niyamyatvA (ie. being controlled by a sarIrI ) : Not only

that sarIrA derives its existence from a sarIrI, it is also

being controlled by the sarIrI. So , sarIrA acts as per the

will/desires of sarIrI.

 

c. seshatvA (ie. existing for the pleasure of sarIrI ) : Not only

that sarIrA is supported & controlled by sarIrI , it exists

only for the pleasure of sarIrI ie. sarIrI is sarIrA's Master.

 

It is to be noted that the "sarIrI" needn't be physically

present inside a "sarIrA". This is not a condition to be met

out for the sarIra-sarIrI bhAvA to hold good..

 

Thus Sriman NArAyaNA supports and controls all jIvAtmAs, and all

the jIvAtmAs exist purely for His enjoyment. Thus, the very

essential nature (svaroopam) of a jIvAtmA is to perform kainkaryam

to Sriman NArAyaNA for His pleasure and performance of any

other activity doesn't conform to its nature.

 

Thanks to Sri Damodar and Sri Sadananda for the thread and for giving us an

opportunity to enjoy our philosophy and Sampradayam.

 

Trust beginners like me, can understand and perceive the VisistAdvaita

philosophy. It is receommended to read Sri SMS Chari's books in English on

Vaisnavism, Advaita and VisishtAdvaita, Fundamentals of Visishtadvaita

Vedantha, Philosphy of Vedantha Suthra etc. They are treasures.

 

Please fogrive adiyEn for his indulgence. Though not qualified, adiyEn wrote

(Fools rush in where angels fear to tread:-)

Regards

Narayana Narayana

aDiyEn Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

 

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