Advaita, Shiva Sidhdhantham and Christianity

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Advaita, Shiva Sidhdhantham and Christianity

 

Trinity in Advaita - Brahman, Jiva and the World. There is fundamental

unity in the Trinity and appearance of separation is due to the

limitation of intellect. One has to go beyond the intellect to

experience the unity.

 

Shiva Sidhdhantham is a very ancient philosophy that dates back to more

than five thousand years. It is well practiced by South Indians who

believe in Siva as the eternal and never-ending creator. The philosophy

is explained by the trinity - pathi, pAchu, and pAcham. Shiva is the

pathi, Jiva is the pAchu and the worldly attachment is pAcham. Jiva

(pAchu) due to worldly attachment (pAcham) undergoes sufferings and with

the blessings of Brahman (Shiva), Jiva gets the freedom from bondage.

When pAchu surrenders to pathi (Shiva), pAcham disappears. In Shiva

Sidhdhantham, pAcham is classified into three - Anavam, kanamam, and

mAyai (ego, deed and effects, and illusion). The Tamil scripture

thruman^dhiram describes Shiva Sidhdhantham in greater details. The

bottom line of Shiva Sidhdhantham is the fact that pathi (Shiva) is

unaffected!

 

The philosophy is explained beautifully using an analogy: Jivas are

compared to leaves on the tree loaded with a heavy snow fall. Due to the

weight of the snow (worldly attachment), leaves suffer. But with the

blessings from the sun (pathi) the snow (pAcham) evaporates and

disappears from the leaf. The leaf gets the freedom and smiles

(experience of bliss) due to the presence of sun. There is fundamental

unity between pathi, pAchu and pAcham!

 

The Trinity in Christianity is explained by Father, Son and the

Holy-ghost. Father is pathi and Son is the Jiva and Holy-ghost refers

to the death of pAcham due to Grace. Again, there is fundamental unity

between Father, Son and the Holy-ghost.

 

Conclusion: If we make sincere efforts to find the unity, the unity and

oneness can be experienced. The path and direction may appear different

and all such appearance only confirms our ignorance!

 

Ram Chandran

Burke, VA