Philosophy of Ramanuja-Sarira- sariri bhava

April 30, 2006

6.sarira-sariri bhava

Sarira-sariri bhava is the key concept of Visishtadvaita. The

vedanta sastra is known as saarirakasastra which indicates the sarira-

sariri sambhandha advocated by Visishtadvaita. Ramanuja defines

sarira as a substance which a sentient soul completely supports,

aadhara-aadheya bhava, and controls, niyantha-niyaamya bhava for

serving its own purpose and which is subordinate to the sentient

soul, sesha--seshi bhava..

The world of cit and acit form the sarira of Brahman because

they are supported, controlled and used by Brahman. The entry of

Brahman into the cit and the acit in order to diversify them into

name and form is supported by the sruti 'tadhaikshatha bahusyaam

prajaayeya' Hence they exist in an inseparable relation with Brahman

similar to the body and soul.

Let me explain this. The body has no identity without the

soul . So the soul is the supporter, aadhara and the body is the

aadheya. Without the soul the body cannot function. Hence the soul is

the controller, niyantha. The body exists for the soul and dependent

on the soul not vice versa as we imagiine! The last point may not be

understood in the worldly sense but in spiritual aspect the soul

takes the body to exhaust its karma and as soon as the karma for that

particular embodiment is exhausted it leaves that body. So the soul

is the seshi and the body is the sesha.

Now Brahman being the antaryamin, the real self of all

beings, everything other than Brahman form the sarira of Brahman.

This concept is the pradhaanaparithanthra, the most important

doctrine of Visishtadvaita. The inseparable relation, aprthaksiddhi,

between the body and the soul is similar to that of substance and

attribute which are inseparable. in the sense that one cannot exist

without the other. So Brahman is the prakari and the world is the

prakara, mode of Brahman. Hence all words that describe any sentient

or insentient being has its connotation only with Brahman., their

real and ultimate self.

Ramanuja illusrtrates this by saying that the words cow,

horse or man denote not their physical body but the sentient soul

within their physical form. Since Brahman is the real self of all

beings all words connote only Brahman by saamaanaadhikaranya.

The concept of aprthaksiddhi emphasises both unity and

difference between Brahman and jiva. The universe of finite and

imperfect beings and the Brahman , infinite, truth and knowledge,

form one organic whole. The entities which exist in relation of

aprthaksiddhi with each other are always cognised together as in the

statement 'I am a human being.' The unity here is not absolute but

visishtaaikya.

Sadvidya of the Chandogya is thus interpreted in terms of

the sarira- sariri bhava by Ramanuja. Sadvidya states the cause of

everything to be Brahman, by knowing which everythig else becomes

known and this leads to the satkaaryavada, according to which both

the cause and the effect are real.. Sat, Brahman, the only existence

willed to become many and created the world of cit and acit, out of

itself and entered into them to be their innerself and got

differentiated into the world of names and forms. Brahman the case is

real its effect the world is also real because it arises from and

ensouled by the infinite. Thus the sadvidya section of the Upanishd ,

the prormissory statement,'ekavijnaanena sarvavijnaanam' and the

illustrations of mud , gold etc. therein imply only Brahman to be

the cause of the universe.

Ramanuja sums up the cosmological and ontological nature of

Brahman in the Sribhashya thus: the terms satyam, jnanam, anantham

define the svarupa of Brahman as being distinct from everything else

and the Brahman has already been shown as the cause of creation,

sustenanace and annihilation by the causal statements of the sruti,

yatho vaa imaani bhoothaani jaayanthe yene jaathaani jeevanthi yasmin

abhisamvisanthi thadvijinjaasava thadbrahma' Then Ramanuja proceeds

to define Brahman and to show that Brahman is synonymous with Narayana

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June 3, 2006

Dear Swamin

Thank you for the good postings explaining the basic concept of Visishtadvaita as expounded by Emperumanar.

I was looking for further postings on Visishtadavaita from Smt Saraja Ramanujam explaining how the ghataka srutis reconcile the bheda and abheda srutis which is held as prime importance for the dwaitha and advaita siddhantas respectively.

I find that this is not much attempted.

I attempt to interpret these in the context of Sarira sariri bhava of visishtadvaita.

I shall take one or two examples only.

Abheda sruti

Tat tvam asi swetaketo |

Sarvam kal idam sarvam |

Bheda sruti

Bhoktha bhogyam preritharam cha matva|.

ksharatmanau ishate deva ekah.||

Nityo nityanam chetanas chetananam |

Bhaguno ye vidhatati kaman ||

These are explained by means of ghataka srutis

Yasya atma sariram yasya prithivi sariram|

Ye atmani thishtan ye ya atmano antarah sa the atmi antaryami amruthah||at

- Brihadaranyaka upanishad.

The explanation is that

The word that denotes the body ultimately refers to the person who owns the body.

As the jivas , Brahma , Rudra ,akasa etc. have their actual meaning in sriman Narayana only.

The jivas are the sarira (body)of the Braman suppored, dependent and subservient.

This is indicated by the sruti vakya from Brihadarayaka upanishad.

Antah pravishta satha jananam sarvatma||

In the maha vakya "tat tvam asi"

-Chandokya upanishad.6-8-4

tat denotes Brahman in the causal aspect.

tvam represents the jivas , a particular example bring Svetaketu.The jivas are the effected aspect as they form the creation after the maha pralaya.

The sentence says that the Brahman in the causal and effected state are one and the same.

The whole cosmos is God as He pervades all This is indicated by the maha vakya

.

Sarvam kal idam sarvam |

Chandokya upanishad.

There is plurality of jivas and other achits.This is denoted by sarvam in the previous quote.

I now deal with the bheda srutis.

The plurality is qualified by Brahman.

THe plurality is ditinct yet they are Brahman.

Bhoktha bhogyam preritharam cha matva|.

ksharatmanau ishate deva ekah.||

-svetasvatara upanishad.

Bhokta denotes the enjoyer or the "jivas".

Bhoghyam denotes what is enjoyed that is" achit"

Preritharam is the controller of these two that is the highest self Sriman Narayana.

Chetas are infinite and eternal but they are the body of the Bahman.

Nityo nityanam chetanas chetananam |

Bhaguno ye vidhatati kaman ||

Svesvatar upanishad

I request to be excused for any mistakeas. Correct me if any.

Adiyen Ramanujadasan

Soundararajan

sarojram18 <sarojram18 > wrote: