8.Nature of the soul,9.Nature of the world,10.Visishtadvaita the Universal Philo

May 2, 2006

8.Nature of soul according to Visishtadvaita

1. Jiva is eternal and jnana is the dharma of jiva and also its nature.

The essential nature as jnana is called the dharmibhoothajnana

while the knowledge as the essential attribute of jiva is the

dharamabhoothajnana. the attributive knowledge. Dharmabhoothajnana is a

special concept of Visishtadvaita philosophy. It is attributive in the

sense that it stands in relation of an essential attribute to its

substantive , the jiva. It is always eternal and all- pervasive in

Isvara and the liberated beings but in the case of jivas bound by their

karma it is sankuchitha, contracted and regains its full form only when

the become free of bondage.

2.Jiva as the kartha,bhoktha and jnatha

Besides having the attributive knowledge which makes jiva

the jnatha,knower, jiva is also defined as having the attributes of

agency, karthrthva and enjoyership bokthrthva. Ramnuja quotes the

Brahmasutra 'karthaa saasthraarthavatvaath,' to show that the scriptural

texts enjoin sacrifices to attain heaven or upasana to attain moksha the

results of which is enjoyed by the doer. The idea expressed in the Gita

'gunaa guneshu varthantha' only explains that the gunas pertain to the

body, mind and intellect, due to which jiva is caugth in the

transmigration.

But eventhough jiva is the doer the actions of the jiva is

controlled by Isvara, the indwelling Self. This does not mean that the

jiva has no freedom of action. Isvara makes the jiva act according to

the efforts made by the jiva only. The initial action is taken only by

the jiva according to his own will.Isvara is the approver, gives

permission to proceed, being the antharyamin. This is illustrated by

Ramanuja in Sribhashya thus. A man who owns a property jointly with

another seeks his permission to sell or remodel it and the latter gives

permission. But the result of the action, loss or gain belongs to the

doer only while the other is the silent witness. So the real kartha is

jiva only and the Lord is the permitting witness.

This may perhaps raise a doubt in the mind that whether

Isvara permits even the evil actions? Being the indweller and controller

why does He prevent the jiva from doing wrong? This can be explained as

follows. A mother is concerned about the welfare of her children equally

and impartially. When a child wishes to do something through which he

may come to harm the mother tries to stop him. A good child listens to

her but an obstinate child refuses to obey. Then the mother lets him go

and do it and when he comes back crying, hurt through his action she

attends on him. Similarly the Lord does caution us before we do

somrething wrong. This is what we commonly call our conscience. All

sinners will hear the voice of his conscience at the outset but a

confirmed sinner ignores it and proceeds to do what his desire propells

him to do due to his past karma. This is the force of the gunas. So the

Lord remains a silent witness till he repents his action and comes back

to Him when He takes him into his fold. This is the meaning of the

statement that His retribution is for redemption.

3.Jiva is of anuparimaana

The concept of the jiva as anu, atomic. is a distinctive

feature of the Visishtadvaita philosophy. The authority for this is

found in Svetasvathara upanishad which describes the soul being

infinitely smaller than a hundredth part of hair which has been already

divided into handred part The upanishad also says that the real nature

of the soul is infinite.. 'vaalaagrasatabhaagasya sathadhaa kalpithasya

cha bhaage jivah sa vijneyah sa chaananthyaaya kalpathe.' Elsewhere also

the jiva is mentioned as all-pervasive and eternal. This seemingly

incongrous statements that jiva is anu and vibhu, atomic and all

pervasive is explained by Vedantadesika that the all-pervasiveness of

the jiva is to be understood with reference to its spiritual nature This

is brought out by Ramanuja in his commentary on the Brahmasutra '

gnaadvaa aalokavat.' wherein he cites the examples of gem,the Sun etc

and says that even though the source of light exists in one place its

light encompasses all. 'yathaa manidhyumaniprabhrtheenaam

ekadesavarthinaamaalokahanekadesavyapeedhrsyathe thadvath hrdhaysthasya

aathmanah jnanam sakaladheham vyapya varthathe.'

4.The difference between jiva and Brahman is real.

According to the Brahmasuthra 'adhikam thu

brahmanirdesaath,' the difference between Brahman and the jiva is real

because Brahman is something more than the jiva. Also the suthra 'amso

nanaavyapadesaath----' mentions that the soul is the amsa of the Lord.

The term amsa is defined by Ramanuja as that which forms an integral

part of a whole entity and therefore is an essential attribute of that

entity.Thus the interpretation of both unity as well as difference

between jiva and Isvara is justified and hence there is no inconsistency

between the bhedha and abhedha srutis.

From the causal point of view Brahman is the aadhaara, being

the material cause and the jiva is the aadheya. Brahman is also the inne

rcontroller , niyanthaa on account of being the indwelling self of jiva

, the niyaamya. Jiva is also the sesha who subserves Isvara, the seshin.

This is the essence of the sarira-sariri relationship between the two.

As the amsa of Brahman jiva is inseparable from Brahman but as the

prakara, the mode, it is also distinct from Brahman.

9.The nature of jagat, the world.

The sarira-sariri bhava applies also to the relationship between

jagat and Isvara. because the prakrthi, acit also constitutes the sarira

of Brahman. The evolution of prakrthi is effected by Brahman, its

material cause as affirmed by the sruti text 'sadheve soumya idham agra

aaseeth ekameva advitiyam ,' the term' idham' includes cit and acit.

Prakrithi is supported by Isvara, its aadhaara, controlled by Him,its

niyantha, and serves His purpose, which is the salvation of jiva. Hence

it is the sesha of Isvara.

10.The universal philosophy.

The philosophy of Ramanuja can be called Universal as it

interprets the Brahmasuthras in such a manner as to show the

Saarirkasastra as the Brahmasuthra is called, as an integral

whole.Universe according to Ramanuja is not bhramamaya, illusory but

Brahmamaya, as there is no other reality than Brahman, the inner self of

everything.

The universal or all embracing character of the Visishtadvaita

philosophy arises out of the assimilation therin of all cardinal

principles of all systems. Only their theory of reality and

subsequently their theory of causation is opposed by Ramanuja . The

sarira-sariri bhava accomodates all the commendable aspects of others

since everything constitutes the sarira of Brahman. Brahmaathmakathva,

Brahman as the indwelling Self of all, implies unity and harmony . The

basic principles of even the heterodox schools like Buddhism and Jainism

like ahimsa find a place in Visishtadvaita.Likewise the thathvas, the

evolutes of prakrthi of Sankhya,.the discipline of Yoga and dialectics

of Nyaya-viseshika have a place in Visishtadvaita. Ramanuja is opposed

only to the theory of causation of these schools. That is why in

Sribhashya the criticism of Ramanuja of the non-vedantic schools of

Philosophy is levelled against their theory of causation, based on their

theory of reality.

Visishtadvaita concept of Reality is based on

Satkaaryavaadha according to which the one real becomes many which are

also real. The sat without a second willed to become many and hence

thereis no new creation but only self-differentiation of the One without

a second. Brahman with cit and acit non-differentiated in its subtle

state is the cause and the same Brahman with cit and acit in manifested

state oF differentiation is the effect. Thus, cit, acit and Isvara are

the three reals. Isvara, Brahman and Narayana are all synonyms in

Visishtadvaita and denote Brahman the Self of cit and acit which form

His sarira the relation between Brahman and the world of sentient and

insentient beings therefore is that of aprtaksiddhi, insepararable

relation as that of body and soul. This is the Visishtadvaita philosophy

in a nut shell.

I offer this at the feet of Sri Ramanuja as aradhana on the day of his

janmanakshatra. I will continue with the cricticism of the theory of

causation of the Non-vedantic schools of philosophy from time to time.

Saroja Ramanujam

------------------------

May 2, 2006

Dear Srimathy (Dr.) Saroja Ramanujam :

Thanks very much for a brilliant set of

essays on the doctrines of VisihtAdhvaitham

as established and defended by AchArya

RaamAnuja .

Today's posting on the eve of AchArya RaamAnuja 's

Thirunakshathram is clear, concise and outstanding .

Thank you for acceding to my request to share your

wealth of knowledge on this important subject .

I have one more request for you :

can you give us your permission to assemble this series

of postings in Sundarasimham Web site that is being

populated with 108 Sri VaishNavite Sri Sookthis as

the tribute to Srimath Azhagiya Singar on His upcoming

SathAbhishEkam celebrations on Nov 30 at Srirangam ?

You are welcome to look at this site , which has

18 e-books sofar and in a month's time , we hope

to reach the 54 e-book level that will include

GithArTa Sangraham of Swamy Desikan ,

GuNa Rathna Kosam of Swamy PrAsara Bhattar ,

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram , Paramatha

Bhangam and rest of the Desika Prabhandhams .

The URL is:

http://www.sundarasimham.org

Thank you again for Your Kaimkaryam .

V.Sadagopan

------------------------

May 3, 2006

Dear Sadagopan swamin,

Karumbu thinna kooli vendumaa? You are welcome to use any of my postings in your group as you wish. I will continue however with the rest of my thesis through regular posts.

Saroja ramanujam

gopan <yennappan (AT) computer (DOT) net> wrote:

Dear Srimathy (Dr.) Saroja Ramanujam :

Thanks very much for a brilliant set of

essays on the doctrines of VisihtAdhvaitham

as established and defended by AchArya

RaamAnuja .

Today's posting on the eve of AchArya RaamAnuja 's

Thirunakshathram is clear, concise and outstanding .

Thank you for acceding to my request to share your

wealth of knowledge on this important subject .

I have one more request for you :

can you give us your permission to assemble this series

of postings in Sundarasimham Web site that is being

populated with 108 Sri VaishNavite Sri Sookthis as

the tribute to Srimath Azhagiya Singar on His upcoming

SathAbhishEkam celebrations on Nov 30 at Srirangam ?

You are welcome to look at this site , which has

18 e-books sofar and in a month's time , we hope

to reach the 54 e-book level that will include

GithArTa Sangraham of Swamy Desikan ,

GuNa Rathna Kosam of Swamy PrAsara Bhattar ,

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram , Paramatha

Bhangam and rest of the Desika Prabhandhams .

The URL is:

http://www.sundarasimham.org

Thank you again for Your Kaimkaryam .

V.Sadagopan

May 5, 2006

10.The universal philosophy.

The philosophy of Ramanuja can be called Universal as it

interprets the Brahmasuthras in such a manner as to show the

Saarirkasastra as the Brahmasuthra is called, as an integral

whole.Universe according to Ramanuja is not bhramamaya, illusory but

Brahmamaya, as there is no other reality than Brahman, the inner self of

everything.

The universal or all embracing character of the Visishtadvaita

philosophy arises out of the assimilation therin of all cardinal

principles of all systems. Only their theory of reality and

subsequently their theory of causation is opposed by Ramanuja . The

sarira-sariri bhava accomodates all the commendable aspects of others

since everything constitutes the sarira of Brahman. Brahmaathmakathva,

Brahman as the indwelling Self of all, implies unity and harmony . The

basic principles of even the heterodox schools like Buddhism and Jainism

like ahimsa find a place in Visishtadvaita.Likewise the thathvas, the

evolutes of prakrthi of Sankhya,.the discipline of Yoga and dialectics

of Nyaya-viseshika have a place in Visishtadvaita. Ramanuja is opposed

only to the theory of causation of these schools. That is why in

Sribhashya the criticism of Ramanuja of the non-vedantic schools of

Philosophy is levelled against their theory of causation, based on their

theory of reality.

Thanks for this information. So it would be fair to say that Visistadvaita best represents the religion of the Upanishads. I've heard that Ramanuja bases his philosophy on the Brahma-sutras commentary of Bodhayana (400BC). So does this mean that visistadvaita is older than advaita? Neutral scholars have said that Ramanuja and Nimbarkar are more closer to the original Brahma-sutras than Shankara.

But Visistadvaitists need to do alot more to promote their teachings in the world, because the advaitists are dominating.