sribhashya-adhyaya3-padh2-adhikarana5

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ubhayalingADHikaraNam-3-2-5

 

 

 

suthra-11-na sTHAnathopi parasya ubhayalingam sarvathra hi 3-2-11

 

 

 

There is no imperfection in Brahman because of place as it is said to

have two fold characterestics.

 

 

 

The condition of the jiva in different states of consciousness has been

brought out by the previous suthras in order to arouse dispassion in the

mind of an aspirant and now the nature of Brahman is described as being

free from defects and an abode of auspicious qualities in order to

induce desire for attaining Brahman.

 

 

 

The poorvapkshin says that the defects of the different places such as

wakeful state,dream etc. will adhere to Brahman who is said to abide in

them. he argues that the soul by nature is pure but only due to the

connection with a body it acquires imperfections caused by karma. Even

though Brahman abides in different states with the soul voluntarily as

its inner self, embodiment should create imperfections. Just as a person

,though clean will become impure if he falls into filth. The texts such

as 'yah prthivyAm thishTan,' etc which describe Brahman being present in

all entities as their inner self proves only that like an embodied soul

getting contaminated by the imperfections of the body Brahman also will

be so due to the body it enters in .

 

 

 

This view is refuted in the suthra saying that the supreme self is not

contaminated because through out Brahman is said to have twofold

caharacterestics by the sruthi, namely, being free from all

imperfections and possessing infinite auspicious qualities. Here

Ramanuja quotes from sruthi texts such as, 'apahathapApma,vijarO

vimrthyuHvishokO vijiGHathsOapipAsah sathyakAmah sathyasankalpah,

(Chan.8-1-5) free from evil, free from old age, free from death, free

from grief, free from hunger and thirst; of infallible will and wish,'

and from smrthi 'samasthakalyAna gunAthmakOasou svashakthilEsAth dhrtha

bhootha sargah, thEjObalaisvarya

mahAvabODHasuveeryashakthyAdhicuNaikarAsih;parah parANAm sakalA na

yathra klEsAdhayah santhi parAvarEse,(VP-6-5-84/85)

 

He possesses all auspicious qualities, by a fraction of his power

supporting all beings . In Him there are energy, strength, might,

wisdom, valour, and all other noble qualities. He is the supreme being

the Lord of all ,high and low,whom no imperfections affect .'

 

>From these passages the twofold characterestics of Brahman can be

understood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-12-bhEdhAth ithi cheth na prtyhEkam athadhvachanAth-3-2-12

 

 

 

If it is said that Brahman cannot avoid contamination on account of

different bodiies, it is not so because of assertion to the contrary in

each text.

 

 

 

To the objection that Brahman should also be affected by the

imperfections of the different bodies ensouled by it like divine, human

etc. the suthra answers that each text where Brahman is described as

the innerself like 'ya prthivyAm thishTan , ya Athmani thishTan' etc.

ends with the assretion 'sa tha ASthmA antharyAmyamrthah, that is the

Self ,the indweller who is immortal.'

 

 

 

It cannot be argued that even if the entry into the different bodies is

self-willed, Brahman cannot escape being connected with the

imperfections which are the nature of the bodies. Ramanuja points out

that even the inamimate objects are not good or bad by nature but gives

joy or sorrow according to the karma of the individual who experiences

them. In VishnupurANa it is said 'thadhEva preethayE bhoothvA

ApunardhuhkhAya jAyathE;thadhEva kOpAya yathah prasAdhAya cha

jAyathe;thasmAth dhuhjhAthmakam nAsthi na cha kimchith

sukhAthmakam,'(VP.2-6-48) which means that the samething which gives

pleasure turns into a source of sorrow and vice versa and hence nothing

is of the nature of pleasure or pain.

 

So the connection with bodies, while causes joy and sorrow for the jiva

according to his karma, to the supreme self it is a matter of sport

only.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-13-api chaivamEkE-3-2-13

 

 

 

Some also teach thus.

 

 

 

The text 'dhvA suparNA sayujA sakhAyA samAnam vrksham parishasvajAthE;

thayOranyah pippalam svAdhu atthi anasnananyah abhichAkaseethi, two

birds of beautiful plumage,inseparable friends cling to the same

tree;while one eats the fruits sour and sweet the other looks on without

eating,' declares that though the individual soul experiences pain and

pleasure as the result of embodiment Brahman abiding in the same body as

its inner self is not affected.

 

 

 

But the poorvapakshin quotes the text 'anEna jeevEna AthmanA anupravisya

nAmarupE vyAkaravANI,I will enter in with this soull and provide name

and form,' and says that this shows that Brahman also comes under the

sphere of names and forms and hence when the embodiment causes pain and

pleasure to the jiva due to karma how can Brahman be not affected being

in the same body.The next suthra replies to this.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-14-arupavadhEva hi thath praDHAnathvAth-3-2-14

 

 

 

Brahman is by nature formless Though the agent of names and forms.

 

 

 

Brahman is formless as there is no embodiment as in the case of jiva

due to karma and is superior being instrumental for the names and

form.This is evident from the text 'AkAsO vai nAma nAmarupayOh

nirvahithA thE yadhantharA thadhbrahma, AkAsa (meaning Brahman) is the

agent of names and forms ;that without these is Brahman.' The soul is

connected with the respective name and form according to its karma and

for Brahman this is not the case and hence no form, though abiding in

the soul and its body as the antharyami, indweller, and hence, says

Ramanuja, retains the dual characterestics, namely nirastha nikhila

dhOshathvam, absence of all imperfections and kalyANAgunAkarathvam ,

abode of all auspicious qualities.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-15-prakAsavath cha avaiyarTHyAth-

 

3-2-15

 

 

 

Even as Brahman is regarded as being essenially of light so too the

twofold charaterestics to be taken as true so that the texts will not be

devoid of meaning.

 

 

 

The concept of ubhayalingathvam is questioned on the basis of abhedha

texts. The text 'sathyam jnAnam anantham brahma, truth,knowledgeand

infinity is Brahman,' denotes Brahman to be nirvisesha,

undifferentiated,( that is, according to advaita only) while mentioning

the qualities sarvajnathvam, omniscience, sathyasankalpathvam, true

willed, jagathkAraNathvam, being the cause of the world, and

sarvAntharyAmithvam, being the inner Self of all , and again denying all

attributes by the texts saying ' nethi nethi , not this ,not this. The

opponent asks that how can Brahman be attributed with the ubhayalinga,

namely, being free from imperfections and being the abode of auspicious

qualities on the face of evidence to the contrary.

 

 

 

The suthra replies to this saying that just as the attribute of

consciousness (prakAsathvam) is to be understood in order to make the

text 'sathyam jnAnam anantham,' meaningful so too the ubhayalingathvam

has to be affirmed so that the texts mentioning sarvajnathvam etc. will

not be devoid of meaning.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-16-Aha cha thanmAthram-3-2-16

 

 

 

And the text quoted says so much only.

 

 

 

The text 'sathyam jnAnam anantham brahma ,' specifies only this being

the nature of Brahman and not negates the other qualities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-17-dharsayathi cha athO api smaryathE-3-2-17

 

 

 

This is shown by sruthi and smrthi.

 

 

 

The twofold characterestics of Brahman is shown buy sruthi texts such as

'thameesvarANAmparamam mahEsvaram tham dhaivathAnAAm paramam cha

dhAivatham,'(Svet.6-7) He is the Lord of lordas and supreme deity of all

the deities, 'yah sarvajnah sarvavith yasya jnAnamayam thapah,'

(Mund.1-1-9)He is omniscient and knows all and His creative thought is

knowledge itself, and 'nishkalamm nishkriyam shAntham niravadhyam

niranjanam,'He who is without parts, without action, tranquil, without

fault, without taint (Svet. Up. VI, l9)

 

 

 

Smrthi also says that the Lord is the cause of the world and pervades

all but unaffected by anything, 'utthamah purushah thu anyah paramAthmA

ithi udhAhrthah;yO lOkathrayam Avisya bibarthyavyaya isvarah,'

(BG.15-17)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-18-aTha Eva chOpamA suryakAdhivath-3-2-18

 

 

 

Therefore the comparisons of Brahman with the images of the sun etc.

 

 

 

Brahman is compared to the sun which though reflected in different

mediums is not affected by the imperfections of the image which belong

to the reflecting medium only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-19-ambuvathagrahaaNAth thu na thaTHAthvam-3-2-19

 

 

 

But there is no comparison as Brahman is not apprehended as the

reflection of the sun in water etc.

 

 

 

THis suthra presents an objection that Brahman is not apprehended in

the places He abides as the reflection of the sun in water, mirror etc.

Moreover the reflection is an illusion. But the scripture tells us that

Brahman exists in prthivee etc. in reality. So the comparison is not

valid.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-20-vrddhihrAsabhAkthvamantharbhAvAth ubhaya sAmanjasyath Evam

dharsanAth cha-3-2-20

 

 

 

The participation in imperfections like increase and decrease alone is

denied making the comparison appropriate and thus it is seen.

 

 

 

Brahman is compared to AkASa in a pot and other things and also to sun

reflected in different sources of water in order to show that he

imperfections of the place of abode do not affect Brahman. While the sun

is not present in water the air exists in the pots. Both the examples

are for indicating the same characterestic of Brahman,namely not being

affected by the imperfections of the residing place.

 

 

 

 

 

Ramanuja explains it thus: yaTHA jalAdhishu vasthuthah anavasTHithasya

amsumathah hethvabhAvAth jalAdhidhOshAnabhishvangah thaTHA

prthivyAdhishu avasTHithasyApi paramAthmanah dhOshprathyaneekAkArathayA

dhOshahEthvabhAvAth na dhOshasambhanDHah ithi. This means, just as the

imperfections of the reflecting medium do not affect the sun because it

does not exist in water etc. in reality,likewise the Supteme self

,though existing in the entities like earth, is not affected by their

imperfections, being free from defects by nature.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-21-prkrthathAvathvam hi prathishEDHathi thathO braveethi cha

bhooyah-3-2-21

 

 

 

The text denies only that-muchness of Brahman and declares more than

that.

 

 

 

The poorvapakshin quoting the text 'nethi nethi,' says that Brahman is

defined as pure being and hence the ubhayalinga is not applicable, to

which the suthra replies that the text quoted does not deny the

attributes of Brahman but only denies limiting Brahman to this -much.

Otherwise sruthi cannot negate what has already said earlier and more so

because of the declaration of more qualities later and hence the texts

have to be interpreted so as not conflict with each other. It is said by

sruthi 'nahyEthasmAth ithi na ithi anyath paramasthi;aTha nAmaDHEyam

sathyasya sathyam ithi, (Brhd.4-3-6) For there is not anything higher

than this not so. Then comes the name, the True of the True;

 

 

 

Ramanuja explains the passage thus: the words 'na ithi' in the passage

means that there is nothing higher than Brahman both in nature and

qualities, 'brahmanah anyath svarupathah guNathah cha nAsthi

ithyarTHah.'That Brahman is known as 'sathyasya sathyam' the 'true of

the true.' This epithet is explained in the subsequent santence 'prANA

vai sathyam thEshAm Esha sathyam, the prANas ( individual souls) are

true and He is the truth of them. The souls are called pranas because

they are accompanied by prana and they are true in the sense they do not

undergo changes in form and nature like the insentient. .Of these reals

Brahman is the highest reality.He is termed as sathyasya sathyam because

the knowledge of the souls contract and expand according to their karma

whereas it is not so for Brahman who is free from sin.Therefore Brahman

is the highest truth of them all.

 

 

 

Ramanuja concludes that since the passages complementary to that

containing the denial,'nethi nethi' show that Brahman has certain

qualities the denial is not in respect to the qualities already stated

but it only denies that the nature of Brahman is limited by those

qualities only.'athaschaivam vAkyaseshOdhitha guNajAthayOgAth nethi

netheethi brahmaNah saviseshathvam na prathishiDHyathE api thu

poorvaprakrthEya itthAmAthram. atha ubhayalingam Eva brahma.' Therefore

is confirmed that Brahman has twofold characterestics of being free from

imperfections and possessing infinite auspicious qualities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-22-thadhavyaktham Aha hi-3-2-22

 

 

 

Brahman is unmanifest as declared by scriptures.

 

 

 

Sruti declares 'na sadhrsE thishTathi rupam asya na chakshushA pasyathi

kaschanaEnam,(Kata. 2-6-9) his form does not stands to be seen and no

one sees Him with the eye and 'na chakshushA grhyathE nApi vAchA,

(Mund.3-1-8) He is not grasped by eye or speech.' so there is no

question of defining Brahman or denial.

 

 

 

 

 

suthra-23-api samrADHane prathyakshAnumAnAbhyAm-3-2-23

 

 

 

Brahman can be experienced only through meditation says sruthi and

smrthi(denoted by prathyaksha and anumana)

 

 

 

SamrAdhana is samyak preeNana, meditation combined with devotion and

sruthi declares that Brahman can be intuited only through the means of

devotion and meditation. 'nAyamAthmA paravachanEna labhyahna mEdhayA na

bahuDHA sruthEna;yamEvaisha vrnuthE thEna labhyah, (Kata.1-2-23) The

supreme self cannot be attained through vedas,or intellect or learning;

but can be attained only by him, whom the supreme self chooses.' Smrthi

also confirms this by saying 'nAham vedhairna thapasA na dhAnEna na

chejyayaA----bhakthyAthvananyayaA laBhyah,(BG.XI-53/54) I cannot be

attained through vedas, austerities, charity, or by sacrifice. I become

accessible only through devotion.'

 

 

 

 

 

suthra24-prakAsAdhivathcha avaiseshyamprakAsascha karmani

abhyAsAth-3-2-24

 

 

 

Thereis non-differenceas in the case of light and apprehensin through

constant practice of meditation.

 

 

 

The text 'thaddhaithath pasyan rshirvAmadhEvah prathipedhE "aham

manurabhavam suryascha", (Brhd.1-4-10) seeing this vAmadeva understood,

" I am manu and surya." In this apprehension through meditation, the

knowledge and bliss as the essential nature of Brahman as well as the

universe of the sentient and the insentient beings in subtle and gross

form as the modes of Brahman is understood.

 

 

 

suthra-25-athO ananthEna thTHA hi lingam-

 

3-2-25

 

 

 

As Brahman is shown to be infinite the characterestics apply.

 

 

 

Since Brahman has been established as possessing infinite auspicious

qualites the twofold characterestics are confirmed.