Guest guest Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 SRI:|| Hare Krishna. Namaskaram. Tks for the understandable write up. The need of the hour is the pleasant & practicable UNITY of Sri Vaishnavas. The life is getting tougher due our population shrinking in size & lack of practicing basic Anushtanam. It is prudent to pave way for the future welfare of our community by creating a congenial atmosphere for UNITY. ALWAR THIRUVADIGALEY SARANAM. Adiyen, Kombur Vankeepuram Madhavan. RR wrote: >  > Dear Sevarthis, >  > There was a query about the differences between Vadakalai & Thenkalai. Some encouraging responses were also posted. Let adiyen share & submit: >  > 1.                  There are Doctrinal differences, these have developed over the past few centuries, >  > 2.                  The divisions that developed within the S r i Vai sn ava community in the centuries after Sri Bhagavath R a m a nuja are the result of doctrinal differences, the roots of which, can be traced back to the time of the A lv a rs and the a c a ryas . The actual split into two schools, the Va d akalai and the Tenkalai did not occur until the middle centuries. >  > 3.                  Sometimes the terms va d akalai and tenkalai are translated as the Northern and the Southern schools, but no geographical distinctions are apparent today. >  > 4.                  In place of the terms " va d akalai " and " tenkalai , " the expressions " Kanchi a c a ryas " and " Srirangam a c a ryas , " have also been used. These expressions illustrate some of the post-Ramanuja history within S r i Vai sn avaism. >  > 5.                One group, located in Kanchi became known for its Sanskrit scholarship, probably because Kanchi was a great center of Sanskrit learning in ancient times. People of all religious traditions lived there, and debate between S r i Vai sn avas and non- S r i Vai sn avas was active. Hence, the greater of use of Sanskrit and Sanskrit ideas by the " Kanchi a c a ryas , " the northerners who eventually became the " Va d akalai. " >  > 6.                The other group was located in Srirangam, which was a purely Vai sn ava center. Here, popular Vai sn avaism was more prominent than the Sanskrit-oriented Vai sn avaism that had to constantly defend itself from opposing schools. Hence, there was more opportunity for the public use of the Divya Prabandhams and the general bhakti literature in Tamil. In this area the local Tamil language was at least as prominent as Sanskrit. >  > 7.                Naturally, with such differences in intellectual climate and language, came differences in philosophical interpretation. A work entitled, A sta da s abheda-nir n aya by V a tsya Ra n gan a tha describes eighteen points of doctrinal differences. >  > 8.                Adiyen will list only one important difference. >  > 1. God's Mercy. > Va d akalais emphasize the need of the individual soul to actually perform an act of surrender to God. Some positive gesture is necessary on the part of the soul to deserve the grace of God and attain mok s a . >  > Tenkalais emphasize the greatness and overwhelming grace of the Lord to " save His own " , and therefore speak more of the attitude of surrender than the act of surrender. Tenkalais feel that performing " an act of surrender " is inappropriate since the soul is offering itself to God when in actuality it already belongs to God. Besides, not even the physical act of surrendering can force the Lord to save the soul. God saves the soul on His own initiative; and the devotee should not try to force Him. God's grace is spontaneous and He can grant mok s a to anyone He wishes. >  > 9.                The issue is NOT whether this or that Doctrine is correct; each will hold its view as sacred & inviolate under all, every & any circumstances. These differences – in intellectual climate, language & philosophical interpretation – have come to stay. >  > 10.           There are 17 more of such differences; adiyen will NOT list them at all. The ides of posting para 8 above is to point out the nuances { சீரிய நà¯à®£à¯à®•à¯à®•à®™à¯à®•à®³à¯ } in each interpretation. These get more & more nuanced & complicated as one travels through the 18 – a very sacred number in Sri Vaishnavaite Pantheon.   >  > 11.              Ordinary mortals like ourselves should i) not break our heads holding a படà¯à®Ÿà®¿ மனà¯à®±à®®à¯ in trying to prove the other sect wrong or to denounce the philosophical interpretation of the other sect, ii) hold the philosophical interpretation of your sect as dear & sacred to your heart & soul, iii) not necessarily accept BUT respect the views of the other sect, iv) realise the unity in diversity of all SriVaishnavaites to start with & then extend this spirit of Unity across all three pantheons, >  > 12.              Both Dvaitham & Visistadhvaitham accept Sriman Narayana as the ParamAtmA but there are Doctrinal differences here also; existed for several centuries! >  > All essence in these are due to our Acharyas' Grace & all errors in this posting are due to adiyen's " brilliance " (?!) >  > Heartfelt thanks & Warmest Regards RR ____________ _________ ______ R Rajagopal, > Managing Partner, ARAVIND LABORATORIES, New No 11, Old No 7, Chakrapani Street, Chennai 600 033. INDIA Ph: 9144 2483 8585 - Office    9144 2249 1971 - Factory    9144 2484 0468 - Fax    9193850 50002 - Mobile, >    9194440 57848 - Mobile ____________ _________ ______ Please visit us at: http://www.eyetex. com  >  > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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