Sectarian Differences- what we can do

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Dear All

Another fundamental aspect all should keep in mind is not to indulge in practices of trying to change sampradayam/anushtanam in certain divyadesams/ koils from one to another or trying to show one-up with resources - if this is followed then there will be more unity than mis-trust

 

- respect the past tradition set by our elders and abide by that

 

dasan --- On Fri, 18/9/09, Desikan V S <vsdesikan wrote:

Desikan V S <vsdesikanRe: Sectarian Differencesandavan Date: Friday, 18 September, 2009, 7:38 AM

 

 

 

 

Adiyen dasan,The conclusion drawn in para 11 is apt and to be followed by all srivaishnavites.Srimathe Sri rangaramanuja Maha Desikaya NamahaWishing you all the best, dasan desikan--- On Mon, 9/14/09, RR <shrirr (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

RR <shrirr (AT) gmail (DOT) com> Sectarian Differencesandavan@ .com, "ramanuja mission" <>, "Velukkudi Krishnan" <velukkudi (AT) iqara (DOT) net>Monday, September 14, 2009, 11:31 PM

 

 

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 Sri Vaisnava community in the centuries after Sri Bhagavath Ramanuja are the result of doctrinal differences, the roots of which, can be traced back to the time of the Alvars and the acaryas. The actual split into two schools, the Vadakalai and the Tenkalai did not occur until the middle centuries.

 

3. Sometimes the terms vadakalai and tenkalai are translated as the Northern and the Southern schools, but no geographical distinctions are apparent today.

 

4. In place of the terms "vadakalai" and "tenkalai," the expressions "Kanchi acaryas" and "Srirangam acaryas," have also been used. These expressions illustrate some of the post-Ramanuja history within Sri Vaisnavaism.

 

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 Sri Vaisnavas and non-Sri Vaisnavas was active. Hence, the greater of use of Sanskrit and Sanskrit ideas by the "Kanchi acaryas," the northerners who eventually became the

"Vadakalai."

 

6.. The other group was located in Srirangam, which was a purely Vaisnava center. Here, popular Vaisnavaism was more prominent than the Sanskrit-oriented Vaisnavaism 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, Astadasabheda-nirnaya by Vatsya Ranganatha describes eighteen points of doctrinal differences.

 

8.. Adiyen will list only one important difference.

 

1. God's Mercy.

Vadakalais 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 moksa.

 

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 moksa 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" (?!)

 

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