Seminar Report

[Guest guest]

KrishNa bhaktas,

Here is a report on a seminar on three vedantic

traditions in Indian Philosophy held at the Sri PoorNa

prajna vidyA peeTha <poornaprajna

recently. It is nice to see such serious philosophical

discussions taking place in this age in such a

cordial and professional fashion. Congratulations to

the organizers.

 

Vasu Murthy

 

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SEMINAR REPORT

 

 

Poornaprajna Samshodhana Mandira Bangalore with the

co-sponsorship of National Human Resources Development

Commission conducted

a National Seminar on the subject, " Contribution of

Mata Traya

(Dwaita, Advaita & Vishistadvaita) to the Indian

Philosophical

World " for three days from 11-11-2000 to 13-11-2000.

Many Vidwans

from various parts of the country participated in the

deliberations of the Seminar.

 

Shri Vishwapriya Tirtha Swamiji, junior pontiff of

Udupi Admar

Mutt inaugurated the seminar by kindling the lights

traditionally. In his speech Shri Swamiji gave the

message as follows :

 

" Truth or Reality has a definite form. All forms as

realised by

different people in different forms - about one thing

cannot be

absolute truths. That is why Para Brahma, Jeeva (Soul)

and such

other Tatwas should have only one real definite entity

about

them. So, Para Brahma Tatwa, cannot be both viz.,

Saguna as

advocated by some and also Nirguna as claimed by some

others. An

unbiased discussion among experts should lead to the

conclusion as to

which of the two forms is true and which is not true

as in the

intention of Upanishads. That Vidwans of Matatraya are

required

to sit together to deliberate such subjects is a

necessity for

getting at the truth. "

 

The Honorary Director, Shri D. Prahladacharya welcomed

the

participants.

 

Five sessions took place on the three days. Pramana

(Proof/Evidence) and Prameya (Prooved/evidently

understood) were two groups

into which the major items in Matatraya were

classified for the

discussion. The different types of Pramana and their

concepts

were presented during the first Session, which was

presided over

by Dr. Krishna Murthy Shastry, Principal Mailapuram

Sanskrit

College, Chennai.

 

Shri Sheshachala Sharma of Bangalore, Prof. of

Nyayashastra Shri

Devanathachar of Tirupati Kendriya Vidyapeetha and

Vidwan Shri

K. Hayavadana Puranik spoke about the contribution in

the matters

of Pramana of Adwaita, Vishistadvaita and Dwaita

respectively.

 

Prameya items in Matatraya were broadly divided into

Brahma,

Jeeva and Moksha and separate sessions were held on

these three

sections. Apart from these, two sperate sessions were

conducted,

one on Karya Karana Niyama and the other on Sambandha.

 

In the concluding session of the seminar on 13-11-2000

Shri

Vidyaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji of Shri Subrahmanya Mutt

told in his

message, " Our ancestors were so liberal and

magnanimous in their

views that even Naastikya Vaada which advocated

Materialism was

also given a place as a doctrine/school (Darshana).

The Mata

Traya Vidwans who have inherited such tolerance of

views on

philosophy have assembled to discuss and exchange

different aspects and

ideas in various concepts of each one's school. This

is greatly

helpful in consolidating the knowledge and

understandings on our

own and others' schools of thought. "

 

Former chancellor of Tirupati Kendriya Vidya Peetha,

Shri

Ramanuja Tatacharya who was the Chief Guest in his

speech said, " The

education imparted by the institutions run and managed

by Matts

and Temples are of higher degree of standard than that

of

institutions run by governments. Poornaprajna

Vidyapeetha of Bangalore

is an sample in this regard. "

 

Shri Narahari, M.L.C. Karnataka Vidhana Parishat was

also a

chief guest in this occasion. He said, " Considering

the diversities,

each state in our country seems to be an individual

nation. But

the Samskrut language and Vaidik culture have

maintained the

unity among them. People of our country go on

pilgrimage from

Rameshwara in South to Himalaya in North and from

Himalaya to

Rameshwara. But, we have a situation of shame that we

learn about our

philosophical schools from translated versions of

foreign

writers. Those translations are the works of those who

have not

understood the original works properly. But we believe

them and pass

objections on our culture, tradition and schools of

thoughts. This

is a great tragedy and should be resisted and

protested by

Vidwans. "

 

On this occasion a part of the proposed C.D. on the

Madhwa

literature, descendants and tradition was demonstrated

to the

participants. This introductory demonstration was

inaugurated by Shri

Vidya Prasanna Tirtha Swamiji.

 

A book containing the papers and

deliberations of the

seminar on " The place of perception in

 

Indian Philosophical Schools " conducted in the earlier

years was also

released during the present seminar.

 

-PPSMB

 

 

 

 

 

=====

Vasu Murthy

Email:vmurthy

Change your thoughts, change your life.

 

 

 

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