Jnana-karma-samucchayam

[Guest guest]

Dear Anupam,

Namaste.

 

I think samuchhayam means continuation or connection.

Jnana-karma-samucchayam = Jnana is sequel to Karma. Some people

accept it and some deny it.

 

Others may please share yours thoughts too.

 

Regards,

Tanya.

 

> I request the members to explain me what is the word

> Jnana-Karma-Samucchayam means in general and in with respect to Isha

> Upanishad in particular.

[Guest guest]

Dear Anupam-ji,

 

The bhATTa mImAmsakas believe that liberation can be attained only by the

combination of karma and j~nAna. They say that karma should continue to be

performed throughout life, even after the dawn of knowledge. This theory is

known as j~nAna karma samuccaya. Shri Shankara rejects this theory on the ground

that once knowledge has dawned there cannot be any performance of karma, because

performance of karma is possible only as long as there is identification with

the BMI. Once knowledge dawns, there is no such identification.

 

In mantra 11 of Isha up. it is said that one who knows vidyA and avidyA

together, attains immortality through vidyA, by crossing over death through

avidyA. In a separate note at the end of the bhAShya on this upaniShad Shri

Shankara explains that here avidyA means karma, but vidyA does not mean

Self-knowledge, but upAsana of some deity. Moreover, immortality does not mean

liberation from samsAra, but only relative immortality in the form of identity

with the deity meditated on. This is called immortality because it lasts for a

very long period. But ultimately the person will have to be born again on the

earth. In the vedas there are sentences such as, " apAma somam amRitA abhUma'-

" We have drunk soma juice and have become immortal " . The immortality they speak

of is only relative. Thus what is meant by vidyA in mantra 11 of Isha up. is

upAsana and not Self-knowledge. By the combination of karma and upAsana only

identification with a deity can be attained. Thus Shri Shankara establishes that

the j~nAna karma samuccaya theory is not tenable.

 

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

 

 

advaitin , anupam srivatsav <anupam.srivatsav wrote:

>

> Dear Learned Members,

>

> Namaste.

>

> I request the members to explain me what is the word

> Jnana-Karma-Samucchayam means in general and in with respect to Isha

> Upanishad in particular.

>

> Thanks a lot,

> anupam.

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Victor Tanya <victor.c.tanya wrote:

>>

> I think samuchhayam means continuation or connection.

> Jnana-karma-samucchayam = Jnana is sequel to Karma. Some people

> accept it and some deny it.

>

> Others may please share yours thoughts too.

>

Namaste,

 

Sri Sastriji has succinctly described it as follows:

 

http://www.celextel.org/articles/conceptsinbhagavadgita.html

 

Concepts in Bhagavad Gita

By S. N. Sastri

 

[Extracts from Sri Sankara's Bhashya dealing with some concepts in the Gita with

explanatory notes by S. N. Sastri]

 

" Jnanam - Knowledge

 

Cannot be combined with karma-

 

GSB-2.11 - Sankhyabuddhimyogabuddhim ca asritya dve nishthe vibhakte - pasyata -

Thus,on the basis of the Sankhya and yoga standpoints, two distinct paths have

been laid down by the Lord {in Gita-3.3}, considering the impossibility of Jnana

and Karma being conjoined in the same person simultaneously, Jnana being based

on the idea of non-agency and unity and Karma on the idea of agency and

multiplicity.

 

Yasya tuajnanat ragadidoshatah va - yena buddheh samuccayah syat.- A person,who,

having undertaken an action {with the sense of doership}, because of ignorance

{of the Self}, or due to defects like attachment, and having{even before the

action has been completed} attained purity of mind{and consequently

detachment-vairagya} as a result of the performance of sacrificial rites, the

giving of gifts and the practice of austerities,{yajna,dana and tapa,-which lead

to vividisha, the desire to know the Self-see Br. Up.4.4.22}, realises the

supreme Truth that he is Brahman, the non-doer, may still continue to perform

the action {which he has been doing} in the same manner as before, solely with

the object of setting an example to the world, in spite of having nothing to

gain thereby. This is however only a semblance of action.{It is really akarma-

inaction, since the notion of agency is no longer there-see Gita-4.18}. It

cannot therefore be said that there is a combination of Jnana and Karma here.

{The doctrine of Jnana-Karma-samuccaya of the Mimamsakas and others is refuted

here.}. "

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Could the more learned members of the group also explain the stance of

Bhartrprapancha in this context? Thanks in advance and namaste.

-G.Somp

>

> > I request the members to explain me what is the word

> > Jnana-Karma-Samucchayam means in general and in with respect to Isha

> > Upanishad in particular.

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " br_v " <gerua wrote:

 

> explain the stance of Bhartrprapancha in this context? Thanks in advance and

namaste.

> -G.Somp

> >

> > > I request the members to explain me what is the word

> > > Jnana-Karma-Samucchayam means in general

 

 

Namaste,

 

Bhartriprapancha (some identify him with Bhartrihari and Bodhayana)

advocated the 'pariNAma-' or 'bhedAbheda-''-vAda', one of several of such

schools. [For extensive discussion of these one can refer to the book

'Philosophy of Bhedabheda' at:

 

http://www.advaitin.net/Vedanta%20Classics/philosophy_of_bhedabheda.pdf

 

Shankara countered this with the 'vivarta-vAda' , in Brahmasutra bhashya:

 

CHAPTER TWO: AVIRODHA ADHYAYA

Section 1: Arambhanadhikaranam: Topic 6 (Sutras 14-20)

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_2/bs_2-1-06.html

 

 

Aside from this, one has to consider the Gita verses, such as:

 

j~naanaagnidagdhakarmaaNa.n ........................ 4\-19..

 

yathaidhaa.nsi samiddho.agnirbhasmasaatkurute.arjuna .

j~naanaagniH sarvakarmaaNi bhasmasaatkurute tathaa .. 4\-37..

 

kR^itsnakarmakR^it.h ................................ 4\-18..

 

saaN^khye kR^itaante ................................. 18\-13

 

 

When Knowledge of the Self destroys the very foundation of Karma, how

can there be a conjunction of the two (j~nAna-karma-samuchchaya)?

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Sastri Ji,

Namaste. Thank you very much for the lucid explanation.

 

I have some more questions on the same topic. You said:

 

> The bhATTa mImAmsakas believe that liberation can be attained only by the

combination of karma and j~nAna. They say that karma should continue to be

performed throughout life, even after the dawn of knowledge. This theory is

known as j~nAna karma samuccaya. Shri Shankara rejects this theory on the ground

that once knowledge has dawned there cannot be any performance of karma, because

performance of karma is possible only as long as there is identification with

the BMI. Once knowledge dawns, there is no such identification.

 

My question: After the dawn of Knowledge, karma falls of by itself.

Agreed. But, before the dawn of Knowledge, what is the position?

Should one be engaged in Karma / Upasana? These two can be

conveniently called as karma itself, one being physical and the other

mental. Karma without any desire for the fruits thereof, is what is

required to be done before the dawn of the Knowledge. This is my

opinion. I request you to let me know if I am right.

 

With regards,

Anupam.

 

PS: Sri Sundarji. Namaste. I am yet to read your posting. Thanks

you for the same.

[Guest guest]

Dear Anupam-ji,

Before the rise of knowledge karma is certainly necessary. It has to be

performed without desire for the fruit and as an offering to God. Then it

purifies the mind by gradually making it free from desire. This is also stressed

by Shri Shankara.

upAsana in the upaniShads is the equivalent of bhaktiyoga in the gItA. It is

necessary for attaining one-pointed-ness of mind, which again is an essential

requirement for the rise of knowledge.

 

Shri Shankara has said that the karma kANDa of the vedas is also as important as

the j~nAna kANDa, but liberation results only from j~nAna.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

 

 

advaitin , anupam srivatsav <anupam.srivatsav wrote:

>

> Dear Sri Sastri Ji,

> My question: After the dawn of Knowledge, karma falls of by itself.

> Agreed. But, before the dawn of Knowledge, what is the position?

> Should one be engaged in Karma / Upasana? These two can be

> conveniently called as karma itself, one being physical and the other

> mental. Karma without any desire for the fruits thereof, is what is

> required to be done before the dawn of the Knowledge. This is my

> opinion. I request you to let me know if I am right.

>

> With regards,

> Anupam.

>

> PS: Sri Sundarji. Namaste. I am yet to read your posting. Thanks

> you for the same.

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Sastri Ji,

Namaste.

 

Thanks a lot for the explanation.

 

I have a very particular question, regarding understanding of the

Bhasya of Sri Sankara on Isa Upanisad. Though it is connected with the

present topic, I am posting it as a separate thread.

 

With regards,

Anupam.

 

> Before the rise of knowledge karma is certainly necessary. It has to be

performed without desire for the fruit and as an offering to God. Then it

purifies the mind by gradually making it free from desire. This is also stressed

by Shri Shankara.