philosophy of Ramanuja

September 26, 2007

Chapter3- cosmology-Nature of Jagat

The nature of Brahman, that is Ontology has been explained so far. Now let us examine the Cosmology or the nature of the Universe and its relation to the indidual self and God.

The cosmology of Ramanuja is based on the concept of the three reals, thathvathraya, namely cit (jiva), acit (jagat) and Isvara (Narayana) and the relation ship between them.

Isvara is cidacit visishta and the latter exists in the relation of modes to the substance with Isvara. Cit the sentient souls and acit the insentient matter in subtle(unmanifest) state exist in Brahman before creation and in their gross( manifest ) state after creation. Thus the sookshmacidactvisishtabrahna is the cause and sthoolacidacit visishtbrahman is the effect. So the universe exists in the relation of effect and the cause with Brahman.

The cause of the universe being Brahman is accepted by all the schools of vedanta and by Nyayavaiseshika, or logicians. Only The school of nirisvara sankhya expounded by Isvarakrishna does not accept Isvara as the cause. The atheistic schools of Buddhism and Jainism who do not accept the Vedas as authoritative are outside the scope of discussion.

Now the school of sankhya which does not accept the causality of Brahman professes that the prakrthi, the primordial nature is the cause of the universe while the sentient soul, purusha is eternal. Thus there is no need of Brahman at all. The yoga school accepts Isvara but only as a purushavisesha who should be meditated upon to acquire the right knowledge that the purusha is ever free and wrongly identifies himself with the prakrthi and suffers the samsara and this knowledge secures release.

The school of Nyayavaiseshika deems the atoms of the four elements, earth, water, fire and air to be the cause of the universe.

According to the Upanishad which declares `sadheva soumya idhamagra aaseeth ekameva adhvu\itheeyam', there was only Brahman existing in the beginning ,one only without a second. So Brahman is both the material (like the mud in making a pot0 as well as the efficient cause ( like the potter) of the universe.

Then the text goes on to say "it willed to become many and created fire.' Of course the mention of fire is due to its being the first gross form of creation and hence the other two namely air and akasa are understood to have preceded it. From the fire originated the water and from water the earth came about. This is the order of creation mentioned and in annihilation it takes the reverse order.

After creatin the gross universe the Brahman decided to enter into all beings to give them name and form and to be their inner self. ` anena jeevena Atmanaa anupravisya naamaroope vyaakaravaaNi.'

So the universe is the effect and Brahman is the cause and the universe is real as much as when the cause is real the effect is also real. But this does not mean that Brahman is transformed into the world in which case the imperfections of the world will adhere to Brahman. It is just that Brahman being the inner self of all , the sentient and the insentient, they form the body of Brahman. As the imperfections of they do not adhere to the self , similarly those of the universe do not affect Brahman. This sarir-sariri relationship of Brahman to the world is the pivot of the realistic philosophy of ramanuja.

September 27, 2007

, " sarojram18 " <sarojram18

wrote:

>

> Chapter3- cosmology-Nature of Jagat

>

> The nature of Brahman, that is Ontology has been explained so far.

Now

> let us examine the Cosmology or the nature of the Universe and its

> relation to the indidual self and God.

>

> The cosmology of Ramanuja is based on the concept of the three

reals,

> thathvathraya, namely cit (jiva), acit (jagat) and Isvara

(Narayana) and

> the relation ship between them.

>

> Isvara is cidacit visishta and the latter exists in the relation of

> modes to the substance with Isvara. Cit the sentient souls and acit

the

> insentient matter in subtle(unmanifest) state exist in Brahman

before

> creation and in their gross( manifest ) state after creation. Thus

the

> sookshmacidactvisishtabrahna is the cause and sthoolacidacit

> visishtbrahman is the effect. So the universe exists in the

relation of

> effect and the cause with Brahman.

>

> The cause of the universe being Brahman is accepted by all the

schools

> of vedanta and by Nyayavaiseshika, or logicians. Only The school of

> nirisvara sankhya expounded by Isvarakrishna does not accept

Isvara as

> the cause. The atheistic schools of Buddhism and Jainism who do not

> accept the Vedas as authoritative are outside the scope of

discussion.

>

> Now the school of sankhya which does not accept the causality of

Brahman

> professes that the prakrthi, the primordial nature is the cause of

the

> universe while the sentient soul, purusha is eternal. Thus there is

no

> need of Brahman at all. The yoga school accepts Isvara but only

as a

> purushavisesha who should be meditated upon to acquire the right

> knowledge that the purusha is ever free and wrongly identifies

himself

> with the prakrthi and suffers the samsara and this knowledge secures

> release.

>

> The school of Nyayavaiseshika deems the atoms of the four elements,

> earth, water, fire and air to be the cause of the universe.

>

> According to the Upanishad which declares `sadheva soumya idhamagra

> aaseeth ekameva adhvu\itheeyam', there was only Brahman existing in

> the beginning ,one only without a second. So Brahman is both the

> material (like the mud in making a pot0 as well as the efficient

cause (

> like the potter) of the universe.

>

> Then the text goes on to say " it willed to become many and created

> fire.' Of course the mention of fire is due to its being the first

> gross form of creation and hence the other two namely air and akasa

are

> understood to have preceded it. From the fire originated the water

and

> from water the earth came about. This is the order of creation

mentioned

> and in annihilation it takes the reverse order.

>

> After creatin the gross universe the Brahman decided to enter into

all

> beings to give them name and form and to be their inner self. `

> anena jeevena Atmanaa anupravisya naamaroope vyaakaravaaNi.'

>

> So the universe is the effect and Brahman is the cause and the

universe

> is real as much as when the cause is real the effect is also real.

But

> this does not mean that Brahman is transformed into the world in

which

> case the imperfections of the world will adhere to Brahman. It is

just

> that Brahman being the inner self of all , the sentient and the

> insentient, they form the body of Brahman. As the imperfections of

they

> do not adhere to the self , similarly those of the universe do not

> affect Brahman. This sarir-sariri relationship of Brahman to the

world

> is the pivot of the realistic philosophy of ramanuja.

>

September 27, 2007

Namaskaram. Adiyen Ramamurthy from Pondicherry is immensely happy to read this highly enlightening and educative commentary relating to the Philosophical Teachings of Sri Ramamuja. Eagerly waiting for the next lesson on the subject. Kindly accept Adiyen's sincere and humble thanks. Yours, M.Ramamurthysarojram18 <sarojram18 wrote: Chapter3- cosmology-Nature of Jagat The nature of Brahman, that is Ontology has been explained so far. Now let us examine the Cosmology or the nature of the Universe and its relation to the indidual self and God. The cosmology of Ramanuja is based on the concept of the three reals, thathvathraya, namely cit (jiva), acit (jagat) and Isvara (Narayana) and the relation ship between them. Isvara is cidacit visishta and the latter exists in the relation of modes to the substance with Isvara. Cit the sentient souls and acit the insentient matter in subtle(unmanifest) state exist in Brahman before creation and in their gross( manifest ) state after creation. Thus the sookshmacidactvisishtabrahna is the cause and sthoolacidacit visishtbrahman is the effect. So the universe exists in the relation of effect and the cause with Brahman. The cause of the universe being Brahman is accepted by all the schools of vedanta and by Nyayavaiseshika, or logicians. Only The school of nirisvara sankhya expounded by

Isvarakrishna does not accept Isvara as the cause. The atheistic schools of Buddhism and Jainism who do not accept the Vedas as authoritative are outside the scope of discussion. Now the school of sankhya which does not accept the causality of Brahman professes that the prakrthi, the primordial nature is the cause of the universe while the sentient soul, purusha is eternal. Thus there is no need of Brahman at all. The yoga school accepts Isvara but only as a purushavisesha who should be meditated upon to acquire the right knowledge that the purusha is ever free and wrongly identifies himself with the prakrthi and suffers the

samsara and this knowledge secures release. The school of Nyayavaiseshika deems the atoms of the four elements, earth, water, fire and air to be the cause of the universe. According to the Upanishad which declares `sadheva soumya idhamagra aaseeth ekameva adhvu\itheeyam', there was only Brahman existing in the beginning ,one only without a second. So Brahman is both the material (like the mud in making a pot0 as well as the efficient cause ( like the potter) of the

universe. Then the text goes on to say "it willed to become many and created fire.' Of course the mention of fire is due to its being the first gross form of creation and hence the other two namely air and akasa are understood to have preceded it. From the fire originated the water and from water the earth came about. This is the order of creation mentioned and in annihilation it takes the reverse order. After creatin the gross universe the Brahman decided to enter into all beings to give them name and form and to be their inner self. ` anena jeevena

Atmanaa anupravisya naamaroope vyaakaravaaNi.' So the universe is the effect and Brahman is the cause and the universe is real as much as when the cause is real the effect is also real. But this does not mean that Brahman is transformed into the world in which case the imperfections of the world will adhere to Brahman. It is just that Brahman being the inner self of all , the sentient and the insentient, they form the body of Brahman. As the imperfections of they do not adhere to the self , similarly those of the universe do not affect Brahman. This sarir-sariri relationship of Brahman to the world is the pivot of the realistic philosophy of ramanuja.

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