Acharya vaibhvam.... - 6 - The three main schools of thought

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladseika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Continuing on our earlier discussion:Thus Dwaita,

Advaita and VisishtAdvaita mathams follow the above

doctrines of bhEdha, abhEdha and Ghataka sruthis

respectively.

 

Advaita- Monism is based on AbhEda sruthis;

Dwaita- Dualism is based on bhEda sruthis

VisishtAdvaita- Qualified Monsim based on Ghataka

sruthis (encompassing both bhEdha and abhEdha sruthis)

 

What it ultimately boils down to is the relationship

of the individual self to the Supreme. What is the

relationship? Each of these three has a different

version.. Which one is more correct and accurate?

 

Let it be anyone… why to ask this query first of all?

The reason is to find out that relationship so that we

can know the nature of the way to get rid of these

suffering; the way to realize the Truth and to find

out if at all moksha, the state of final salvation and

attaining Absoulte Anandham, is something worth at

all.

 

Dvaita siddhAntham founded by Madhvaachaaryaa

mentions:

There is an inherent and absolute five-fold

differences

 

between one soul and another, the soul and God,

God and matter, the soul and matter,

and matter and matter.

 

There also inherent qualitative differences- he adds.

This only means one individual self in pure state is

not equal to another in status. i.e. there are female

jIvas, male jIvas, Brahmin jIvas, non-brahmin jIvas,

and this differentiation exists even in mOksha. Hence,

any sort of unity between the individual self and God

is impossible in Dvaita. Hence the term -Dvaita or

dualism. MOksham is experiencing one's essential

nature in paramapadham as a reflection of God's glory.

Such liberation is achieved through bhakti or loving

devotion.

 

The Advaita philosophy however argues that only One

Self exists, and all else is false. The universe and

our existence are a false reflection on the non-dual,

undifferentiated principle of consciousness. mOksham

or Liberation in Advaita school is just the the

realization that individuality is false, and that

one's very essence is the Absolute Self, pure

undifferentiated consciousness, one without a second.

In this system, since there is only one, and

ultimately nothing else, the system is called Advaita,

or Non-dualism or Monism. To distinguish it from other

forms of Advaita, it is also called nirvisesha

Advaita, i.e. non-duality of the Absolute

without attributes or qualities or form.

 

Visishtadvaita is also an Advaita, since only God as

the Supreme Self exists. However, our definition is:

That Supreme Lordship contains all within itself; the

entire universe, including all living beings, are

fundamentally real and internally distinguishable from

one another. However, there is only one total reality,

as God includes all existence within the very being.

 

Swamy Desikan defines the same as " asEsha Chit-Achit

prakaaram brahmaikamEva Tattvam " . This is the most

precise definition of our Siddhaantham. The individual

self [jeevathmas] and the universe exist as God's

attributes, since God pervades and manifests

absolutely everything and blesses these substances

with their reality.

 

This means: God is the in-dweller of all, and

everything is real and is included in His sareera as

His attribute. Hence, Visishtadvaita literally means

non-duality of the qualified, since God is qualified

by innumerable KalyAna guNas, glorious attributes,

including Jeevathmas and Universe.

 

As per this sampradayam mOksham is achieved by dhyAnam

on God's supreme Splendor, forms, His wonderful leelas

in His avathArams and His various manifestations, His

existence in the hearts of all creatures, His nature

as the First Cause of All. Such meditation, when

practised with a pure heart and mind and filled with

extreme love, will yield a better and better

visualization of God in the mind of

devotee over time, eventually leading to recollection

of God so vivid it is like the very darshan of Him

straightaway. Such a vision, when practiced to the

point of being unbroken, is the liberating knowledge

spoken of in the Vedas, a result of God's love of His

beloved devotee- which in essence is bhakti yoga.

 

Quoting the important pramAnam (referred to by SwAmi

Desikan in His Rahasya traya sAram. The Lord Himself

categorically declares:

 

bhaktyA paramayA vA-pi prapattyA vA mahAmathe

prApyoham na anyathA prApyO mama kainkarya lipsubhihi "

 

PerumAL declares that bhakti and prapatti [saranagati]

are the only means (sAdhyOpAyam, to be adopted by a

jIvAtma) for which He will grant moksham (kainkaryam

at Sri vaikuNTham) and for no other means adopted by

the jIvAtmA, will He grant moksham.

 

Let us see the difference in approach of Advaita and

Visishtadvaita. Advaita’s definition of Brahman has no

attributes and hence they don’t rely on bhakti in the

end. It is only jnAnam. VisishtAdvaita defines The

Lord or Supreme Self as akilahEya prathyaneekan and

ananthakalyANa guNArNavan; -full of perfections and

attributes, with absolutely no imperfections or

blemishes and hence the jeevathma will enjoy His form,

and kalyANa-guNas. All individual jeevathmas are

fundamentally equal and alike as per our sampradayam.

 

Let us examine the meaning of the term " Visistadvaita

tomorrow… What a great sampradayam! How blessed are we

to be associated with this.. and the lineage of

blemishless acharyas!

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

______________________________\

____

 

Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta.

http://new.mail.

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladseika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Continuing on our earlier discussion:Thus Dwaita,

Advaita and VisishtAdvaita mathams follow the above

doctrines of bhEdha, abhEdha and Ghataka sruthis

respectively.

 

Advaita- Monism is based on AbhEda sruthis;

Dwaita- Dualism is based on bhEda sruthis

VisishtAdvaita- Qualified Monsim based on Ghataka

sruthis (encompassing both bhEdha and abhEdha sruthis)

 

What it ultimately boils down to is the relationship

of the individual self to the Supreme. What is the

relationship? Each of these three has a different

version.. Which one is more correct and accurate?

 

Let it be anyone… why to ask this query first of all?

The reason is to find out that relationship so that we

can know the nature of the way to get rid of these

suffering; the way to realize the Truth and to find

out if at all moksha, the state of final salvation and

attaining Absoulte Anandham, is something worth at

all.

 

Dvaita siddhAntham founded by Madhvaachaaryaa

mentions:

There is an inherent and absolute five-fold

differences

 

between one soul and another, the soul and God,

God and matter, the soul and matter,

and matter and matter.

 

There also inherent qualitative differences- he adds.

This only means one individual self in pure state is

not equal to another in status. i.e. there are female

jIvas, male jIvas, Brahmin jIvas, non-brahmin jIvas,

and this differentiation exists even in mOksha. Hence,

any sort of unity between the individual self and God

is impossible in Dvaita. Hence the term -Dvaita or

dualism. MOksham is experiencing one's essential

nature in paramapadham as a reflection of God's glory.

Such liberation is achieved through bhakti or loving

devotion.

 

The Advaita philosophy however argues that only One

Self exists, and all else is false. The universe and

our existence are a false reflection on the non-dual,

undifferentiated principle of consciousness. mOksham

or Liberation in Advaita school is just the the

realization that individuality is false, and that

one's very essence is the Absolute Self, pure

undifferentiated consciousness, one without a second.

In this system, since there is only one, and

ultimately nothing else, the system is called Advaita,

or Non-dualism or Monism. To distinguish it from other

forms of Advaita, it is also called nirvisesha

Advaita, i.e. non-duality of the Absolute

without attributes or qualities or form.

 

Visishtadvaita is also an Advaita, since only God as

the Supreme Self exists. However, our definition is:

That Supreme Lordship contains all within itself; the

entire universe, including all living beings, are

fundamentally real and internally distinguishable from

one another. However, there is only one total reality,

as God includes all existence within the very being.

 

Swamy Desikan defines the same as " asEsha Chit-Achit

prakaaram brahmaikamEva Tattvam " . This is the most

precise definition of our Siddhaantham. The individual

self [jeevathmas] and the universe exist as God's

attributes, since God pervades and manifests

absolutely everything and blesses these substances

with their reality.

 

This means: God is the in-dweller of all, and

everything is real and is included in His sareera as

His attribute. Hence, Visishtadvaita literally means

non-duality of the qualified, since God is qualified

by innumerable KalyAna guNas, glorious attributes,

including Jeevathmas and Universe.

 

As per this sampradayam mOksham is achieved by dhyAnam

on God's supreme Splendor, forms, His wonderful leelas

in His avathArams and His various manifestations, His

existence in the hearts of all creatures, His nature

as the First Cause of All. Such meditation, when

practised with a pure heart and mind and filled with

extreme love, will yield a better and better

visualization of God in the mind of

devotee over time, eventually leading to recollection

of God so vivid it is like the very darshan of Him

straightaway. Such a vision, when practiced to the

point of being unbroken, is the liberating knowledge

spoken of in the Vedas, a result of God's love of His

beloved devotee- which in essence is bhakti yoga.

 

Quoting the important pramAnam (referred to by SwAmi

Desikan in His Rahasya traya sAram. The Lord Himself

categorically declares:

 

bhaktyA paramayA vA-pi prapattyA vA mahAmathe

prApyoham na anyathA prApyO mama kainkarya lipsubhihi "

 

PerumAL declares that bhakti and prapatti [saranagati]

are the only means (sAdhyOpAyam, to be adopted by a

jIvAtma) for which He will grant moksham (kainkaryam

at Sri vaikuNTham) and for no other means adopted by

the jIvAtmA, will He grant moksham.

 

Let us see the difference in approach of Advaita and

Visishtadvaita. Advaita's definition of Brahman has no

attributes and hence they don't rely on bhakti in the

end. It is only jnAnam. VisishtAdvaita defines The

Lord or Supreme Self as akilahEya prathyaneekan and

ananthakalyANa guNArNavan; -full of perfections and

attributes, with absolutely no imperfections or

blemishes and hence the jeevathma will enjoy His form,

and kalyANa-guNas. All individual jeevathmas are

fundamentally equal and alike as per our sampradayam.

 

Let us examine the meaning of the term " Visistadvaita

tomorrow… What a great sampradayam! How blessed are we

to be associated with this.. and the lineage of

blemishless acharyas!

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

______________________________\

____

 

Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta.

http://new.mail.