8.Nature of the soul,9.Nature of the world,10.Visishtadvaita the Universal Philo

[Guest guest]

Dear Srimathy (Dr.) Saroja Ramanujam :

 

Thanks very much for a brilliant set of

essays on the doctrines of VisihtAdhvaitham

as established and defended by AchArya

RaamAnuja .

 

Today's posting on the eve of AchArya RaamAnuja 's

Thirunakshathram is clear, concise and outstanding .

Thank you for acceding to my request to share your

wealth of knowledge on this important subject .

 

I have one more request for you :

 

can you give us your permission to assemble this series

of postings in Sundarasimham Web site that is being

populated with 108 Sri VaishNavite Sri Sookthis as

the tribute to Srimath Azhagiya Singar on His upcoming

SathAbhishEkam celebrations on Nov 30 at Srirangam ?

 

You are welcome to look at this site , which has

18 e-books sofar and in a month's time , we hope

to reach the 54 e-book level that will include

GithArTa Sangraham of Swamy Desikan ,

GuNa Rathna Kosam of Swamy PrAsara Bhattar ,

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram , Paramatha

Bhangam and rest of the Desika Prabhandhams .

The URL is:

 

http://www.sundarasimham.org

 

Thank you again for Your Kaimkaryam .

V.Sadagopan

 

-

" sarojram18 " <sarojram18

<Oppiliappan >

Monday, May 01, 2006 10:07 AM

8.Nature of the soul,9.Nature of the

world,10.Visishtadvaita the Universal Philo

 

 

>

> 8.Nature of soul according to Visishtadvaita

>

>

>

> 1. Jiva is eternal and jnana is the dharma of jiva and also its nature.

>

>

>

> The essential nature as jnana is called the dharmibhoothajnana

> while the knowledge as the essential attribute of jiva is the

> dharamabhoothajnana. the attributive knowledge. Dharmabhoothajnana is a

> special concept of Visishtadvaita philosophy. It is attributive in the

> sense that it stands in relation of an essential attribute to its

> substantive , the jiva. It is always eternal and all- pervasive in

> Isvara and the liberated beings but in the case of jivas bound by their

> karma it is sankuchitha, contracted and regains its full form only when

> the become free of bondage.

>

>

>

> 2.Jiva as the kartha,bhoktha and jnatha

>

>

>

> Besides having the attributive knowledge which makes jiva

> the jnatha,knower, jiva is also defined as having the attributes of

> agency, karthrthva and enjoyership bokthrthva. Ramnuja quotes the

> Brahmasutra 'karthaa saasthraarthavatvaath,' to show that the scriptural

> texts enjoin sacrifices to attain heaven or upasana to attain moksha the

> results of which is enjoyed by the doer. The idea expressed in the Gita

> 'gunaa guneshu varthantha' only explains that the gunas pertain to the

> body, mind and intellect, due to which jiva is caugth in the

> transmigration.

>

>

>

> But eventhough jiva is the doer the actions of the jiva is

> controlled by Isvara, the indwelling Self. This does not mean that the

> jiva has no freedom of action. Isvara makes the jiva act according to

> the efforts made by the jiva only. The initial action is taken only by

> the jiva according to his own will.Isvara is the approver, gives

> permission to proceed, being the antharyamin. This is illustrated by

> Ramanuja in Sribhashya thus. A man who owns a property jointly with

> another seeks his permission to sell or remodel it and the latter gives

> permission. But the result of the action, loss or gain belongs to the

> doer only while the other is the silent witness. So the real kartha is

> jiva only and the Lord is the permitting witness.

>

>

>

> This may perhaps raise a doubt in the mind that whether

> Isvara permits even the evil actions? Being the indweller and controller

> why does He prevent the jiva from doing wrong? This can be explained as

> follows. A mother is concerned about the welfare of her children equally

> and impartially. When a child wishes to do something through which he

> may come to harm the mother tries to stop him. A good child listens to

> her but an obstinate child refuses to obey. Then the mother lets him go

> and do it and when he comes back crying, hurt through his action she

> attends on him. Similarly the Lord does caution us before we do

> somrething wrong. This is what we commonly call our conscience. All

> sinners will hear the voice of his conscience at the outset but a

> confirmed sinner ignores it and proceeds to do what his desire propells

> him to do due to his past karma. This is the force of the gunas. So the

> Lord remains a silent witness till he repents his action and comes back

> to Him when He takes him into his fold. This is the meaning of the

> statement that His retribution is for redemption.

>

>

>

> 3.Jiva is of anuparimaana

>

>

>

> The concept of the jiva as anu, atomic. is a distinctive

> feature of the Visishtadvaita philosophy. The authority for this is

> found in Svetasvathara upanishad which describes the soul being

> infinitely smaller than a hundredth part of hair which has been already

> divided into handred part The upanishad also says that the real nature

> of the soul is infinite.. 'vaalaagrasatabhaagasya sathadhaa kalpithasya

> cha bhaage jivah sa vijneyah sa chaananthyaaya kalpathe.' Elsewhere also

> the jiva is mentioned as all-pervasive and eternal. This seemingly

> incongrous statements that jiva is anu and vibhu, atomic and all

> pervasive is explained by Vedantadesika that the all-pervasiveness of

> the jiva is to be understood with reference to its spiritual nature This

> is brought out by Ramanuja in his commentary on the Brahmasutra '

> gnaadvaa aalokavat.' wherein he cites the examples of gem,the Sun etc

> and says that even though the source of light exists in one place its

> light encompasses all. 'yathaa manidhyumaniprabhrtheenaam

> ekadesavarthinaamaalokahanekadesavyapeedhrsyathe thadvath hrdhaysthasya

> aathmanah jnanam sakaladheham vyapya varthathe.'

>

>

>

> 4.The difference between jiva and Brahman is real.

>

>

>

> According to the Brahmasuthra 'adhikam thu

> brahmanirdesaath,' the difference between Brahman and the jiva is real

> because Brahman is something more than the jiva. Also the suthra 'amso

> nanaavyapadesaath----' mentions that the soul is the amsa of the Lord.

> The term amsa is defined by Ramanuja as that which forms an integral

> part of a whole entity and therefore is an essential attribute of that

> entity.Thus the interpretation of both unity as well as difference

> between jiva and Isvara is justified and hence there is no inconsistency

> between the bhedha and abhedha srutis.

>

>

>

> From the causal point of view Brahman is the aadhaara, being

> the material cause and the jiva is the aadheya. Brahman is also the inne

> rcontroller , niyanthaa on account of being the indwelling self of jiva

> , the niyaamya. Jiva is also the sesha who subserves Isvara, the seshin.

> This is the essence of the sarira-sariri relationship between the two.

> As the amsa of Brahman jiva is inseparable from Brahman but as the

> prakara, the mode, it is also distinct from Brahman.

>

>

>

>

>

> 9.The nature of jagat, the world.

>

>

>

>

>

> The sarira-sariri bhava applies also to the relationship between

> jagat and Isvara. because the prakrthi, acit also constitutes the sarira

> of Brahman. The evolution of prakrthi is effected by Brahman, its

> material cause as affirmed by the sruti text 'sadheve soumya idham agra

> aaseeth ekameva advitiyam ,' the term' idham' includes cit and acit.

> Prakrithi is supported by Isvara, its aadhaara, controlled by Him,its

> niyantha, and serves His purpose, which is the salvation of jiva. Hence

> it is the sesha of Isvara.

>

>

>

>

>

> 10.The universal philosophy.

>

>

>

>

>

> The philosophy of Ramanuja can be called Universal as it

> interprets the Brahmasuthras in such a manner as to show the

> Saarirkasastra as the Brahmasuthra is called, as an integral

> whole.Universe according to Ramanuja is not bhramamaya, illusory but

> Brahmamaya, as there is no other reality than Brahman, the inner self of

> everything.

>

>

>

> The universal or all embracing character of the Visishtadvaita

> philosophy arises out of the assimilation therin of all cardinal

> principles of all systems. Only their theory of reality and

> subsequently their theory of causation is opposed by Ramanuja . The

> sarira-sariri bhava accomodates all the commendable aspects of others

> since everything constitutes the sarira of Brahman. Brahmaathmakathva,

> Brahman as the indwelling Self of all, implies unity and harmony . The

> basic principles of even the heterodox schools like Buddhism and Jainism

> like ahimsa find a place in Visishtadvaita.Likewise the thathvas, the

> evolutes of prakrthi of Sankhya,.the discipline of Yoga and dialectics

> of Nyaya-viseshika have a place in Visishtadvaita. Ramanuja is opposed

> only to the theory of causation of these schools. That is why in

> Sribhashya the criticism of Ramanuja of the non-vedantic schools of

> Philosophy is levelled against their theory of causation, based on their

> theory of reality.

>

>

>

>

>

> Visishtadvaita concept of Reality is based on

> Satkaaryavaadha according to which the one real becomes many which are

> also real. The sat without a second willed to become many and hence

> thereis no new creation but only self-differentiation of the One without

> a second. Brahman with cit and acit non-differentiated in its subtle

> state is the cause and the same Brahman with cit and acit in manifested

> state oF differentiation is the effect. Thus, cit, acit and Isvara are

> the three reals. Isvara, Brahman and Narayana are all synonyms in

> Visishtadvaita and denote Brahman the Self of cit and acit which form

> His sarira the relation between Brahman and the world of sentient and

> insentient beings therefore is that of aprtaksiddhi, insepararable

> relation as that of body and soul. This is the Visishtadvaita philosophy

> in a nut shell.

>

>

>

> I offer this at the feet of Sri Ramanuja as aradhana on the day of his

> janmanakshatra. I will continue with the cricticism of the theory of

> causation of the Non-vedantic schools of philosophy from time to time.

>

> Saroja Ramanujam

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>