You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Dec 2006

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00008 Dec 2006

 
Dec 2006 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


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



 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com


 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:SriRangaSri-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:SriRangaSri-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list