Namo NArAyanA! Could anyone please help me find the flaws here? [P1 is me, P2 is an advaiti] The email exchange between the two: P2 says: "Vaishnava monotheists do not regard Brahman as the Ultimate Reality. Only Narayana is their ultimate Reality." P1 says: This is not true. According to Ramanuja, Brahman "signifies/synonymous with" NArAyana(Person,Dweller of souls). Brahman and the Supreme God are one and the same. Brahman is the ultimate reality, meaning He is the universal self(antaryami). Like Jeevatma has atma as its soul and body as its mode, Paramatma/supreme being(Ananta) has Brahman as supersoul and the universe(cit, sentient and acit, insentient/nature) as HIS body. The non-duality between jeevatma and paramtma, is due to both being a "being", sharing a common nature. They are different, jeevatma cannot become brahman(paramatma) and also not identical with other jeevatma, is in the difference of the attributes, meaning the level and nature of consciousness and bliss [karma]. P2 says: What you have written is not true. Ramanuja regards Brahman as the sum of God or Naryana, Jiva and Jagat, i.e., Brahman=Naryana+Jiva+Jagat. It is NOT as you are claiming that Naryana=Brahman+Jiva+Jagat. Naryana, Jiva and Jagat are eternally separate but are linked to each other. The Ultimate Reality is Narayana and Narayana is the goal for the spiritual aspirant. Why is it so? In Ramanuja's theory, Brahman is merely the superstructure for Naryana+Jiva+Jagat. If you say that Brahman is the Ultimate Reality then you have to say that Jiva and Jagat are also the Ultimate Reality which can not be true. A spiritual aspirant following Ramanuja's model will have to consider Narayana to be the Ultimate Reality. Advaita, on the other hand, says that Nirguna Brahman is ALL and is the goal for the aspirant. 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/
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