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Attribute, Mode of Brahman ?

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psrinivasan99 • March 10, 2002 


Dear Vaishnava Vedantins:

This is a question that I am repeating with some elaboration but I 
think it is relevant, especially after the restructuring of the 
List. The background of the doubt is:

I came across 3 terms that Sri Ramanuja uses to accurately describe 
the exact relationship between the Jivatman and Brahman (Narayana) - 
  a) body-soul
  b) substance-attribute
  c) substance-mode

It is somewhat easier to grasp that the Jivatman is the body of 
Brahman, or putting it the other way, Brahman is the Self of the 
Jivatman. I understand it like this - just as we (the Jivatman) are 
the Self of our physical body (temporarily, of course), Brahman is 
the Self of our Self (eternally) - hence the Atman is the body of 
Brahman.

However what adiyen finds difficult to grasp is how the Jivatman is 
an attribute of Brahman. Generally an attribute is not a substance 
and a substance is not an attribute. But the Jivatman is a 
substance. How are we understand Ramanuja's statement that the 
Jivatman is also an attribute of Brahman?

Another thing adiyen finds unable to understand is Ramanuja's 
statement that the Jivatman is a Mode of Brahman. What is meant by 
Mode? 

Can some learned Ramanuja-dasa kindly clarify my doubts along with 
numerous examples so that adiyen can grasp and contemplate upon this 
True and Eternal Relationship between us and Brahman-Narayana?

Many thanks in advance.

dasan,
P.Srinivasan




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