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From: K. Sadananda (sada_at_anvil.nrl.navy.mil)
Date: Fri Sep 14 2001 - 05:18:16 PDT
> >
>>I may be missing something here - but if Iishwara is sarvajnana and Jeeva is
>>alpajnaana, there exists at least one factor that distinguishes these two - a
>>clear indication of duality. How then is it that advaita claims non-duality?
>>
>>
>>Dasan
> >Ramakrishnan
>>
With Shreeman Mani's approval I am posting this to the list just to
clarify the position of advaita as I understand. Shree Ramakrishna's
question raises the basic issue of advaita and there is lot of
misunderstanding particularly for those who are not familiar with the
correct import of advaita - particularly the identity of jiiva with
Brahman - the scriptural declarations of 'aham brahma asmi and tat
tvam asi, ayam aatma brahma, praj~naanam brahma are given the primary
importance in advaita. Before he takes up suutra bhaashya,
Bhagavaan Shankara presents 'adhyaasa bhaashya' explaining the
fundamental error involved. Bhagavaan Ramanuja makes considerable
effort in his Shree Bhaasya, in discussing the adviatic position as
puurva paksha. I have just began to learn this under the guidance of
Shreeman S.M.S. Chari. From my perspective, I want to know exactly
what are Bhagavaan Ramanuja's objections and how far these objections
valid. I do however feel that one should study Shankara's
interpretation before one studies laghu and mahaa puurvapaksha-s of
Ramanuja and his siddhaanta-s. I have been writing extensive notes
on Shankara Bhaashya in the advaitin list and these are stored in a
separate folder called 'Brahmasuutras'. Those who are interested can
down-load these for their individual study. We are currently
discussing Sutra 5. The study of first four suutra-s are important
both in Shankara Bhaasya and Sreebhaashya.
These notes can be accessed at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advaitin/files/Notes+on+Brahmasuutra/
for personal study. One may have to become a member of the list at
least till one can down loads these notes! You are always welcome
to become a member of the list and learn from the discussions.
Here is my understanding in response to the question raised by Shree
Ramakrishna.
I do not wish to get into debate on the issues but only present
advaitic perspective as I understand.
-------------------
Advaita means non-duality - it is not mono-ism - it is the negation
of the duality. Since one experiences duality, in our day to day
experiences, it inquires into the truth of this duality that one
experiences and comes to the conclusion that the duality that one
experiences is only 'apparent' and not real. Hence reality is
different from that what appears as plurality - the concept of
'maaya' is brought in to explain why plurality that appears is
mistaken as reality.
It is like Gold - appearing as many ornaments - The ornaments in
terms of names and forms and utilities are different - but truth of
the apparent plurality is non-dual - gold - is it not? Hence what
is real - is defined as that which remains the same in all periods of
time - trikaala abhaaditam satyam - Ring, bangle, chain etc are
different - names and forms and their utilities, the date of birth
and date of death - are different - yet from the gold point - gold it
was, gold it is even when one calls it as ring etc., and gold it
shall be. Gold has remained as gold yet it appears as many - ring,
chain etc. This example is based on the interpretation of Chandogya
Upanishad mantra-s - yathaa soumya - ekena loha maninaa sarvam
lohamayam vij~naaata, vaachaarambhaNam vikaaro naamadheyam syaat loha
mityeva satyam. The upanishat gives two more examples like this. -
Just as gold that manifests as golden ornaments is known by inquiring
into the nature of an ornament, that it is the essence or substratum
of all gold ornaments - Gold alone is the 'sat' padaartham here.
Creation is the only ' vaachaarambhanam' - it begins with the
'thought' process and it is only an (apparent) modification - into
names and forms. Thus the creation of one into many is explained in
Ch. Up. - It starts - with 'sadeva soumya idam agra aseet - My dear
boy, what was there before the creation was only ' existence' - it is
one without a second - ekam eva advitiiyam' - it is not inert
existence or jadam but a conscious existence - it decided to become
many - it is one becoming many - tad aikshata - bashu syaam - prajaa
ye yeti.. Etc.
Iswara is defined as the creator -from T. UP. - yatova imaani
bhuutani jaayante, yena jaatani jiivanti, yat prayam tyabhisam
vishhaanti - tat vij~naanasaswa -tat brahma iti. That which the whole
universe is originated, sustained and goes back into - this is what
is called 'tatasha lakshana' by which Iswara is recognized. - That
is the incidental qualification. The swaruupa lakshana of Brahman is
- satyam j~naanam anatam brahma. -( a detailed discussion of taTasta
lakshaNa and swaruupa lakshaNa, etc are discussed in the referenced
Notes).
Brahman in advaita is absolute undifferentiated one without a second
- essentially sat - chit and ananda aspect. existence -
consciousness and infiniteness - These are not considered as
attributes and but intrinsic nature. ( one has to go into in depth
analysis of what is an attribute and what is a locus of these
attributes - the epistemological issues involved to understand the
ontological aspects of these correctly).
Iswara - is a conceptual notion of Brahman to explain the apparent
plurality that we see - and ask the question, "who is the creator of
this intelligent orderly universe?'. If I have to create a watch - I
should have the 'know-how' of how to create a watch - If I have to
create the whole universe, then I have to be sarvaj~naa since all the
laws that are discovered and yet to be discovered are within the
universe and I should be knower of all these to create all these -
Hence Iswara is sarvaj~naa, sarva shaktimaan etc. in the same sense
as Bhagavaan Ramanuja describes the Lord as 'anata kalyaana guNa
ashraya'.
Any creation involves two aspects - nimitta kaaraNa, intelligent
cause and upaadana kaaraNa, material cause. If Iswara has to create
this universe, the question arises as to 'where does he get the
material for creation?' - It cannot be separate from Him, since if it
is then one questions where did that material come from and who
created that material. Hence he has to be material cause as well -
hence the above statement of the Upanishad - yatova imaani bhuutaani
..... from Taittiriiya Upanishad that I quoted. (Both Shankara and
Ramanuja subsribe that Brahman is upaadana kaaraNa of jagat while
details of their interpretations differ - Shree Madhva considers
Brahman as only nimitta kaaraNa and not upaadana kaaraNa)
Jiiva - is conscious entity identifying with the local equipments -
body, mind and intellect rather than than global equipments, the
whole universe. Existence, consciousness and ananda (happiness)
(ananda is also infiniteness or limitless since any limitation cause
unhappiness -anantam eva ananandam). According to advaita, 'sat chit
and ananda' identifying only with local equipments - that include -
sthuula, suukshma and kaaraNa shariira-s - is jiiva or microcosmic
entity and the same sat chit ananda identifying with totality - all
universe consisting of names and forms - is Iswara. In the statement
'I am a jiiva or individual' - the first part - I and am- or aham
involves both 'sat and chit aspect' In the identification as 'I am
an individual' - the individual or jiiva part is considered as 'error
or adhyaasa' - since it involves identification with the local
equipments - body, mind and intellect - 'aham brahma asmi' - or I am
Brahman - identification that I am not only sat and chit but anaanda
or happiness as well since happiness involves free from all
limitations or anantam - hence satyam, j~naanam and anantam is my
essential nature.
Thus from the essential aspect - the substratum that pervades -
advaitic position is that I am the 'sat chit ananda' that is one
without a second. The identity of jiiva and iiswara is only from
this essential aspect which is one without a second.
I said creation involves 'thought' process - With total mind the
creator is Iswara and with the individual mind it is jiiva - Gold can
identity itself I am the one that pervades all the ornaments - I am
one without a second, but a golden ring without inquiring properly
may think I am only ring (naama, ruupa) undergoing all the six
modifications associated by being a ring - birth, death and all the
suffering in between - It is like waves think I am separate from the
ocean and I am a small wave, the other fellow is big wave and he is
going to swallow me etc. But waves are not different from ocean - As
a ocean it can declare - all waves are in me but I am not in them in
the sense that they arise in me, supported by me and go back into me
yet their individual sufferings do not belong to me. Hence Krishna's
declaration - mayaa tatam idam sarvam jagat avyakta muurtinaa,
mastaani sarva bhuutani na cha aham teshhu avasthitaH| - I pervade
this entire universe in an unmanifested form - all beings are in me
but I am not in them. - Are the waves different from ocean or are
they the same as the ocean with local perturbations seen as waves
with names and forms?. From the ocean point it is its glory to
manifest as waves - pasyam me yogam aiswaram - See my glory says
KrishNa.
I have given more details perhaps than is needed - but at least
clarifies the apparent vs real and in what respects the advaita is
implied - one gold plus many ornaments - appears to be plural. But
this apparent appears to be real until one inquires into the truth of
the apparent - Then what appears need not be the truth and the truth
is that it is just one non-dual gold all the time even when it exists
as many ornaments. That is a-dvaita.
Hari OM!
Sadananda
--
K. Sadananda
Code 6323
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. 20375
Voice (202)767-2117
Fax:(202)767-2623
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