The Hinduism has always been organic and living. The Hindu philosophers thoroughly probed the origin & dynamics of the world.
During medieval period, the Vaishnava philosophers (Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Nimarkacharya, Madhvacharya and Vallabhacharya) propounded the various conceptions on source of origin of the world and its diversity. The schools of thoughts are mainly divided into five. These schools of Vedanta differ only in their conception of the nature of that unity in its relationship with diversity i.e. God (Formless or Formed Brahman) and diversity in world of animate and inanimate. Non-Duality v/s Duality: While Sankara’s system looks upon Non-duality as the sublation of diversity, others look upon, Non-duality as the subordination of all duality to the principle of Unity i.e. the Supreme Being. Each school of Vedanta therefore propounds its own notion of the relationship of unity with diversity. But all deny anything independent of Sat-Chit-Ananda. Important differences of Vaisnava Philosophies:
Jiva (Atman, soul) –
Creation of world –
Samsara (State of Bondage) –
Jnana (Wisdom) –
Goal of life –
Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.
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The Doctrine of Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna, who was born at Kamarpukur (Hooghly district, West Bengal) and lived during 1836-1886, realised all the major religions and had vision of Ma Kali, Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Sri Hanuman, Sri Mohammad and Sri Christ. He didn’t study various scriptures. But he had deep knowledge of all the scriptures and clear understanding of spiritual concepts. He always stressed on attaining knowledge directly by experiencing and realizing instead of bookish information. His conceptual knowledge & history was penned by his great disciple Sh. Mahendranath Gupta in Bengali language as Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita and translated in English by Swami Nikhilananda. His various concepts are briefed hereunder: Concept of God and Unity of Religions & sects:
Bondage, Ignorance & Ego:
Pre-requisites for God-Realisation:
Paths of God-Realisations: People worship God according to their tastes and temperaments. One must have stern determination; then alone is spiritual practice possible. One must make a firm resolve. Kriya Yoga –
Highlights of Vedanta Philosophy
Vedanta means "end of the Vedas". The Upanishads, the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras are the pillars of the Vedanta. Total Upanishads are 108, out of which principal Upanishads are 11. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman) can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) through contemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine of Karma i.e. the cumulative effects of a person’s actions. In the Brahma Sutras is the essence of the philosophical and spiritual ideas of the Upanishads. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is the dialogues between Sri Krishna and Arjuna held in 3102 BC during war among Kauravas and Pandavas in Krukshetra, Haryana. It is cream of Vedas and Upanishads, in most simple Sanskrit language. Vedanta is live. Many sub-traditions, ranging from dualism to non-dualism developed based on different but logical interpretations over period of time. These sub-traditions include Advaita Darshan, established by Adi Shankara, Vishishtadvaita Darshan established by Ramanujacharya, Dvaita Darshan established by Madhvacharya, Bhedabheda (or Dvaitadvaita) Darshan established by Nimbarkacharya, Shuddhadvaita Darshan established by Vallabhacharya, Achintyabhedabheda Darshan established by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Akshar-Purushottam Darshan established by Shastriji Maharaj. Vedanta establishes three fundamental categories viz. the ultimate reality or Brahman or Isvara, the individual soul or self or Atman and the Prakiriti or Jagat or matter. If we compare the three fundamental categories with the Electric Powerhouse, Brahman is powerhouse; Atman is Power supply and Prakriti is electric appliances. Without electric current, no appliance will work. The major highlights of the Vedanta are mentioned as under:
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita has harmonized the Vedic rituals and spiritual wisdom of Upanishad. Shri Krishna in chapter 3 has explained that virtually any action can be transformed into yajna if it is done in the spirit of sacrifice, or offering to God. By seeing all elements of the act of offering (including the offeror himself) as nothing but Brahman (Supreme God), he attains Brahman. Even the old Vedic rituals can be performed without an eye on the results, but with a desire for the social and cosmic good.
Reference: Vedanta & Vivekananda by Swami Swahananda Sri Vallabhacharya - his life & Philosophy of Suddhadvaita
Sri Vallabhacharya founded Pushti sect of Vaishnavism and the philosophy of Shuddha advaita (Pure Non-dualism). He was born to Telugu priest. His family had been living in Varanasi, who escaped to the Champaran of Chhattisgarh state, during the Hindu-Muslim conflicts in the late 15th century. Vallabha was born near Raipur, Chhattisgarh. He studied the Vedas and the Upanishads as a child and became one of the important leaders of the devotional Bhakti movement. He lived during 1479-1532. He wrote commentaries on Brahm Sutra & Bhagavata Purana and Shodash Granth. Pilgrimages: After a short stay at Champaranya, Raipur, his parents returned Varanasi. At his age of eleven years, his father passed away. Vallabha undertook pilgrimage of the whole India three times lasting for a period of about twenty years. He did another round of pilgrimage, visiting Vijayanagar, Pandrapur, Gujarat, Vraja Bhumi and Himalayan pilgrimage centers. Setting-up of Pushti Sampradaya & Nathdwara Temple: Vraja Bhumi was especially dear to Vallabha where he established Sampradaya of Pushti-Marga which spread in western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. During 1500-02, while camping at Gokula, an image of Sri Krishna in the pose of lifting the Goverdhana Hill (Goverdhannathji) emerged out of a cave in a hill. Vallabha offered worship and built a small temple. The image was later shifted to a big temple built by a rich merchant named Purnamall. He did third round of pilgrimage which ended with his marriage. Shortly after Vallabha’s demise, when his son Vittalanatha was the leader of the sect. Since the temple of Goverdhannathji came under threat of Muslim invaders, the image was then removed to Nathdwara, Udaipur Rajasthan. Importance of Bhagvata Purana: Unlike Shankara system in which the Upanishads or Jnana-Kanda alone is taken seriously, Vallabha accepted all scriptures like the Vedas, Smiriti, Mahabharata, Gita, Pancaratra and Purana. In practice, however, it is Bhagvata Purana that is mainstay of the school. He expressed that the Vedas, the Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagvata Purana are progressive expositions of the revealed truth. His school accepted the Bhagvata Purana as its main scripture and Sri Krishna, both as the Supreme Being (Purushottama) and the Absolute Being. His preaching to the masses consisted generally in exposition of the Bhagavad Purana. Wherever he travelled he held Bhagavad-Saptahas for seven days. Philosophy of Suddhadvaita: Suddhadvaita means pure Non-dualism. Vallabha critically examined the Shankara’s Advaita system and explained as under: Concept of Maya & Cause of World: Shankaracharya’s Advaita - Brahman is Sat-Chit-Ananda. It means truth is unalloyed and there can be no touch of illusion or falsity in Him. Adi Shankaracharya pointed out that Brahman has to invoke Maya. Maya therefore, can be His real power, producing real effects and not false appearance. Vallabha’s Suddhadvaita – Vallabha contended that Maya can either be internal or external to Brahman. If Maya is conceived as within Him, it means the real power and related to Him in attributes, which will make Brahman a qualified entity (Savisesa). Then the thesis that Brahman is Nirvisesa (attribute-less) will have to be given up. If on the other hand, Maya is conceived as outside of Him, it becomes a dual category just like Prakriti. Then, Dualism will be resulted. Non-dualism Brahman is accepted as the cause of it. There are two kinds of causes involved in the production of a thing. One is the material cause (Upadana) and other is the instrumental cause (Nimitta).
Vallabha propounded the Philosophy of Suddhadvaita (pure Non-Dualism), purity consisting in that it does not accept Maya, a principle of illusion that has necessarily got to be conceived as outside Brahman. The Supreme Brahman has its immediate emanation in Aksara. Emanation means presentation with the concealment of essential nature in some respects. Aksara is Sat-Chit-Ananda, with Ananda aspect considerably concealed and lesser in attributes to the Supreme Brahman. The Aksara is the Impersonal Being. So, Supreme Brahman or Sri Krishna is Personal and Aksara is Impersonal; as against, the Supreme Brahman (Para Brahman) is Impersonal and Apara Brahman (lower Brahman) is Personal in Shankara’s system. The impersonal Aksara is the source of the Jivas and the world of matter. Jivas are countless in number and comes out of the Aksara like sparks of fire, with Ananda attribute is concealed owing to ignorance. Ananda attribute is restored in liberation. Jiva is a part of Brahman and not a reflection. Jiva (Soul): The Jiva, owing to Avidya, or ignorance generated by desires and attachments, makes a wrong and perverse evaluation of the world, taking an ego-centric, or self-centered view of what is really is God’s playful manifestation. Thus Avidya generates Samsara and not the world. When the Jiva changes its outlook and becomes God-centric, it is released and attain to fellowship with God. It ends Jiva’s Samsara, not God’s world. Attributes of Jiva & Matter-Doctrine of manifestation and concealment Vallabha explained about the attributes of Jiva and Nature by doctrine of manifestation (Avirbhava) and concealment (Tirobahva). Brahman manifested or concealed His attributes of Ananda and Chaitanya partly or entirely, and presenting Himself as lesser categories. Brahman or Purusottama or Krishna is as Sat-Chit-Ananda (existence-Consciousness-Bliss) in the fullest manifestation of all these attributes. When Ananda is completely concealed, the Jiva category of individual centers of consciousness comes into being. Jiva has Sat and Chit and is devoid of Ananda. When both Ananda and Chit are completely concealed, we get matter or Nature, which is only ‘Sat’. All these manifestations are the very Brahman, wherein His higher nature is only concealed and not destroyed or sublated. Prayer, worship, and other disciplines and above all, loving service without any motive, are the ways of invoking the Divine will to manifest the concealed Chaitanya and Ananda nature. Avidya: Vallaba admitted that Jiva has an element of super-imposition in its outlook and view the world colored and distorted by Avidya, being eg-centric. Avidya has its location in the Jiva and in no sense in the Isvara. Unlike Avidya in Shankara’s system, its function is not the generation the world, but imposing a wrong angle of vision. The ego-centric view of the world and life in it is Samsara; to attain to the God-centric view is release. Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Yajnavalkya was acclaimed rishi or scientist in period 8th to 7th century BC. Once, Raja Janaka held a debate on spirituality which was attended by a large of sages and rishis including Yajnavalkya. During a debate, Vidagadha Sakalya raised several questions relating on types and number of gods. The debate has been mentioned in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
Yajnavalkya explained the cause, types and the number gods and their basis. The details of questions raised and replies are as under: 1. How many gods are there? Vidagadha Sakalya asked the question repeatedly. Answer: Yajnavalkya relied successively that number of Gods are: · 3003, 303 - As many as are mentioned in the (group of Mantras known as) Nivid of the hymn of praise addressed to the Visvedevas (Parmatma) viz. three hundred and three, three thousand and three. Many form of gods’ manifest the man's desire which all emanate from the one vital force of material desire are dealt with. · 33 - The various powers praised in 3003 & 303 are in reality only thirty-three gods. The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra and Prajapati make up the thirty-three. o Fire, the earth, air, the sky, the sun, heaven, the moon and the stars, these are the Vasus. Vasus or energies are said to enable the desire that manifests the forms of all that live as well as all the objects of the universe. o The ten organs in the human body (five gnanendriyas, and the five karmendriyas), with the mind as the eleventh. When they depart from this mortal body, they make (one's relatives) weep. Because they then make them weep, therefore they are called Rudras. o The twelve months (are parts) of a year; these are the Adityas. Within creation all is subject to change and transience, this mutability we call time and mortality. Time came into being with Creation. The Adityas represent entropy (energy balance) as the twelve months that represent the time effect with mortality. o The cloud is Indra, and the sacrifice is Prajapati. Strength and sacrifice are the means of rites and rituals. These are included because rites and rituals are regarded as a part of the desire for further creation, so the cause and maintenance of Creation (which is the purpose here to reveal) must be shown to encompass such ritual (desire). · 6 - Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun and heaven these are the six. · 3 - Three worlds, because in these all those gods are comprised. · 2 - Matter and the vital force. · One and a half - The vital force (material desire) represented by "The (air) that blows" (the breath of life, symbolizing the desire that maintains the life experience itself). It is one and a half because through its presence all this attains surpassing glory. · One - The vital force (Hiranyagarbha, Prana); it is Brahman, which is called that (Tyat). Vital Force also as air or prana has been explained to be the initial energy or movement from original desire from which all of these gods, deities or energies followed. The vital force named in this verse as Brahman does not mean the Absolute Brahman, The Non-Dual Self. This Brahman is the conditioned Brahman of material creation. This Brahman is endowed with attributes by the ignorant who seek reality in Creation. Ignorance is the forgetting of our Unity with the Absolute. 2. Vital force symbolizes the desire to Create and maintain worldly existence. Vital force, the one cause of all the worldly gods. The material form of the body was created from this world and will again decompose back to the earth. The material universe will eventually return to rest when creation is subsumed as the Absolute Knowledge alone. Vital force symbolizes the desire to flourish through offspring. The ultimate resort of the entire body and organs is the being who is identified with lust. 3. The abode or support or material for a vital force will naturally be the earth. The vital force itself is the very product of the mind, ego and Manas. 4. According to yogic philosophy, the human mind been classified into four categories: buddhi (intellect), manas, ahamkara and chitta. Manas means sensory, processing mind, Chitta is for storage of impressions, Ahamkara means "I-maker" or Ego and Buddhi which knows, decides, judges, and discriminates. It is due to being led by Manas that delusion and ignorance cause the seeing of duality as reality. Manas needs to be supervised, not allowed to be a guiding light. The intellect led by Manas leads to delusion and ignorance. Higher Divine Truth is seen through mind controlled by Buddhi. 5. Within this universe, duality of justice and injustice exist. The sacrifice ritual is conducted within the realm of Dharma and righteousness through which justice is obtained. It is the priest that officiates and gives validity and authority to a sacrifice ritual and the correct remuneration of the priest completes the correct procedure. Remuneration rests on faith which is guided by mind and supported by intellect. This faith is the very belief of the ignorant in a deity vital force that supports their individual rites and desire for reward from a divinity of duality. 6. Mind rests in Prana. Prana rests in apana (down breathing). Apana rests in Vyana (back breathing). Vyana rests in Udana (out breathing). Udana rests in Samana. These are the eight abodes (the earth, &c.), the eight worlds (fire, etc.), the eight gods (the immortal food, etc.), the eight persons (the corporeal, etc.). 7. Water here represents the organs of the body. Vital force sustains the desire for physical manifestation. Water sustains the body; the body is the abode of the vital force. Who is his deity'? 'Varuna (rain). Prajapati (the father) represents the renewal or continuation of creation through the desire for wife, Son, wealth and fame. 8. Colors symbolize the appearance of duality through the various forms of creation whose instrument of vision is the eye. Sunlight enables the seeing of colours form and duality. That described as residing in the sun also has the status of deity or god. Sense of hearing provides information it is due to all the senses confirming the world of duality. It is the being who is identified with the ear and with the time of hearing. 9. Distance in all the directions (The quarters) of the universe also represent deity. East direction is named seeing the sun. The sun is elevated to a deity by those seeing reality in Creation. Existence of the sun exists is supported by the sense of sight and the eye represents the proof of the sun’s existence. Eye sees different colors. Colors are in mind. South direction is associated with the deity, Yama (the god of justice). 10. West direction is associated with the deity, Varuna (the god of rain). To support life rain becomes water and it is from water that rain is produced. Water comes with Creation. Creation arises from the seed. 11. North direction is identified with the deity, Soma (the moon and the creeper). The ritual and the priest produce soma or liquid to enable the fruits of the ritual. Soma rests on initiation and initiation rest on truth. This truth is the truth as reported by the senses. One knows truth through the mind. 12. Fixed direction (Zenith) is identified with the deity, fire. Fire rest on speech. Speech acts of Creation by speaking the objects of desire. Speech is guided by mind as it sees duality with its needs and desires as real. Reference:
Sri Nimbarakacharya – Dvaitadvaita Philosophy
Sri Nimbarkacharya was born in Pandarpur in Andhra Pradesh in 12-13th century. Sri Nimbarka was devotee of Krishna and spent his time mostly in Mathura, the birth place of Krishna. He wrote small work of ten verses known as Dasa-Sloka, giving a short exposition of his doctrine for beginners. Nimbaraka expounded the philosophy of Dvaitadvaita – duality in unity. He basically adapted the doctrine of Bhedabheda of Bhaskara. According to him, Brahman has innumerable auspicious attributes but without any particular form. He transforms Himself into the world of duality and change, without losing His entity as the Absolute and unitary Being. The Jiva in his real nature is one with Brahman, but gets differentiated from Him in the state of bondage by what is called the Upadhis or adjuncts of body-mind. But in liberation, Jiva is becomes with Brahman, as a river becomes one with ocean when it enters it. According to Bhaskara, by performance of the duties imposed on one by the Vedas without any desire for their duties imposed on the practice of meditation on Brahman and the Jiva’s oneness with Him, the Jiva will be able, by the strength of his aspiration for freedom, to release him from the bondage imposed by Upadhis. Bhaskara’s system does not preach devotion to any form of the Deity, nor does it affiliate itself with any personalistic cult. Nimbarka’s Dvaitadvaita philosophy is as under: Brahman is only independent entity. He is known by several names as Parmatman, Bhagavan, Isvara, Rama, Krishna and Purushottama. He is free from the five kinds of imperfections (Klesas) viz. ignorance, egoism, attachment, hatred and fear of death. He is omniscient, omnipotent and His will is always accomplished (Satya-sankalpa). He is free from law of karma. He is Nirguna (without three gunas of Prakriti – Sattva, Rajas & Tamas). He possesses the six unique qualities – Jnana (knowledge to perceive everything), Shakti (Power to make everything), Bala (Strength to support world), Aishvarya (Sovereignty), Virya (tireless energy) and Tejas (Prowess to suppress opposing forces).
Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya – the Dvaita
Sri Madhvacharya, who lived during 1238-1317 in Karnataka, propounded the philosophy of Realism, the Doctrine of the Two i.e. Dvaita. It accepts two entirely separate substances, the independent reality (God) and the Dependent reality (the Jivas, Nature and other allied categories). Consciousness is always bi-polar. There must be a knower (Jnata) at one end, and an object (Jneya) at other end. The Dvaita is further elaborated through fivefold difference viz. Jiva and Jiva; Isvara and Jiva; Isvara and Jada or inanimate substance; Jiva and Jada: Jada and Jada. The highlights of the philosophy are as under: Dvaita doctrine of Madhva has recognized ten ultimate categories as under:
Supreme Being (Brahman):
Jiva (Individual soul):
Prakriti: Prakriti is dependent on Brahman. (As against, Samkhya’s philosophy that Prakriti is absolutely independent entity and philosophy of Advaita that world is only provisional reality which is sublated when the Truth is realized.). Space and Time: Both unmodified space and Time are not perceived through any of the sense organs by the Saksi (witness), the intuitive power of the Atman, directly. In deep sleep when all the senses and mind are absolutely at abeyance, the saksi intuits bare ego, bare time and bare bliss. As no sense experience is there, it cannot be an ordinary perception and for that reason, not an inference. The evidence of Saksi alone certifies it. Both time and space are infinite but also infinitely divisible.
Avidya or Ignorance: The sense of an independent self-centered existence is called Avidya, the Svarupajnana (the ignorance of one’s nature). It is the basic cause of the Jiva’s involvement in the miseries of Samsara consisting in repeated births and deaths. The locus of Avidya is said to in Jiva. Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Ramanujacharya was born near Chennai, Tamil Nadu and lived during 1017–1137. He composed philosophical works and committing to writing the special views that were being developed orally by Yamunacharya (the grandson of Nathamuni, the great Alver) and his predecessors, gave the system a solid foundation to the Vasishtadvaita or qualified non-dualism, one of the great Hindu Philosophies. He established Lakshmi-sampradaya, also known as Srivaishnavism.
Vasishtadvaita Philosophy: He propounded the philosophy so called as “Vasishtadvaita” or qualified non-dualism. Under the system, he proclaimed that the unity is not the sublation of all diversity but the subordination of diversity to unity. World, jiva and God (the absolute one) are true and liberation from bondage is also factually true. He refuted the Advaita doctrine of Shankara that the Brahman, the absolute as the non-dual being in whom the world of many is mere appearance ascribed by ignorance and not actually existing. Ramanuja questioned locus of ignorance, if it is in Brahman; Brahman is loaded with evil and becomes unworthy as a spiritual goal. Brahman (God):
Jiva (Soul) & Jagat (Nature):
Jivas are hold of oppressive Karma that generates the spiritual blindness of ignorance and impurity. God is untouched by karma and therefore absolutely pure. Srishti & Parlaya:
Liberation:
His Teachings:
Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Advaita of Adi Shankaracharya
Adi Shankaracharya was an exponent of Advaita Vedanta philosophy which is expounded in the following shloka: ब्रह्म सत्यं जगत् मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः (Brahman is the only truth, the world is illusory, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman and individual self) Adi Shankaracharya was born in 8th century in Kaladi village of Kerala and lived for 32 years. He composed commentaries on the more than 250 Vedic texts (Brahma Sutras, Geeta, Principal Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Vishnushstrnam, Lalitatristi, Vivikcudamani etc.). Vivekcudamani expounds the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. As per Advaita Vedanta philosophy, there are two realities: Vyavaharika (empirical reality, Maya) and Paramarthika (absolute, spiritual Reality, Brahman). Maya create a bondage to the empirical world, preventing the unveiling of the true Self (Real, Atman, Brahman). The major highlights of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy are mentioned as under:
Reference: Sri Sankaracarya’s Vivekacudamani by Svami Madhavananda Path of spiritual wisdom requires renunciation (त्याग) and Shiv ji is Acharya of path of spiritual wisdom.
By following the path of Spiritual Wisdom, Gyani experiences that body and jivatma, both are different. Gyani does not have attachment to anything or anybody. He does not accumulate things. His birth is for tapas. By tapas, one gets purified. Role of Satsang: To attain spiritual wisdom, satsang is necessary. Hence, satsang should be every day. It purifies manas (मन). Saints always remember-meditate on the almighty. Yoga vashisht Ramayan has explained seven stages / roles of wisdom viz. Great desire of auspiciousness (शुभेच्छा), Positive investigation (सुविचारणा), Tanumanasa (तनुमानसा), Sattvapatti (सत्वापत्ति), Dissociation (असंसक्ति), Pdarthbhavini (पदार्थभाविनी) and Turiga (तुर्यगा). These are explained as follows:
The first three roles in the seven roles are “instruments or means excellence” (साधनकोटि) and the remaining four are “wisdom excellence” (ज्ञानकोटि). During first three stages, one need to meditate over Brahman with attributes i.e. personal god. Reaching to fifth stage, the chord between body and consciousness (jivatma) starts breaking and one starts experiencing jivatma. At this stage, one dissociates more and more from body presence. The great Saints of Spiritual Wisdom:
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