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Thread: Schools of Vedanta

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    Schools of Vedanta

    Schools of Vedanta Explained

    Vedanta forms a very important basis of Hinduism which means end of Vedas culminating in Upanishads (Jnanakanda). Let us first get a good understanding of what Vedanta schools teach by recognizing some important aspects mentioned in literature of Hinduism. The Vedanta is primarily based on Prasathanatraya which can be described as triple legged stool upon which rest entire knowledge based literature of Hinduism
    Shruti literature consisting of all major Upanishads
    BrahmaSutra
    Bhagvad Gita
    Bhagvad Purana may be added here as per Vaishnavite schools as a valid means. They are described as profoundly influential Hindu literature because they succeed in concretizing abstract and at time obtuse writing of Upanishads and Brahma Sutra in an easily to understandable stories.

    The three most important schools of Vedanta are described as:

    Dualism of Madhavacharya (Dvaita) Man is a servant of God.

    Qualified dualism of Ramanujachaya (Visishtadvaita) Man is a spark of a fire called God.

    Non dualism of Shankaracharya (Keval Advaita- Not two) Man is identical with Godhead.

    Each system of philosophy views three main components differently.
    God,
    World
    Soul.


    Let us try and understand various concepts using different traditions. Typically all religions (including Abrahamic faiths) view God as an independent entity outside the sphere of this world. The world and soul are creations from nothing per se and are dependent on God. The differing metaphysics emanate from their views on following fundamental belief systems and the intricate relationships between them.

    The basics of metaphysics can be summarized by following different concepts.
     Ontology: The branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of original being.
     Epistemology: The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
     Axiology: The study of value or goodness, in its widest sense.
     Theology: Study of the nature of God and the relationship of the human and divine.

    Various systems have differing views on original being and its relationship with entities that we experience in our daily lives. Those concepts arise important points as listed below.

    Is God a transcendental phenomenon or an immanent phenomenon?
    Is it formless or with form? If with form, is it a he or a she?
    Is God a creator and others a creation? Is there a real creation per se?
    Is God an efficient cause or a material cause or both simultaneously?
    What is relationship of a creator and creation? Is it a so called creation a real entity? What is Maya?
    Is it transformation (Parinamvada) or a superimposition (Vivartavada)?
    What is a soul? What is the relationship between godhead and individual soul?
    What is the nature of salvation? What happens to soul in salvation what are the pathways to salvation?

    Let us start from first step of dualism which represents largest majority in Hinduism and almost all major religions all over the world. All sects of Vaishnavism follow the idea of God as a primary and omnipotent entity that either controls or influences other two components.


    Nirguna Brahman Saguna Brahman



    NON DUALISM Jnana Dualism
    JNANA BHAKTI





    Nirguna Brahman Maya?
    Saguna Brahman MAYA




    I - The Dvaita Philosophy of Madhavacharya:
    (Similar to Abrahamic faith of dualism)

    It is called Sad-Vaishanvism is the doctrine of absolute differences.
    GODHEAD Saguna Brahman

    He emphasizes five great distinctions. GGG
    God and the individual soul.

    God and matter.

    Individual soul and matter
    UNIVERSE -Matter Individual Soul
    One soul and another soul

    One material thing and another.






    Vishnu is the Supreme Being as per this school (This can be compared to father in heaven in Christian traditions).
    The world is real and difference is true.
    God is the only independent Reality. The soul and the world are dependent realities.
    The Supreme Being Vishnu (Krishna) is first cause (or in case of Christianity may be father in heaven will be equivalent). He is the Governor of the world and. the Inner Controller of all souls. He is the efficient (but not the material) cause of the world and responsible for creation, sustenance and dissolution of universe. The world is not an illusion or Maya.
    In Moksha, the soul does not attain equality or merger with God. Devotion (Bhakti) of Lord Krishna is the pathway for salvation which is eternal bliss and service to him.
    Madhavacharya states that souls may be Nitya (eternal), Mukta (liberated) or Baddh (bound). Some of them may continue in birth death cycle forever or may be condemned to hell. The grace of the Lord is in proportion to the intensity of devotion for the purpose of salvation. This concept is almost identical with Christianity.

    II - The Visishtadvaita Philosophy of Ramanujacharya

    Brahman >>>Universe >>> Individual soul












    It is also called as Ubhaya-Vedanta because of Tamil works of the Alvar saints is included in his philosophy. They are called Sri Sampraday Vaishanavas.
    He emphasizes immanent aspect of God (Saguna Brahman) and states that souls and matter form the body of God.
    Ramanujas Brahman is a Personal God with the qualities of omnipotence, omniscience and infinite love. He is also inner controller of the world and the soul is under his control.
    Ramanuja recognizes Parinama-Vada - a doctrine of the real effect proceeding from a cause.
    God, soul and Nature are three eternal entities. The individual soul is absolutely real and eternally distinct from God. Although it has sprung from Brahman it enjoys a separate personal existence. The whole pomegranate fruit represents the Brahman of Ramanuja, each seed corresponding to the individual soul.
    The liberated soul never becomes identical with Him and never loses its individuality but a blissful state in presence of God. The final emancipation can be obtained only through Bhakti and the grace of the Lord.

    Ramanujacharya takes us one step closer to a process of integration of various components.

    III - The Advaita Philosophy of Shankaracharya













    Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent).
    The Nirguna (transcendental- higher) Brahman becomes a personal God (Saguna - lower Brhamn with attributes) only through its association with Maya for the worship of devotees.
    His central teaching is "Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah" (Brahman the Absolute alone is real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman).
    The world is relatively real (Vyavaharika Satya), while Brahman is absolutely real (Paramarthika Satya).
    He believed in superimposition (Vivarta-Vada) theory where the cause produces the effect without undergoing any change in itself. Rope appears to be a snake without transforming itself into a snake, like milk into curd as in case of Parinam-Vada.
    The Jiva identifies itself with the body, mind and the senses, when it is deluded by Avidya or ignorance.
    According to Shankara, Karma and Bhakti (devotion) are means to Jnana (knowledge) which is the basis of Moksha (liberation).

    Besides those three clearly defined schools, there are three more hybrid versions propagated by other Acharyas. They combine some of the elements from other schools.

    IV- The Dvaitadvaita Philosophy of Sri Nimbarkachrya

    The Ultimate Reality exists in four forms. Primary form is Supreme Brahman. Second form is Ishvara, third form is Jiva or the individual soul and fourth form is manifested as the universe.
    The Jiva is different from Brahman with reference to the phenomenal aspect or the body-idea. It is identical with, or same as, Brahman with reference to the noumenal aspect as the invisible whole. This is called Bhedabheda.
    The individual soul is also identical with or the same as, the Supreme Soul. Just as a wave is both different from the ocean (being only a part of the ocean), and identical with it (both being water).
    Brahman is independent and controlling Reality while Jiva and Prakriti are dependent realities.
    The soul and the world are different from but simultaneously not different from omnipresent God. An omnipresent Supreme Being cannot be distinct from the individual soul and the world.
    Brahman is regarded as both the efficient and the material cause of the world.
    Brahman Nirguna and Saguna are in the creation but also transcend it. This is Panenetihism.
    The world is not an illusion but a manifestation (Parinama) of what is contained subtly in God
    Salvation is attained by real knowledge (Jnana) and true devotion (Bhakti). In union with Brahman, it attains the same status as that of Brahman, but it has no power over creation, preservation and dissolution of the world.

    V- The Achintya Bhedabheda Philosophy of Sri Chaitanya
    (The Hare Krishna Movement)

    The world and souls depend on God, though they are separate and distinct from Him.
    There is an incomprehensible difference- non-difference (Achintya Bhedabheda). Just as the sun has its light and the fire its heat, so the Supreme God, Krishna, has energies which are mysterious and incomprehensible. These energies are of three kinds, viz., Chit-Sakti, Jiva-Sakti and Maya-Sakti
    The Supreme Lord Krishna manifests Himself as Brahman to Jnanis; as Paramatman to Yogins; and as Bhagavan full of all glories, all beauties, all sweetness and all attributes, to Bhaktas.
    God assumes infinite forms. Radha is the essence of the delight giving power of Lord Krishna.
    Jiva is partly similar to God in respect to Chaitanya and partly dissimilar on account of his animal nature and susceptibility to the influence of Maya.
    Bhakti (devotion) is the way to the final emancipation.

    VI -The Shuddhadvaita Philosophy of Sri Vallabhacharya (Pushti Marg)

    The philosophy of Sri Vallbhacharya is Shuddha Advaita because he does not admit Maya like Shankara, and believes that the whole world of matter and souls is real and is only a subtle form of God. Vallabhacharya holds that Brahman can create the world without any connection with such a principle as Maya.
    Vallabhacharya accepts the authority not only of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras, but of the Bhagavata Purana. (This is an important distinction for Vaishnavite schools).
    The important works of Vallabhacarya are Pushti-Pravaha-Maryada and Siddhanta-Rahasya.
    Worship of Vishnu (Krishna) is derived chiefly from the Vaishnava philosophy propounded by Ramanujacharya. Lord Krishna as a purushotama is the highest Brahman and his body consists of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss).
    Vallabhas followers worship Bal (child)-Krishna with an attitude of a parent. Vatsalya-Bhava Vallabha lays great stress on Pushti (grace) and Bhakti (devotion).
    God is infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. The Sruti texts, which say that He has no attributes, mean that He is devoid of ordinary qualities.
    Lord Krishna appearing in various forms is the first cause and the only cause as a material as well as the efficient cause of the universe without going through any change. Jagat is real however, the Samsara involvement is illusory. The Jivas are parts of God arising spontaneously as sparks from fire. The individual soul is itself Brahman, with the attribute bliss being obscured or suppressed because of egoism which makes the soul forget its original true and divine nature
    There are three kinds of souls:
    1. The pure (Shuddha) Jivas with divine qualities.
    2. The worldly Jivas (Samsarin).They experience births and deaths on account of their connection with gross and subtle bodies.
    3. Mukta Jivas or liberated souls. These souls are freed from the bonds of Samsara through Vidya or Knowledge.
    There is another classification of souls:
    Pushti souls issue from the Anada-Kaya or the bliss-body of God. They have communion with and develop Bhakti through the grace of the Lord.
    Maryada souls are generated from the Vak or the Word of God. They perform their ritualistic duties, at first with selfish interests and eventually develop unselfish attitude without any self-interest.
    Pravahika souls are Samsaric souls issue from the mind of God.
    This Pushti-Bhakti is of four kinds:
    Pravah Bhakti (flow of a river) is the path while leading the worldly life leading to the attainment of God-realization.
    Maryada Bhakti is the path of those attains knowledge useful for worship, through the grace of the Lord.
    Pushti-Bhakti, the devotees do Kirtana and Japa (repeated recitation) of Mantra.
    Suddha Pushti-Bhakti -This kind of devotion is generated by the Lord Himself as his grace descends on the devotees. This concept of Para-Bhakti states that the devotee sees Lord Krishna everywhere just like the Gopis did in a state of passion with Lord.
    Pushti Bhakti is the chief means of salvation and emancipation comes through grace of God. This intense devotion generated by special grace is known as Pushti Bhakti and the pathway id Pushti Marga. (This concept is not any different from Christianity and grace of Christ).The Bhaktas assume the forms of cows, birds, trees and rivers and enjoy the company of Sri Krishna, which bestows infinite joy. The Supreme goal is not Mukti or emancipation. The highest goal is eternal service of Lord Krishna and participation in his sports in the celestial Brindavana.
    Conclusion:

    The concepts of various schools may appear to be somewhat contradictory at superficial level but are not necessarily antagonistic. Vivekananda has rightly pointed out that three schools of Vedanta are gradation or a ladder to an ultimate step of Advaita Vedanta. Indeed the proponents of dualist schools strongly object this gradualism as this concept puts their firmly held beliefs at the bottom of a ladder but it is the only logical way of looking at it.
    Vedantic concepts of Hindu religion can be understood in simple terms like functioning of the government of USA. In the present context, in a US system of government

    1 - A citizen may view a president as a God equivalent and finds him-self to be subservient to presidency in a sort concrete term.
    2- One can also look at same system and see the citizens have some power of governmental structure by influencing elected officials although not exactly equivalent in nature. It is little bit of an abstract concept.
    3- Once a citizen views in a truly more abstract sense, he/she will come to recognize that a government is nothing but a conglomerate of all citizen power. The entity called government is an imaginary idea which includes president, cabinet, legislatures, Supreme Court and Governors at state level as well as mayors at a local level. Citizens choose and elect them (or create a structure of appointments) to rule on their behalf. The entity called Government is essentially intertwined with in citizenry of the country similar to Lincolns concept of of the people, for the people and by the people. Although we refer to the power structure as Government in our conversation, we understand in intellectual terms that there is not a single such entity called government. This analogy can also be applied to God. The idea is on a purely concrete in to a journey to abstraction. God can be viewed in a different light just as in case of Government in the current environment especially in a representative form in USA. I may also point out that one cannot become US president if born in a foreign land, the dualist schools will maintain that one never become Ishwara with a power of God to create, sustain and dissolve universe we experience. In that respect, we are all foreign born citizens in universe of Godhead at least from their perspective.
    When Shvetketu is being advised that You are that or TAT TVAM ASI in Chandogya Upanishad, one has to wonder whether it is qualitative or quantitative or both!
    Let me give an example here. A child who has a vague concept of money (because he has observed that mom buying the stuff at Walmart by giving something) like a specific kind of a paper. If the same child showing a quarter were to ask a question to mom as to what this is and mom responds this it is that implying that it is money. The child who cannot yet count mistakenly concludes that a quarter is equivalent to a dollar. He understands the value of money but not yet relative values of all types of money. That is how Vishitadvaita and Davita School view this upanishadic statement. They do not accept that the Jiva and Ishvara are equivalent in absolute value. They argue that a fraction (Jiva) can emanate from whole (Ishvara) but a whole cannot emanate from a fraction. Put it other way, waves are contained in ocean but oceans are not contained in a wave and hence they are not equivalent although qualitatively they are same.
    Ramanujacharya and Madhavacharya view reality in its immanent aspect which essentially maintains some degree of duality in the final emancipation Shankaracharya has taken Reality in its transcendental aspect where an ultimate merger with Niguna Brahman is the goal of salvation. Depending upon the ontological views held by various groups about relationship between the three key components (God, world and soul) the liberation, salvation or emancipation to be achieved will be achieved in a different manner.
    One can attain proximity to God with a form and live in a heaven of the belief system. One can have a communion with God with a form in such a system.
    One can have a symbolic union with God. This union may be similar to oil in water where one maintains an independent identity. One does not acquire powers of God here.
    In the end, one can desire a complete merger with God head where individual identity is annihilated in total just as a rain drop of water loses its identity when it falls in an ocean if one assumes the ultimate entity is a formless Nirguna Brahman.
    If one takes the view of ultimate reality as God with form, the devotional aspect takes the driver seat as some degree of duality will be maintained in the end. If one takes the view that ultimate reality is a formless entity, the knowledge pathway will take the dominant theme in the approach. One can combine all pathways like devotion, Karma, yoga and Jnana as ultimately Par Bhakti as envisioned by Vallabhacharya is essentially equivalent to the state of Jnana as envisioned by Shankaracharya. Bhakti appeals to emotions and mind and Jnana appeals to intellect of an individual.

    That is essence of Vedanta schools teaching different pathways leading to either same or similar goals.
    The truth is that an ultimate and final reality cannot be realized while living in the body. Ramakrishna has beautifully explained this fact that if a salt doll wants to measure the depth of an ocean, the doll will end up being annihilated if it came to realize the true and ultimate and final reality.

    In essence self-realization may lead to a complete dissolution jiva-hood or ego at least in an abstract sense.

    One can state that if we go through the steps of recognition, revelation and realization, the self-actualization will follow but at the same time one reaches to a point of no return at that stage.

    That self -actualization is the final or ultimate step in salvation which may come to fruition by Bhakti or Jnana pathway. A bhakta or a devotee wishes to taste the candy of divine love while Jnani wishes to be the candy itself in the final emancipation.

  2. #2
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    Re: Schools of Vedanta

    Namaste Parikh,

    Thank you for this informative post. It summarizes so many concepts/schools of thought/devas etc.
    A couple of things that I think need attention:
    1. " obtuse writing of Upanishads and Brahma Sutra in an easily to understandable stories." - To me "obtuse" is a negative word. The writings/messages in Upanishads may be subliminal and one may need them interpreted, but by no means are they "obtuse". We should not be using base adjectives for our sacred scriptures.
    2. In describing Vishnu, there are so many references to 'Christian' traditions, as if Xitianity is the benchmark, and one must define everything with reference to something in that religion. I am sure you realize that this is a Hindu Forum and you are talking to a Hindu crowd.

    If this is a cut and paste, it should be properly worded to suit a Hindu Forum, such as ours. This is not to discourage you but to make you aware of how things could be modified to make them look more palatable. Please keep bringing in all the good stuff to the forum.

    Regards.

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 28 March 2012 at 12:02 PM.

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    Re: Schools of Vedanta

    hari o
    ~~~~~~

    namasté

    Quote Originally Posted by Parikh1019 View Post
    Let us try and understand various concepts using different traditions. Typically all religions (including Abrahamic faiths) view God as an independent entity outside the sphere of this world.
    This is not the view found in kaśmir śaivism. I must agree the Supreme is viewed as independent (svātantrya) yet this supreme is the essence (sāra) of each tattva found in the universe. Hence one must come to the undertanding then that He is within and without every fibre of this creation.

    ** yet that said, kaśmir śaivism is not in complete alignment with vedanta. One thing in common is the non dual (advaita) view of reality. But kaśmir śaivism sees the relevence, appreciation and application of parā , parāpara and apara. This is the core of the trika system or view **

    praṇām
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  4. #4

    Re: Schools of Vedanta

    [QUOTE=Believer;80874]Namaste Parikh,

    Thank you for this informative post. It summarizes so many concepts/schools of thought/devas etc.
    A couple of things that I think need attention:
    1. " obtuse writing of Upanishads and Brahma Sutra in an easily to understandable stories." - To me "obtuse" is a negative word. The writings/messages in Upanishads may be subliminal and one may need them interpreted, but by no means are they "obtuse". We should not be using base adjectives for our sacred scriptures.

    ## No disrespect was intended here. Just the fact that often upanishadic writing is difficult to comprehend and often very abstract in nature.

    2. In describing Vishnu, there are so many references to 'Christian' traditions, as if Xitianity is the benchmark, and one must define everything with reference to something in that religion. I am sure you realize that this is a Hindu Forum and you are talking to a Hindu crowd.

    ## It is just meant to compare Abrahamic faith concepts only.

    If this is a cut and paste, it should be properly worded to suit a Hindu Forum, such as ours. This is not to discourage you but to make you aware of how things could be modified to make them look more palatable. Please keep bringing in all the good stuff to the forum.

    ## I am not sure why someone will be offended to compare concepts between different religions. It is not meant to belittle any thing or anyone. It is just to understand only. As I am comparing different schools with in Vedantic ideas, I am also comparing to Christianity. In fact, many of the Bhakti school concepts have a great deal of similarity.

    Regards.

  5. #5

    Re: Schools of Vedanta

    This is not the view found in kaśmir śaivism. I must agree the Supreme is viewed as independent (svātantrya) yet this supreme is the essence (sāra) of each tattva found in the universe. Hence one must come to the undertanding then that He is within and without every fibre of this creation.

    ** yet that said, kaśmir śaivism is not in complete alignment with vedanta. One thing in common is the non dual (advaita) view of reality. But kaśmir śaivism sees the relevence, appreciation and application of parā , parāpara and apara. This is the core of the trika system or view **


    #####Most of schools of Hinduism have pantheistic and Panentheistic view points. (Nature is god or God is immanent and transcendental phenomenon as well)
    Advaita has a great deal of similarity with Kashmiri Shaivism.

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