Saturday, March 10, 2012



Q. Please explain how it is established that Karma (reason) Karya (action) bhavam can exist even in case of 2 objects of different characteristics and it would not affect our satt karya (all true) vadam, through the doctrine of sarira athma bhava between prakriti and Brahman in Vedanta saram.

Truth and reality in this world can be understood and established through authenticated proofs called pramanas, which are categorised under three groups. These are “Pratyaksham” “Anumanam” and “Shabdam” Generally what we see in this mundane world can be understood through Pratyaksham and Anumanam. But to understand the matters pertaining to the life and after death, the two vehicles pratyaksham and anumanam are not sufficient. It is only through Shabdam that we can know the path that leads to the understanding of the ultimate truth and the purpose of our life that is Purushartham on this earth. Shabdam is also the only authority on which we should rely on such matters. We should accept the ageless and faultless vedas as the authority or shabda pramanam to realise the true spiritual path. In the first part Karma Kanda or poorva mimamsa of the vedas we learn the methods and activities that we should practice to obtain the material benefits which we can enjoy and experience through worldly possessions. However these pleasures are only transient and short lived. Indulgence in such activities can only lead to more and more sorrow. Any unfulfilled desires which are material in nature will result in the rebirth os such persons to enable them to attain and experience such desires. If a person continues to indulge in the persuit of only worldly pleasures he will continue to be born again and again on this earth.
In the later portion of the vedas the gyna kanda or uthara mimamsaand the Upanishads show us the path to attain moksha or the deliverance from the cycle of births and deaths. Our poorvacharyas have correctly interpreted the contents of the vedas. It is also true that several other thinkers have interpreted the Upanishads differently and arrived at conclusions that take us away from the exalted path to lead us astray. This confusion is cleared and it has been established that moksha liberation from the cycle of births and death is the only purpose of our life on earth.
The subject matter of the Upanishads can be comprehended through superior knowledge only. As such any wrong understanding to the intended meanings  will lead to non attainment of the ultimate goal Purushartha. The Athma cannot go out of the ordained path. Vyasas Brahma Suthras were written to determine the true meaning of the Upanishads and Sri Ramanuja wrote the Sri Bhasya as a commentary to these Brahma Sutra to establish beyond doubt the true path for moksha.
Brahma Sutra contain 545 sutras (Sutras are brief containing minimum number of words but convey a fund of meaning and information) The subject whom brahma sutra deal is called Sharirika Shastram. All the universe is the body of the lord himself is the soul (athma) of the universe is the inference, since the shastra (subject of the Scriptures) speaks of the lord whose body (Shariram)  is the universe. It has four chapters  Adhyayams and each chapeter has four padhams (parts) In all it has 156 divisions or topics Adhikaranams. Each pada and adhikarana describes a noble attribute and quality of the lord. In other words the shareeraka shastra speaks of the innumerable noble qualities (Kalyana Gunaas)  of the Lord.
Briefly the noble qualities described in the 16 padams are:
1. The Lord as the creator of the universe.
2. The entire universe and all things in it as his body. i.e. “Sukshma sthula,chetana achetana sharirakatvam”.
3. His quality ‘Swanishtatwam” – swanishtam ananyaadharan.
4. Nirvadhi mahima.
5. Reaffirms the assertion that the Lord is the sole cause. Nirbadhitvam  i.e. he is unaffected by the inadequacies and differences found in his creations and he always remains pure and blemishless. Sri Ramanuja succeeds in countering the contarary views expressed by those who made misinterpretations quoting the matchless ability to be the cause remain unaffected by any kind of imperfections or inadequacies exhibited by his creations.
6. His quality of protecting those who take refuge in him. The Pancharaatra shastra is truthful to the essence of the vedas and that the shastra is given by the Lord himself. It is therefore known as Vaidika Shastram.
7. The paramathma is the cause for Akasha and Self.
8. The Lord is the cause for the indriyaas.
9. The Lord decides the perennial activities of the jeevathma.
10. The Lord while residing in the bodies of acetana and chetanas is unaffected by the defects and inadequacies of the individual self.
11. The ultimate goal to be reached by any devotee and he is the one the 32 upasana vidyas speak of.
12. The Lord favours those devotees who are sincere and loyal to their respective varanashrama dharma.
13.Mentions the lords kindness in wiping out all our Karmas (papa and punya).
14. The Lord ensures that the Jeeva while departing the body takes the route of brahma naadi, so that moksha is assured for the Jeevathman.
15. How the Lord helps the liberated Jeevathman to reach his abode.
16. The exalted pleasures the Jeevathman would enjoy associated with the Lord’s feet. Which he has gifted in return to the faith reposed by the individual in him.
Brahma sutras known also as the Vedanta sutras deal with the five fundamental doctrines of Vedanta, they are:
1.     Nature of Brahman.
2.     The Nature of individual soul (Jeevan) and its relation to Brahman.
3.     The Nature of Universe and its relation to Brahman.
4.     The Nature of the means to attain Brahman.
5.     The Nature of the supreme goal.
Many prominent vedantins have written commentaries on the Vedanta sutras to support their darshanams like Shankar’s Advaitham, Ramanujas  Visista advaitham and Madavas Dhvaitham philosophy.
 Shankars Bhashyam is the earliest commentary and establishes the philosophy of Adhvaitha or Abhedhavadha according to which the undifferentiated brahman (Nirvisesha Brahman) alone is real. Jeevan is identical with that brahman and Jagath or the universe is unreal (illusory)
Sri Ramanuja arrived at different conclusions  and established that Brahman is endowed with attributes Sarvisesha Brahman and it is the only reality as organically related to both the sentient souls chit and the non sentient matter achit both of which are very real and that the Jeevan is different from Brahman and is real as much as the universe Jagat is real.
Ramanuja classified the schools of Sankhya, Buddhism, vaisesika and jaina as vedabhyas being outside the pale of the vedas and refuted their theories od causation, following the sutras of Badharayana in accordance with the tenents of Visistadvaita. The Upanishads declare that the supreme reality Brahman can be known only through the Vedanta texts and not by any other authority.  The Vedanta texts clearly show that Brahman is both material and efficient cause. The terms Sath Brahman and Athman are synonymous and so are the unchanging, shining and without limitations is Brahman and before creation the world was Sath alone. This also proves that the texts do mean what they say and state.
Samanvayadhayam.  Lord Narayana is the cause of the entire universe. The cause as (Kaaranam) is of three types Upadhana Kaaranam, Nimitha Kaaranam and Shakarika Kaaranam. For example to make an earthen pot three things are required 1. Mud, 2. Potter and 3. Tools like the wheel etc. The mud is the Upadhana karanam (material cause) the potter is the Nimitha Kaaranam (instrumental cause) and the tools in this case the wheel is the shakarika kaaranam (auxillary cause). Like wise if you take the universe. Brahman himself is the cause of all the three types. The Upanishad state that Sripati Narayana  alone manifests and coexists as upaadhana nimitha and sahakarika karanam. But certain smrithis and school of thoughts refute the above statements saying that the akasha, jeevathma indriyas have always existed so paramathma cannot be the source of all these. But arivodhadhayayam  these doubts are dispelled and established decisively through relevant statements from smrithis, Upanishads that the parabrahman indeed is the sole and absolute cause for the creation of the universe and all things in the universe.
The argument that Brahman cannot be the cause of the world because it is different from brahman is not correct. As per the contention of the opponent the characteristics which distinguishes the cause from others must be present in the effect for example worm originating from honey and so even if it is different from brahman could have originated from Brahman. If the effect is said to be non existent in the cause, no it is only denial of similarity and not of oneness. Since at the time of dissolution the cause becomes the effect the causality of Brahman is not admissible. In dissolution the effect becomes the cause and if Brahman is the cause it becomes one with the effect. In that case all the imperfections of the world will adhere to Brahman. Then all the Vedanta vakyas like “Yassarvajnah sarvavith” “apahathapapmavijaro vimrthyuh” will become meaningless. This difficulty cannot be got rid of by claiming the body soul relationship between Brahman and the world  explaining that as the imperfections of the body do not effect the soul, those of the world do not touch brahman, because the very relationship is untenable. The sharira is the result of Karmaphala and Brahman is free from Karma.
To say that the sarira sariri bhava of Brahman and the world is not appropriate says Sri Ramanuja is only a Kuthrarka malicious reasoning on the part of those who do not understand the real significance of the spiritual texts which are substantiated by logical reasoning. There are enough evidence to prove the sharira shariri bhava.
“Yah prithivy Am thishtam  yasya prthivee sariram” He who is in the earth as its inner self and “yah athmani thishtan yasya athma sariram, who is in the individual soul as its inner self and of whom the individual soul is the body, enumerates each sentient and insentient entity and declares the sarira sariri bhava of Brahman.
“Esha sarva bhoothantharat hnaapati athapa pma dhivy o dheva eko narayanah”
This is the divine Lord Narayana who is free from evil and the inner self of all.
The definition of body as the instrument enjoyment of the fruit of actions as given by the opponent is not correct says Sri Ramanuja. The declaration of earth etc as the sarira of Iswara does not satisfy this definition. The sarira of the released soul also fall outside the scope of this definition as there is no karma for them. The body assumed by the supreme self in His manifestations is not made of elements and hence the body cannot be said to be a combination of the five elements to cite pradhana as the cause. Again the body can neither be defined as that of which the five vital breaths are the source of life, though they have life the five vital breaths have no place in them. Nor is the body the abode of the indriyas and cause of joy and sorrow always.  Therefore the body is to be defined as a substance which is in subordinate relation to a sentient soul, to be used for the purpose of that soul and controlled by it. In the injured body the power of control is obstructed as heat of fire etc. are obstructed by external agents. A dead body is not fit to be called as such since the soul has left it and it is only the congregation of matter. Hence the whole universe of sentient and insentient beings constitute the sarira of the Lord, who controls and supports it for His purpose and which is totally subservient to Him. The discrepancy in the view of sankhya  that the  
Pradhana is the cause of the world. Pradhana i.e. prakrithi is said to create the world by the mere proximity of purusha, who in his turn gets bound due to the superimposition of gunas of prakrithi on him. While purusha is said to be Chin mantra, pure intelligent free from all changes. Now  “Nirvikarasya chinmanthra rupasya prakruthi sannidhanam kim rupam ithi vivechaneeyam”
This means it has to be made clear what exactly causes the superimposition of the attributes of prakrithi on the changeless purusha. Since the purusha is changeless the prakrithi is said to undergo modifications and create the world due to the superimposition on the purusha and therefore it is the effect of the changes and hence cannot cause them. If on the other hand it is the mere existence of prakrithi and its proximity that causes the superimposition, there would be no question of release because of the permanent existence of prakriti near purusha. Hence the sankhya view is not rational. Brahman is the cause of the world as established by sruthi because the reasoning of sankhya is defective. The arguments of all other schools like nyaya visesika, budhists, jains and sankhya are mutually conflicting and hence have to be set aside. Sri Ramanuja here quotes manusmrithi which says “Arsham Dharmopadhesam chavedhas astra avirodhinayas tharakena anusandhathe sadarmam vedhanrtharah”  hence this too is dismissed being contarary to the scriptures. Brahma being the material cause, the nature of cause and effect being the same as in the case of mud and clay or gold and ornaments, there is a difference between the individual soul and Brahman as we can see from the experience of the ordinary life. The joys and sorrow are caused by merit and demerit and not due to the embodiment alone. Since Brahman has no karma  and hence no bondage resulting from karma  even though having the subtle and gross universe as his body. He is not the enjoyer of sukha or dukha  example. The king is not affected by the punishment meted out to his subjects though he is also embodied like them.  Sri Ramanuja thus quotes from Dhrmida / Bhashyakara to illustrate the point.
“Yathaloke raja prachuradhantha sooke Ghore anartha sankte api pradhesevartham anah vyujanadhyava dhooth adhehah”
Just as the prince staying in an uncomfortable infested with mosquitoes etc. does not feel the discomfort being fanned and given all comforts by his attendants so too the Lord is not touched by the defects of the world,  His power acting as the fan.
“ Thatha asou blokeshaah brahmaths amruthya ch amarahdhoshairirna sprsyathe”
As the sruthi vyakyas that Brahman is free from imperfections and changes the comparison with clay and gold is not applicable.
Thus in conclusion the world and the Brahman called paramathma are one.  He is a subtle object with cognitive abilities. He is also associated with things that do not possess cognitive powers.  When he pleases to create he creates he also creates multiple objects, he does so but is also associated with them. For this reason it is said that the world and Brahman are one. But the Brahman is omnipotent omniscient and all pervading.
Prabha.

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