Vedarthasangraha.
The work Vedarthasangraha opens with a declaration of fundamentals. these are the three fundamentals enshrined in the Upanishads.
The Philosophy of Reality.
The Philosophy of the Way.
The Philosophy of the end.
the first concerns the nature of Brahman. The second concerns the nature of Bhakti. The third relates to the realization or attainment of Brahman. Elaborating these principles further the philosophy of the upanishads is expanded to cover five departments of inquiry. Inquiry into the self, the Brahman, the obstacles to perfection, the method of progressing to perfection and the nature of perfection.
There are some special doctrines about the finite self in the philosophy of Ramanuja: Attributive Consciousness (Dharmabhutajnana), Moral responsibility or free causality of the self, atomic nature, plurality,and equality.
The postulation of attributive consciousness by many are said to be unconvincing. But the conception is very simple. the self is said to be of the nature of consciousness or knowledge. this consciousness is twofold. the self is aware of itself. The consciousness by and through which it apprehends itself is substantive consciousness (svarupabhutajnana) the consciousness through which it apprehends all that is different from itself is attributive consciousness. The distinction is necessitated by the fact that the self is real and the self is not all that is real.
Brahman is the soul of the universe is the original and foremost assertion of the Upanishads. The reassertion of that idea in all its aplitude is the soul of the philosophy of ramanuja which comes out clearly in Vedarthasangraha.
Contributions to Srivaishnavism.
"Tat tvam asi" in the interpretation, Ramanuja proceeds to a wider field of interpretation, comprehending all the varied texts of the Upanishads. He takes up what he describes as the "heart of all scriptures" meaning the substance of the teachings of the upanishads on the nature of brahman. He begins with considering the marvellousness of the nature of Brahman and proceeds to say. God is not an external architect of the cosmic structure, manipulating an external machine. He is but the inner soul the core of the cosmos. He is not that He acts upon the world but that He acts within it thus unfolding His measureless splendor through the medium of the finite.
Contribution to Visistadvaita.
Ramanuja classifies the principal affirmations of the Upanishads and works out lines of interpretation. The governing principle of interpretation, he maintains, must be the principle of non-contradiction and non-rejection. The well knit and unified structure of Upanishadic philosophy must not be disintegrated and no principle must be construed in such a way as to be divested of its chief interest and purport. there should be no incoherence and no explaining away. In fact, he implies that the eye for coherence will reveal the inner depth of thought in each of the parts and a full and deep inquiry into the import of the part discloses the pervading coherence of the whole. every principal variety of Upanishadic utterance adds an integral element to the total architectonics of Vedanta.
Special features.
Ramanuja, describes highest bhakti as a form of knowledge. It is intelectual love. He is opposed to the popular and unscientific distinction between knowledge and love. The knowledge of God, who is the supreme reality, supremely blissful, itself passes into the love of God. Knowledge of the supreme and the love of the supreme are not two distinct psychical processes. to know God and not to have that knowledge converted into love is a sheer impossibility. True knowledge is knowledge of God and true love is love of God. The self is not an aggregate of faculties. Its functioning is a single process both of the nature of Love and Knowledge, This identification is the teaching of the Upanishads.
To conclude.
Ramanuja gathers together into one comprehensive statement the appreciations of divine beauty scattered in profusion throughout the sacred literature, the Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Puranas, Ithihasas, and the Pancharatra. He not only synthesizes them but adds to the statement a refreshing and animating spirit of his own which is the spirit of poetry and prayer, metaphysics and mysticism, a luminous commentary and supreme adoration.
Vedarthasangraha describes the characteristics of the philosophical attitude. viz. devotion to truth, width of vision, depth of insight into what is essential and openness of mind.
Bibliography.
A suppliment to and The Introduction of the Vedarthasangraha by S.S Raghavachar.
The work Vedarthasangraha opens with a declaration of fundamentals. these are the three fundamentals enshrined in the Upanishads.
The Philosophy of Reality.
The Philosophy of the Way.
The Philosophy of the end.
the first concerns the nature of Brahman. The second concerns the nature of Bhakti. The third relates to the realization or attainment of Brahman. Elaborating these principles further the philosophy of the upanishads is expanded to cover five departments of inquiry. Inquiry into the self, the Brahman, the obstacles to perfection, the method of progressing to perfection and the nature of perfection.
There are some special doctrines about the finite self in the philosophy of Ramanuja: Attributive Consciousness (Dharmabhutajnana), Moral responsibility or free causality of the self, atomic nature, plurality,and equality.
The postulation of attributive consciousness by many are said to be unconvincing. But the conception is very simple. the self is said to be of the nature of consciousness or knowledge. this consciousness is twofold. the self is aware of itself. The consciousness by and through which it apprehends itself is substantive consciousness (svarupabhutajnana) the consciousness through which it apprehends all that is different from itself is attributive consciousness. The distinction is necessitated by the fact that the self is real and the self is not all that is real.
Brahman is the soul of the universe is the original and foremost assertion of the Upanishads. The reassertion of that idea in all its aplitude is the soul of the philosophy of ramanuja which comes out clearly in Vedarthasangraha.
Contributions to Srivaishnavism.
"Tat tvam asi" in the interpretation, Ramanuja proceeds to a wider field of interpretation, comprehending all the varied texts of the Upanishads. He takes up what he describes as the "heart of all scriptures" meaning the substance of the teachings of the upanishads on the nature of brahman. He begins with considering the marvellousness of the nature of Brahman and proceeds to say. God is not an external architect of the cosmic structure, manipulating an external machine. He is but the inner soul the core of the cosmos. He is not that He acts upon the world but that He acts within it thus unfolding His measureless splendor through the medium of the finite.
Contribution to Visistadvaita.
Ramanuja classifies the principal affirmations of the Upanishads and works out lines of interpretation. The governing principle of interpretation, he maintains, must be the principle of non-contradiction and non-rejection. The well knit and unified structure of Upanishadic philosophy must not be disintegrated and no principle must be construed in such a way as to be divested of its chief interest and purport. there should be no incoherence and no explaining away. In fact, he implies that the eye for coherence will reveal the inner depth of thought in each of the parts and a full and deep inquiry into the import of the part discloses the pervading coherence of the whole. every principal variety of Upanishadic utterance adds an integral element to the total architectonics of Vedanta.
Special features.
Ramanuja, describes highest bhakti as a form of knowledge. It is intelectual love. He is opposed to the popular and unscientific distinction between knowledge and love. The knowledge of God, who is the supreme reality, supremely blissful, itself passes into the love of God. Knowledge of the supreme and the love of the supreme are not two distinct psychical processes. to know God and not to have that knowledge converted into love is a sheer impossibility. True knowledge is knowledge of God and true love is love of God. The self is not an aggregate of faculties. Its functioning is a single process both of the nature of Love and Knowledge, This identification is the teaching of the Upanishads.
To conclude.
Ramanuja gathers together into one comprehensive statement the appreciations of divine beauty scattered in profusion throughout the sacred literature, the Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Puranas, Ithihasas, and the Pancharatra. He not only synthesizes them but adds to the statement a refreshing and animating spirit of his own which is the spirit of poetry and prayer, metaphysics and mysticism, a luminous commentary and supreme adoration.
Vedarthasangraha describes the characteristics of the philosophical attitude. viz. devotion to truth, width of vision, depth of insight into what is essential and openness of mind.
Bibliography.
A suppliment to and The Introduction of the Vedarthasangraha by S.S Raghavachar.
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