Theory of Existence
VishishtAdvaita adheres to a system of complete reality. The three ontological entities i.e. Ishvara, Chit and Achit are fundamentally real. It upholds the doctrine of
Satkaryavada as against
Asatkaryavada.
Briefly,
- Satkaryavada is pre-existence of the effect in the cause. It maintains that karya (effect) is sat or real. It is present in the karana (cause) in a potential form, even before its manifestation.
- Asatkaryavada is non-existence of the effect in the cause. It maintains that karya (effect) is asat or unreal until it comes into being. Every effect, then, is a new beginning and is not born out of cause.
More specifically, the effect is a modification of what exists in the cause and doesnot involve new entities coming into existence. This is called as
parinamavada or evolution of effect from the cause. This doctrine is common to the Samkhya system and VishishtAdvaita system. The Samkhya system adheres to Prakriti-Parinama vada whereas Vishishtadvaita is a modified form of Brahma-Parinama vada.
[edit] Kārya and kāraṇa
The kāraṇa (
cause) and kārya (
effect) in Vishishtadvaita is different form other systems of
Indian Philosophy. Brahman is both the kāraṇa(
cause) and the kārya(
effect). Brahman as the cause
does not become the Universe as the effect.
Brahman is assigned two kāraṇatvas (
ways of being the cause):
- Nimitta kāraṇatva Being the Efficient/ Instrumental cause. For example, a goldsmith is assigned Nimitta kāraṇatva as he acts as the maker of jewellery and thus becomes the jewellery's Instrumental cause.
- Upādāna kāraṇatva Being the material cause. For example, the gold is assigned Upādāna kāraṇatva as it acts as the material of the jewellery and thus becomes the jewellery's material cause.
The Universe and Sentients always exist, much like Brahman. However, they undergo transformation. They begin from a subtle state and undergo transformation. The subtle state is called a causal state, while the transformed state is called the effect state. The causal state is when Brahman is internally not distinguishable by name and form. The effect state is when the internal distinction becomes pronounced.
It can be said that Vishishtadvaita follows
Brahma-Prakara-Parinama Vada. That is to say, it is the modes (Jivas and Jagath) of Brahman which is under evolution. The cause and effect only refer to the pan-organistic body transformation. Brahman as the Universal Self is unchanging and eternal.
Brahman having the subtle (sūkshma) chit and achit entities as his
Saareeram/Prakaaram(body/mode) before manifestation is the same Brahman having the expanded (stūla) chit and achit entities as
Saareeram/Prakaaram(body/mode) after manifestation.
The essential feature is that the underlying entity is the same, the changes are in the description of that entity.
For eg.
Jack was a baby. Jack was a small kid. Jack was a middle-aged person. Jack was an old man. Jack is dead
The body of a single personality named Jack is described as continuously changing. Jack doesnot become "James" because of the change.
[edit] Ethics
Souls and Matter are only the body of God. Creation is a real act of God. It is the expansion of intelligence. Matter is fundamentally real and undergoes real revelation. The Soul is a higher mode than Matter, because it is conscious. It is also eternally real and eternally distinct. Final release, that comes, by the Lord's
Grace, after the death of the body is a Communion with God. This philosophy believes in liberation through one's
Karmas (actions) in accordiance with the Vedas, the
Varna (
caste or class) system and the four
Ashramas (stages of life), along with intense devotion to Vishnu. Individual Souls retain their separate identities even after moksha. They live in Fellowship with God either serving Him or meditating on Him. The philosophy of this school is SriVaishnavism, a branch of
Vaishnavism.
[edit] Interpretation of Mahāvākyas
All Vedantic schools need to substantiate the meaning espoused by
Mahāvākyas which occur throughout Upanishadic literature. The interpretation of these
Grand Pronouncements serve as the cornerstone for establishing each school of thought. The most significant among them is:
1. sarvam khalv idam brahma from
Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1Translated literally, this means
All this is Brahman. The ontology of Vishishtadvaita system consists of:
1. Ishvara is
Para-brahman with infinite superlative qualities, whose substantive nature imparts the existence to the modes
2. Jivas are
chit-brahman or sentient beings (which possess consciousness). They are the modes of Brahman which show consciousness.
3. Jagat is
achit-brahman or matter/Universe (which are non-conscious). They are the mode of Brahman which are not conscious.
Brahman is the composite whole of the triad consisting of Ishvara along with his modes i.e. Jivas and Jagat. Hence, "all this is Brahman" denotes the triad of entities.
2. ayam ātmā brahma from
Mandukya Upanishad 1.2Translated literally, this means the
Self is Brahman. From the earlier statement, it follows that on account of everything being Brahman, the self is not different from Brahman.
3. Tat tvam asi from
Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7Translated literally, it means
Thou art that
that here refers to
Brahman and
thou refers to
jiva
The vākya establishes the identity of the jiva and Brahman. The issue here is if the identity involves establishing a unique identity or a universal identity. The difference is as follows:
1. Unique Identity:
Atman is Brahman; Nothing else is Brahman; Brahman is reality and therefore everything else is illusion
2. Universal Identity:
Atman is Brahman in the same way as everything else is Brahman.
Rāmānujā chooses to take the position of universal identity. He interprets this passage to mean the subsistence of all attributes in a common underlying substratum. This is referred to as
samānādhikaranya. Thus Rāmānujā says the purport of the passage is to show the unity of all beings in a common base. Ishvara (
Parabrahman) who is the Cosmic Spirit for the pan-organistic body consisting of the Universe and sentient beings, is also simultaneously the innermost self (Atmān) for each individual sentient being (Jīvā
. All the bodies, the Cosmic and the individual, are held in an adjectival relationship (aprthak-siddhi) in the one Isvara.
Tat Tvam Asi declares that oneness of Isvara.
When multiple entities point to a single object, the relationship is established as one of substance and its attributes.
For eg. in a statement:
Jack is a tall and intelligent boy
The descriptors
tall-ness,
intelligence and
boy-ness all refer to a common underlying
Jack
Similarly, when the upanishads declare Brahman is the Universe, Purusha, Self, Prana, Vayu, and so on, the entities are attributes or modes of Brahman.
If the statement
tat tvam asi is taken to mean as only
the self is brahman, then
sarvam khalv idam brahma will not make sense.
[edit] Understanding Neti-Neti
This is an upanishadic concept which is employed while attempting to know Brahman. The purport of this exercise is understood in many different ways and also influences the understaning of Brahman. In the overall sense, this phrase is accepted to refer to the indescribable nature of Brahman who is beyond all rationalisations. All descriptions of such an entity will necessarily have to be partial or fall short of the actual.
The typical interpretation of Neti-Neti is
not this, not this or
neither this, nor that. In VisishtAdvaita, the phrase is taken in the sense of
not just this, not just this or
not just this, not just that. This means that Brahman cannot be restricted to one specific or a few specific descriptions. Consequently, Brahman is understood to possess infinite qualities and each of these qualities are infinite in extent.
