[Prev][Next][Index]
A summary of Madhva's dvaita-vAda
-
To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
-
Subject: A summary of Madhva's dvaita-vAda
-
From: nparker@crl.com (Nathan Parker)
-
Date: 29 Mar 1995 10:14:30 -0800
-
From nparker@crl.com Wed Mar 29 13: 05:13 1995
-
Newsgroups: alt.hindu
-
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [Login: guest]
---------------------
Dvaita of Madhvacarya
---------------------
Introduction:
vede ramayane caiva purane bharate tatha
adavante ca madhye ca visnu sarvatra giyate
(Harivamsa)
In the Vedas, Ramayana, Puranas and the Mahabharata, from the
beginning till end, and also in the middle, Visnu is glorified everywhere.
Sripada Madhvacaryas philosophy is known as Dvaita. While
strongly establishing the status of Visnu as Supreme Being, he emphasises
that there are two catagories of realities:
svatantram asvatantram ca prameyam dvividham matam
(Tattva viveka 1)
The aim of philosophy, he says, to realise the distinction or
difference between the Independent Reality (The Supreme Lord) and
dependent realities (jivas, world etc). There is order, regulation, mutual
adjustment and harmony in creation. This shows tha t there is no
unrestricted independence to all to act as they please. The realities that
constitute this existence are dependent on the Independent Reality, the
Supreme Lord, Vasudeva who explains, controls and inter-relates the
dependent realities into t his existence.
Doctorine of Difference:
It shows that matter, souls and God constitute the three major
realities of Madhvas system. The number of souls is unlimited and the
modifications of matter are numerous, in various states. These three are
conceived as distinct entities. The reality of God is of the independent
grade. That of the rest is dependent. Between matter and souls, the former
is of a lesser grade of reality. The reality of things in space and time
involves the differences in name, form, attributes, relations, and
tendencies. H e has given a scheme of "five-fold difference"
(Pancabheda).
jivesvarabhida caiva jadesvarabhida tatha
jivabhedo mithascaiva jadajivabhida tatha
mithasca jadabhedoyam prapanco bhedapancaka:
(Visnutattva nirnaya)
(1) the distinction between Isvara and jiva
(2) the distinction between Isvara and jada (prakrti)
(3) the distinction among the jivas
(4) the distinction between the jiva and the jada
(5) the distinction among the jadas i.e, distinction between one
inanimate object and another.
This fivefold difference is collectively spoken of by Madhva as
"Pra-panca". It is real and eternal.
paramesvarena jnatatvat raksitatvatca
na dvaitam bhrantikalpitam
nahisvarasya bhranti:
(Visnutattva nirnaya)
This scheme of pancabheda is not illusory - as it is cognized,
maintained and controlled by the Supreme Lord; for there can be no
illusions for God.
Scriptures:
Sripada Madhvacarya quotes profusely from an exceptionally wide
range of Vedic literatures like the Mantras, Brahmanas, Khilas, Aranyakas,
Upanisads, Itihasas, Puranas, Pancaratras and the Smrtis. He has drawn to
the largest extent upon the Rg Veda. He r efuses to give a secondary place
to the Vedas as apara vidya - dealing only with karma and demigods without
any philosophical content. He treates the ocean of Vedic literatures as an
integral legacy (samanvayatva) and not as fractional revelations of tru th
and religion. He covers the entire range of the sastras and establishes
the running unity (gatisamanya) in establishing the dependency of
everything on Vasudeva.
Brahman:
Definition:
sarvatrakhilasacchakti: svatantrosesadarsana:
nityatadrsacicetyanta istho no ramapati
(tattvodyota)
The Lord of Ramaa is the Supreme Independent Person possessing all
adequate and unrestricted energies in regard to the cit and acit and He is
unlimitedly cognizent. By His own will, He is the Supreme controller of
both cit and acit who are of a different nature from His.
All the Upanisads without exception, glorify Hari who is the abode
of infiite qualities as free from all imperfections:
gunavisistha - Full of qualities like omniscience etc, lordship, beauty,
transcendence etc.
dosa abhava visistha - free from limitations as sin, misery, liability to
physical embodiment etc.
vangmanasa gocara - beyond the reach of mind and speech, transcendental.
a-dvitiya - One without a second, to be sought to the exclusion of
everything else.
sarvartaka - the Supreme self, source of all existence, consciousness and
activity of all else in the creation.
prakrtyadipravartakatvena taduttamatvat, naiva rupavat brahma
(Brahma-sutra Bhasya) III - 2 - 14
Because He is transcendental to material nature and is the
controller of all that be, He is described as formless.
He is the source of all:
svabhava jiva karmani dravya kala sruti kriya
yat prasadad ime santi na santi yad upeksaya
iti sruterna sattadyapi narayanam vina
tat patanjali vindhyadi matam a purusartadam
(Anu vyakhyana)
The nature, jivas, their karmas, ingredients, time, Vedas,
interactions all these exist, function and are cognized only by Narayanas
will and pleasure. They cannot exist without Him. Thus it is explained in
the Srutis that everything depends on His cont rol. So the philosophy of
Patanjali and Vidhya etc., are not conducive for spiritual advancement.
Jiva:
ahamityeva yo vedhya: sa jiva iti kirtita
sa dukhi sa sukhi caiva sa patram bandha moksayo
(Visnu tattva nirnaya)
He who undergoes happiness and misery, who is eligible for bondage
and release, is the jiva. He knows himself as I am in all his states.
Souls are conceived in Madhvas system as finite centres of
conscious experience, each with a unique essence of its own. The essence
of individuality is that one finite centre of experience cannot possess,
"as its own immediate" experience, the experienc e of another. It is this
non-transferable immediacy of experience that distinguishes one self from
another, inspite of their possessing certain similar characteristics. Each
has a specific content of consciousness, reality and bliss and constitutes
a foca lization which is nowhere exactly repeated in nature. The nature of
the souls is to be one of unalloyed bliss and pure intelligence. It is
essentially free from any kind of misery or pain; though subjected to a
natural gradation of intelligence and bliss in cosmic hierarchy of selves
and subject always to the Supreme, in bondage "and in release". The sense
of misery, which is bondage, is external to their essence and is brought
about by a "real" though "misplaced sense of independence of initiative
and co nduct"
The jivas are reflected counterparts (pratibimbamsa) of Brahman
(Visnu). The bodies of the jivas, eternally present in Vaikuntha, the
celestial abode of Visnu, are transcendental (aprakrta). Hence, they are
called unconditioned-reflected-counterparts (nirupadhika-pratibimbamsa)
of Visnu. The bodies of the jivas of the material world are matierial;
therefore, they are called conditioned-reflected-counterparts
(sopadhika-pratibimbamsa) of Visnu.
(i) Plurality of Souls:- Madhva holds the doctrine of multiplicity
of selves. He establishes that there are intrinsic or essential
differences in the nature of the jivas (svarupabheda). The uniqueness of
each individual experience, which forms the conten t of personality, is
sufficient reason, according to Madhva, for the acceptance of
jiva-bahutva-vada (plurality of souls) and the distinctiveness of each
individual.
(ii) Gradation of souls:- Madhvas doctrine of the Soul insists not
only upon the distinctiveness of each soul but also upon an intrinsic
gradation among them based on varying degrees of knowledge, power, and
bliss. This is known as Taratamya or Svaru pataratamya, which comes
out all the more clearly in the released state, where the souls realize
their true status.
According to Svarupataratamya, the unreleased souls are divided
into three grades (Trividhya):
(1) Muktiyogya (salvable),
(2) Nitya-samsarin (ever-transmigrating)
(3) Tamoyogya (damnable)
Sri Madhva also speaks about the intrinsic differences existing
among the "released" souls. Hiranyagarbha among the released (and in
Samsara too) occupies a privileged position as jivottama. He accepts
innate distinction among (released) souls into Deva, Rsi (Pitr, Pa) and
Naras. The Devas are Sarva-prakasa(fit to realize God as all pervasive),
the Sages are Antahprakasa (fit to realise God within) and the rest
Bahihprakasa.
Madhva and his commentators have cited many texts from the Vedic
literature (from Gita16.3, 5, 6, 18, 20; 8.3; Bhag. 6.14.5; Isa. Up 3
etc.), in support of the acceptance of the Traividhya among jivas who are
entangled within the samsara. An intrinsic di vergence of nature and faith
into Sattvika, Rajasa and Tamasa which is rooted in the core of
individual nature (dehinam svabhavaja) as stated in the Gita, is the
ultimate basis of this theory according to Madhva. This theory is
developed from the d octrine of Trividha-Sraddha in the Gita. The term
Sattvika, Rajasa, and Tamasa are applied to the jivas in their tripartite
classification, according to Madhva, with reference to their basic nature
of Caitanya going beyond the play of prakrti and its guna s: "yo yac
chraddhah sa eva sah" (Gita 17.3). This is clear from Madhvas comment on
the above verse, where he interprets the term "sattvanurupa" as
"cittanurupa".
(iii) Self-luminosity of souls: The individual soul, as a sentient
being, is admitted by Madhva to be self-luminious (svaprakasa). It is
not merely of the form of knowledge (jnanasvarupa) but is a knower
(jnatr). The conception of self as a conscio us personality is the same
as it is in respect of God, expect for the fact that even the
self-luminosity of the jiva is dependent on the Supreme, which makes
bondage possible.
Bondage:
pramadatmakatvat bandhasya
(Brahma Sutra Bhasya I - 1 - 17)
Bondage is of the nature of ignorance.
svabhav ajnanavadasya nirdosavat na tad bhavet
(Anu vyakhyana)
The theory that ajnana has the jivas for its locus and acts as a
veil around them is not open to any of the difficulties that beset other
theories as Brahma ajnana vada.
Madhva calls his theory of bondage by the name of svabhava ajnana
vada. Even though the jiva is a self luminous being, still, it is not
inconceivable that he should become subject to ignorance of his own true
nature and of the nature of God and of his true relationship with Him, as
he is a dependent being, and part.
Jayatirta explains this natural ignorance as follows:
1) it is in the nature of jiva.
2) it is real, not something imagined.
3) it establishes the Supreme Lord as Independent.
4) it establishes the jiva as dependent.
5) it covers jivas true nature and the nature of the Lord and his
relationship with Him from him.
6) it is under the control of the Supreme Lord.
svagunacchadika tveka paramacchadika apara
(Bhagavata tatparya 10-81-13)
One of this veils the jivas own qualities and the other veils the
true nature of God from him.
According to Madhva the Lord actuates the latent power of prakrti
known as maya and avidya and then the bondage begins. Though the jivas are
dependent on God, (the theory of svabhava ajnana vada accepts that) the
kartrtva (freewill) and bhoktrtva (enjoye r-mood) allows the avidya to act
upon them. These faculties as well as the resultant false ego,
intelligence, mind, the senses and the senses are all God-given. In
ignorance, the jiva thinks that they are all under his control and his
possessions. The fac t is that they are our possessions subject to the
will of the Lord. Due to contact with such material existence and the
permeation of the consciousness through all these and the resultant
attachment to them, the jiva regards the dualities as his own and s
ubjects himself to continuous material existence in various levels. This
is known as samsara.
na ca karmavimamala kala guna prabhutimaccittanu taddhi yata:
(dvadasa statora 3-6)
The true and final explanation of bondage is therefore the will of
the Lord and not merely karma, ajnana , kala, gunas etc; for these are
insentient and totally dependent on the Lord.
Release:
According to Madhva , the true knowledge of the souls relation
with the Supreme Lord that can redeem it from this bondage. But even by
the power of such knowledge, without the grace of the Lord, release is
impossible:
ityaderna harim vina
jnanasvabhavatopi syanmukti: kasyapi hi kvacit
jijnasotthajnanajat tatprasadadeva mucyate
(Anu vyakhyana)
Release from samsara is possible only through Haris grace. It is
achieved by this process:
1) Discipline of sincere study of sastras and proper association
jijnasa.
2) This sets ones doubts at rest, and clears the ground for
meditation.
3) Constant meditation on the Lord in loving devotion guarantees
direct vision of Sri Hari.
4) Those who have such vision receive the grace of Sri Hari.
mahatmya jnana purvastu suddhrda sarvato adhika
sneho bhaktir iti proktas taya muktir na ca anyaya
(Mahabharata tatparya nirnaya I-86)
The firm and unshakable love of God, which rises above all other
attachments, based upon an adequate knowledge and conviction of His
glories, is called Bhakti. That alone is the process for release - nothing
else.
bhaktya jnanam tato bhaktis tato drsthis tatas ca sa
tato muktis tato bhakti: sa eva syat sukha rupini
(Anu vyakhyana iii-4)
Sri Madhva explains the process of bhakti:
1) devotion
2) understanding of ones original position
3) devotion
4) vision of Lord
5) devotion
6) liberation
7) devotion - essence of bliss and final accomplishment
harer upasana ca atra sadaiva sukha rupini
na tu sadhana bhuta sa siddhir eva atra sa yata
(Brahma-sutra bhasya IV - 4 - 21)
The worship of Sri Hari bestows an unalloyed bliss in itself. It
is not a means to any further end. It is the accomplishment itself and the
fulfillment of our real self.
nityasiddhatvat sadrsyasya nityanandajnanade;
na bhakti jnana adina prayojanm ityato braviti:
ambuvadagrahanattu na tathatvam
ambuvat snehena/ grahanam jnanam/
bhakti vina na tatsadrsyam samyag bhivyajyate
(Brahma sutra bhasya 2.2.19)
The essential nature of jivas relationship with the Lord, his
consciousness, bliss etc are all constitutional - hence they dont depend
on sadhanas like bhakti, jnana etc. This is explained in the Brahma-sutra
II-2-19: ambuvat; When all the processes ar e united with a loving, deep
attachment with the Lord it is like the reflecting surface of the water.
Without this loving devotion the vision of the Lord is impossible and the
manifestation of ones constitutional relationship with the Lord is also
impossible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Atmatattva Tape Ministry -
Lectures on:
Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, six systems of Vedic philosophy,
four sampradayas, Upanishads, lives of acharyas etc.
Lectures available in English and Tamil.
Also various Bhajana and mantra cassettes, such as Purusha-sukta,
Narayana-sukta, Vishnu-sukta, etc.
For a free catalog of lectures given by Sriman Atmatattva Das Adhikari,
and for a free sample cassette, send your post adress via email to
nparker@crl.com
Please specify English or Tamil language for the sample cassette.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
