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s'uddhAdvaita of vallabhAcArya
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To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: s'uddhAdvaita of vallabhAcArya
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From: nparker@crl.com (Nathan Parker)
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Date: 23 Mar 1995 10:30:10 -0800
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From nparker@crl.com Thu Mar 23 13: 20:04 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [Login: guest]
[From "jn~Ana-cakShaNi", published by Bhaktivedanta Academy (Coimbatore).]
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Suddhadvaita of Vallabhacarya
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Introduction:
Suddhadvaita means the non-duality of Brahman which is pure, free
from maya. Thus the jiva and acit are essentially the same as Brahman,
without involving the idea of maya. According to Sankara, for instance,
Brahman creates this world only when it is conditioned by illussion, maya;
but according to Vallabha, it is Brahman, pure without any connection to
illussion, that creates the world.
Source Of Knowledge:
The highest authority is Veda in the system of Vallabhass
philosophy. For metaphysical teachings he accepts the authority of
Upanisads. He accepts Smrtis only if they agree with the Vedas like Manus
book of law. From philosophical sutras, only the sutr as composed by Krsna
in His incarnation as Vyasa are worthy of importance. For the same reason
he accepts Mahabharata. Srimad Bhagavad-gita possesses unique significance
in his philosopy. The Ramayana possesses full authority, because Valmiki
composed it in Samadhi bhasa. Puranas form a needful supplement to Sruti
and Smrti; if the latter are like eyes, then the former is like the heart
for knowledge. The Bhagavata is the highest means of help for salvation,
because it calls forth the love for Krsna, wh ich warrants welfare; and
brings us to maturity. No other book is so highly valued by Vallabha.
The works of Pancaratra are expressly pointed out as authoritative
and cited so often.
Thus, the Upanisads, the Brahma-sutras and Gita are the pillars on
which Vallabha erects his building of doctorines. To these 3 prasthanas,
the Bhagavata is joined as the fourth one, which he considers to be
expressly of the similar worth because it wa s told by Vyasa in samadi
bhasa. The four holy scriptures complete and explain each other in a
reciprocating way (i.e, they supplement and complement each other); as the
Bhagavata explains the Brahma-sutras, these explain the Gita and the Gita
explains the Veda.
Definitions:
1. Brahman:
According to Sri Vallabhacaryas doctrine of suddhadvaita,
Brahman is a pure entity, free from maya. It is conceived as non dual,
one without a second. The universe with souls and matter, maya or
prakrti, kala or time, exists in one Supreme Rea lity. All these
constitute the being of Brahman and as parts of the Brahman are not
distinct from Him.
Brahman is free from the 3 kinds of difference known as
svajatiya-bheda (difference which appears between things of the same
category), vijatiya-bheda (difference which appears between things of
different category) and svagata-bheda (difference whi ch manifests
itself in one and the same thing, either between its essence and form or
between its component parts). It is omniscient and omnipotent and
possesses an infinite number of attributes. It has marvellous powers
(aisvarya) by virtue of which it can even hold together things or
attributes which are mutually opposed. Thus it is both qualified
(saguna) and unqualified (nirguna). It is one, eternal, omniscient,
omnipotent, possessed of an infinite number of attributes, and essentially
of the na ture of sat (existence), cit(intelligence) and
ananda(bliss). It is suddha (pure), i.e, never contaminated by
connection with maya".
Brahman has three forms, (i) the highest divine form
(adhidaivika) as Krsna or Purusottama, possessing an infinite number of
auspicious attributes, attainable by a devotee; (ii) the aksara form
(adhyatmika), in which all the attributes have become non-manifest and
which alone is attainable by sages (jnanin), and (iii) the antaryamin
form as seen in the incarnation or avataras of Visnu.
Jiva and the world are identical with Brahman. Jiva is Brahman
with the quality of bliss obscured and the physical world is Brahman with
the quality of both bliss and intelligence obscured. Creation and
destruction in their case mean the appearance (avi rbhava) and
disappearace (tiraobhava) of Brahman in these forms. Brahman is both
material and efficient cause of jiva and the world, manifesting itself in
these forms simply for the purpose of sport (lila). In doing so, it does
not undergo any change in essence. It is just like snake forming itself
into coils.
2. Jiva:
Jiva is an atomic part of Brahman, produced from its cit
(intelligence) part, just as sparks are produced from fire. It is not an
adjective of Brahman, but Brahman under limit. Jiva, being identical with
Brahman, is endowed with all the divine powers ( aisvarya). It is bound
by avidya when, by the will of Brhaman, its divine powers are obscured.
There are three categories of jiva: suddha (pure), samsarin
and mukta. Jiva is suddha when its divine qualities, such as
aisvarya, are not obscured by avidya (ignorance); samsarin when, by
the will of Brahman, its divine qualities are obscu red and it comes in
contact with avidya, identifying itself with the gross and subtle
bodies; and mukta when, again by the will of Brahman, it is freed from
bondage by vidya.
The jiva, though atomic can pervade the whole body by virtue of
its quality of intelligence (caitanya), just as sandal-wood can by its
fragrance make its existence known even where it does not exist.
The souls to be found in samsara fall in 3 classes viz. (i) the
divine (daivi) souls, whch are fit for salvation (mukti yogya), (ii)
the middle (madhyama) or human souls who are destined for wandering
(srusti yogya) and (iii) the demoniac (dan ava) souls who are
condemned to gloom or darkness. This division of souls finds its reference
in the old Pancaratra texts.
The souls are also classified in another way in pusti-pravah
maryada bheda. Here four sorts of souls are distinguished. (i) Pusti
souls which are redeemed by grace of God, (ii) maryada souls who attain
salvation by following the Vedic precepts in the w ay of knowledge, (iii)
pravaha souls who swim in the "current" of samsara in a demoniac way, and
are (a) either durgna or bad nature and therefore sink down in darkness
in the end, or (b) agna who are led astray at times by other demoniac
(asuras) p eople, but who can be improved again later, and lastly (iv)
sambandhin souls, that is such as are without fixed character, who do not
come out of samsara, let themselves be driven here and there, just like
corrupt women (charsani) who throw themselves i n the arms of this and
that paramour now and then.
As a matter of salvation, the pusti souls can enter into Goloka
and participate in the joyful nature of God. Maryada souls carry in them
only the spiritual, not the joyful nature of God, and are therefore
capable of only intellectual salvation - the entr ance in the soul of the
world (aksara). The pravaha souls have nothing to do, either with Gods
joyful body, or with his spiritual nature, they can neither attain a
commonplace with the Purusottama, nor enter the aksara but dissolve
themselves in the blind darkness, an existence free from joy and spirit.
There no question of salvation for the fourth class.
Thus it follows that according to Vallabha only a few souls are
fit for salvation, while others remain continuously in samsara or enter
the darkness for ever. Vallabha also teaches the perpectual damnation of
abandonded souls.
3. Jada:
The inanimate world (jada) is created from the sat (existence)
part of Brahman. It is, therefore as real as Brahman. But the jiva, under
the influence of avidya, endows it with illusory forms. The world is
real, but its appearance (pratiti) to th e jiva under the spell of
avidya, is erroneous. It is like a man sitting on a moving boat
perceiving a tree on the bank, to whom the tree appears to be in motion.
The tree is real, but the perception of the motion of the tree is
illusory. Similarly, the world which is essentially of the nature of
Brahman and, therefore, purely subjective and free from difference, is
real, but the objectivity and multiplicity, which the jiva in ignorance
perceived in it, are unreal.
Brahman is the non-different material and efficient cause of the
Universe. Vallabha however does not use the term upadana. He has
described Brahman as the samavayikarana. Beacause, upadana involves
change while Brahman is unchangeable. The word sa mavaya implies
identity. Thereby Vallabha stresses the complete identification of Brahman
with the world.
Brahman creates the cosmos not like a potter, who creates a pot
from material different from that of his own self, and by turning the
potters wheel which is something found outside his ownself, but He
creates without any stuff and without instruments; like a yogin, He turns
Himself into the world; just as milk becomes sour-milk of its own
accord. This thesis of the enfolding of Brahman to the world finds its
proof in the satkaryavada, which accepts a universal identiy of cause
and work. Just as an unrolled piece of cloth is not different from a
rolled up one, so also the world is not different from Brahman. The
plurality of appearances in the world says nothing against the being of
God at their bottom: a bangle and a ring are different from each ot her,
but both of them have the same material basis, namely gold. Thus the world
created from Brahman (brahma-karya) in the sense that Brahman itself is
manifested in the form of the gross world. Thus the creation and
destruction of Objects in this world mean only the manifestation
(avirbhava) and disappearance (tirobhava) of the Brahman in those
forms; and when Brahman appears as a product and as capable of being
experienced (anubhavayogya) the world is created; but when it goes back
to its causal form and ceases to be the object of ordinary experience, the
world is destroyed. The world is, therefore, as eternal and real as the
Brahman itself, its creation and destruction being nothing but powers
(saktis) of Brahman. It is neither illusory nor e ssentially different
from the Brahman.
Vallabha accepts 23 tattvas in the creation of the world. They are
Purusa, prakriti, 3 gunas, mahat, ahankara, manas, 5 jnanendriyas, 5
karmendriyas and the pancamahabhutas. It is characteristic in this
enumeration that no difference is made between Puru sa and prakrti and
their forms of development, because according to the of system of Vallabha
both are only different ways of manifestation of God.
4. Bondage:
According to Vallabha, the jivas association with avidya, as
well as his bondage and freedom, are brought about by the free will of
Brahman for the purpose of sport.
5. Moksa:
The moksa which consists in the absolute cessation of all misery
and the experiencing of the bliss which was observed in the condition of
samsara, can be attained by two means, bhakti (devotion) and jnana
(knowledge). Of these the former is superior, sin ce it leads to the
realisation of the divine form of the Brahman as Krsna or Purusottama, in
which the anandamsa is at its best; while the latter is inferior, as it
leads to the realisation of the second or non-determinate form of Brahman
where the ananda msa is of an inferior order. Bhakti itself is of two
degrees, maryadabhakti and pustibhakti. In the former, the devotee
attains moksa by practice of means (sadhana) on his own part, such as,
the disciplines laid down in the sastra, which produce an aversion to
worldy things, or worship and prayer of Bhagavan. In the latter-and this
is the higher kind of bhakti - the devotee, without having recourse to any
sadhanas, depends upon nothing but pure and simple love of Him; his goal
is only the service of Hari; his highest pleasure is to become one of the
associated of Hari and to sport with him in the celestial Vrndavana. This
pustibhakti is the privilege of only him whom Bhagavan is pleased to
favour; it begins with prema which removes a liking for anything but
Hari, and passing through asakti which produces a positive aversion to
objects not connected with Hari, culminates in vyasana or entire
devotion to Hari.
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