TheTheMimansaMimansa

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Vedanta Vedanta PhilosophyPhilosophy

Dr Kanchan SaxenaDr Kanchan Saxena

THE MIMANSA PHILOSOPHYTHE MIMANSA PHILOSOPHY

• The Mimansa is called the Purva-The Mimansa is called the Purva-Mimansa while Vedanta is called the Mimansa while Vedanta is called the Uttra-Mimansa.Uttra-Mimansa.

• The former is earlier than the latter, in The former is earlier than the latter, in the sense that it deals with rituals, the sense that it deals with rituals, while the latter is concerned with while the latter is concerned with knowledge.knowledge.

LiteratureLiterature• Jaimini’s sutra in twelve elaborate chapters,

laid the foundation of Purva Mimansa.• Sabarswami wrote the major commentary or

Bhashya on this work. The two most important are Kumarila Bhatta and Prabhakara, who founded the two schools of Mimansa.

• The philosophy of the mimansa school may be discussed under three heads namely,– theory of knowledge– Metaphysics– religion and theology

• The mimansa believes in the reality of the world with all its diverse objects. It rejects, therefore the Buddhist theory of voidness and momentariness as well as the Advaita theory of the unreality of the phenomenal world.

• The souls are permanent eternal substances and so also are the material elements by the combination of which the world is made.

• Mimansa metaphysics is pluralistic and realistic.

Literature Literature (contd..)(contd..)

The Mimansa’s conception of soulThe Mimansa’s conception of soul

The soul is an eternal, infinite substance, which is related to a real body in a real world and it survives death to be able to reap the consequences of its action performed here.

Consciousness is not the essence of the soul, but an adventitious quality which arises when some conditions are present.

There are as many souls as there are individuals.

Concept of Dharma in MimansaConcept of Dharma in Mimansa

• Jaimini defines dharma as a good which is of the nature of a command.

• It is a prescription of the Vedas, which indicates the nature of good and evil, and impels the self to realize the highest good.

• Dharma can be revealed by the vedic prescriptions only, it is not apprehended by perception, inference, comparison or any other means of knowledge.

• Kumarila recognizes two kinds of duties, secular and scriptural or non temporal.

• The secular duties fulfil perceptible secular ends. The scriptural duties fulfill imperceptible supersensuous ends. They are of the two kinds, i.e. conditional duties and unconditional duties.

• The former are empirical duties for the realization of desired ends. The latter are obligatory occasional duties i.e. bath in the Ganges on the occasion of the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse.

Concept of Dharma in Mimansa Concept of Dharma in Mimansa (contd..)(contd..)

ApurvaApurva

• The performance of prescribed acts generates an unseen agency (Apurva) which produces their fruition at a later time.

• The deferred fruition of the performance of duties is due to the mediation of Apurva.

Liberation and its Means Liberation and its Means

• Kumarila and Prabhakara consider the nature of liberation, and the means of its attainment. Kumarila regards liberation as negative in character, and consequently, eternal.

• Liberation is due to absolute extinction of merits and demerits. When they are completely destroyed, the body, which is the vehicle of experience, is destroyed.

• Kumarila regards action and knowledge necessary for the attainment of release. An aspirant for release should refrain from forbidden acts which produce suffering and prescribed acts which generate happiness.

‘‘Vedanta’ literally means’ the end Vedanta’ literally means’ the end of the ‘Vedas’.of the ‘Vedas’.

Primarily the word stood for the Primarily the word stood for the Upanishads though afterwards its Upanishads though afterwards its denotation widened to include all denotation widened to include all thoughts, developed out of the thoughts, developed out of the Upanishads.Upanishads.

The Vedanta PhilosophyThe Vedanta Philosophy

The central theme is that enunciated The central theme is that enunciated in the Upanishads - the doctrine of in the Upanishads - the doctrine of Brahman and the embodiment of the Brahman and the embodiment of the unconditioned self.unconditioned self.

The great aim of all vedanta teaching The great aim of all vedanta teaching is to prove the reality of Atman and is to prove the reality of Atman and Brahman and to establish their Brahman and to establish their complete identity.complete identity.

It teaches the essential oneness of all It teaches the essential oneness of all things. things.

Badrayama’s Brahma-sutra is the Badrayama’s Brahma-sutra is the chief text of Vedanta philosophychief text of Vedanta philosophy

Schools of VedantaSchools of VedantaAdvaita VedantaAdvaita Vedanta (Shankaracharya)(Shankaracharya)

Visistadvaita VedantaVisistadvaita Vedanta(Ramanujacharya)(Ramanujacharya)

Dvait VedantaDvait Vedanta(Madhvacharya)(Madhvacharya)

Dvaitadvita VedantaDvaitadvita Vedanta(Nimbarkacharya)(Nimbarkacharya)

ShudhadvaitaShudhadvaita (Nimbarkacharya)(Nimbarkacharya)

Achintaya Achintaya (Chaitanya (Chaitanya Maha- Maha- BhedabhedaBhedabheda

prabhu)prabhu)

The most common question on The most common question on which the schools of the which the schools of the Vedanta are divided is;Vedanta are divided is;

What is the nature of the What is the nature of the relation between the self (JIVA) relation between the self (JIVA)

and God (Brahman)?and God (Brahman)?

Shankara-Vedanta (Advaita Vedanta)Shankara-Vedanta (Advaita Vedanta) Shankaracharya was the greatest Shankaracharya was the greatest

philosopher among the Indian thinkers.philosopher among the Indian thinkers. He emphasizes the monoistic tendency in He emphasizes the monoistic tendency in

the Upanishads and develop it into a the Upanishads and develop it into a systematic Advaitavada.systematic Advaitavada.

He emphasizes the reality of unconditioned He emphasizes the reality of unconditioned and unqualified (Nirguna) Bhahman, and and unqualified (Nirguna) Bhahman, and regards God, the individual souls and the regards God, the individual souls and the world as appearances due to indefinable world as appearances due to indefinable principle called cosmic nescience (Maya) principle called cosmic nescience (Maya) which is neither real nor unreal, but which is neither real nor unreal, but indefinable.indefinable.

The AtmanThe Atman According to Shankaracharya the Atman is According to Shankaracharya the Atman is

the universal self.the universal self. It is Brahman, the absolute, the supreme It is Brahman, the absolute, the supreme

reality.reality. Jiva is the individual or empirical self. It is Jiva is the individual or empirical self. It is

the Atman limited by the body, the sense the Atman limited by the body, the sense organs , manas, buddhi and the likes, which organs , manas, buddhi and the likes, which are its limiting adjuncts.are its limiting adjuncts.

Atman is the transaendental, metaphysical Atman is the transaendental, metaphysical self.self.

Jiva is the empiricalJiva is the empirical phenomenonal self.phenomenonal self.

The Atman is of the nature of pure The Atman is of the nature of pure consciousness.consciousness.

It is eternally pure, conscious, and It is eternally pure, conscious, and liberated.liberated.

It is the eternal, unchangeable, It is the eternal, unchangeable, absolute, formless, one supreme absolute, formless, one supreme reality.reality.

It is different from the empirical self. It is different from the empirical self. But the empirical self is not different But the empirical self is not different from it.from it.

The Atman is its reality.The Atman is its reality.

The Empirical self (Jiva)The Empirical self (Jiva) The empirical self is the knower, enjoyer The empirical self is the knower, enjoyer

and active agent.and active agent. It acquires merits and demerits and It acquires merits and demerits and

experiences there fruits.experiences there fruits. It is subject to transmigration, lives an It is subject to transmigration, lives an

embodied life in the empirical world, and embodied life in the empirical world, and is capable of bondage and liberation.is capable of bondage and liberation.

Though it is non-different from the Atman, Though it is non-different from the Atman, the supreme self and immortal in its the supreme self and immortal in its essential nature, mortality is attributed to essential nature, mortality is attributed to it owing to its actions due to nescience.it owing to its actions due to nescience.

The Concept of BrahmanThe Concept of Brahman

Brahman is the only ontological reality Brahman is the only ontological reality in Shankara-Vedanta. in Shankara-Vedanta.

Brahman is existence, knowledge and Brahman is existence, knowledge and bliss.bliss.

Brahman is limitless and infinite.Brahman is limitless and infinite. Brahman is the eternally accomplished Brahman is the eternally accomplished

being. It does not change, increase being. It does not change, increase and decrease, grow and develop. and decrease, grow and develop.

Ishvara (God)Ishvara (God)

God is the determinate Brahman-in God is the determinate Brahman-in Shankara-vedanta.Shankara-vedanta.

He is not the unconditioned, He is not the unconditioned, indeterminate, attributeless Brahman.indeterminate, attributeless Brahman.

He is Brahman conditioned by cosmic He is Brahman conditioned by cosmic nescience (maya).nescience (maya).

Though Brahman is attribute- less it Though Brahman is attribute- less it is said to be endowed with empirical is said to be endowed with empirical attributes for the sake of prayer.attributes for the sake of prayer.

Maya: (Avidya)Maya: (Avidya)

Shankaracharya uses ‘Maya’ and Shankaracharya uses ‘Maya’ and avidya, the two words synonymously.avidya, the two words synonymously.

Brahman conditioned by Maya is Brahman conditioned by Maya is Ishvara (God).Ishvara (God).

Maya is his power or energy, the source Maya is his power or energy, the source of the names and forms, which are of the names and forms, which are modified into the phenomena of the modified into the phenomena of the world, and which are neither real nor world, and which are neither real nor unreal, but indefinable. unreal, but indefinable.

Maya is cosmic nescience.Maya is cosmic nescience. It is an indefinable principle.It is an indefinable principle. It is ontologically unreal, since It is ontologically unreal, since

Brahman is the only ontological Brahman is the only ontological reality.reality.

But it is not absolutely unreal But it is not absolutely unreal like a hair’s horn, it is real like a hair’s horn, it is real enough to project the multiple enough to project the multiple world of appearances.world of appearances.

Ramanuja-Vedanta (Visistadvaitavad)Ramanuja-Vedanta (Visistadvaitavad)

Ramanujacharya was the chief Ramanujacharya was the chief propounder of the doctrine of qualified propounder of the doctrine of qualified monoism (Visistadvaitavada).monoism (Visistadvaitavada).

He criticized Shankaracharya’s He criticized Shankaracharya’s monoism and established the monoism and established the ontological reality of God, the ontological reality of God, the individual souls and the world and individual souls and the world and regarded the souls and the world as regarded the souls and the world as attributes or modes of God.attributes or modes of God.

The concept of Brahman: GodThe concept of Brahman: God

Brahman is the ‘Supreme person’ Brahman is the ‘Supreme person’ endowed with innumerable supreme endowed with innumerable supreme and auspicious qualities and devoid and auspicious qualities and devoid of all impure qualities.of all impure qualities.

He is the infinite reality by nature He is the infinite reality by nature and qualities; there is no other and qualities; there is no other supreme reality.supreme reality.

He is possessed of truth or reality, He is possessed of truth or reality, knowledge and bliss. knowledge and bliss.

The Self (Jiva) and consciousnessThe Self (Jiva) and consciousness

• The Jiva is the individual self.The Jiva is the individual self.• It is different from the body, life, the It is different from the body, life, the

sense-organs, mind and intellect, it is sense-organs, mind and intellect, it is different from the psychophysical different from the psychophysical organism.organism.

• It is the knower, enjoyer and active agent.It is the knower, enjoyer and active agent.• It is self luminous and manifests itself It is self luminous and manifests itself

without the aid of knowledge.without the aid of knowledge.• It is the abode of knowledge and has It is the abode of knowledge and has

attributive consciousness. attributive consciousness.

Bondage and LiberalionBondage and Liberalion Bondage and liberation depend on the will of Bondage and liberation depend on the will of

God, according to Ramanuja. The essential purity God, according to Ramanuja. The essential purity of the self is concealed by a beginning less series of the self is concealed by a beginning less series of Karmas due to avidya at the will of God. This of Karmas due to avidya at the will of God. This is bondage.is bondage.

The veil of Karmas is removed by devotion, The veil of Karmas is removed by devotion, meditation, and knowledge as His will. This is meditation, and knowledge as His will. This is release which is community of nature with God, release which is community of nature with God, and not identify with Him. The self does not lose and not identify with Him. The self does not lose its identity in God in the state of release.its identity in God in the state of release.

The self is not indentical with Brahman. The The self is not indentical with Brahman. The Identity texts indicate the essential similarity Identity texts indicate the essential similarity between them. They are different from each between them. They are different from each other.other.

Refutation of MayaRefutation of Maya Ramanujacharya has refuted Shankara’s Ramanujacharya has refuted Shankara’s

doctrine of maya. Shankaracharya maintaisn doctrine of maya. Shankaracharya maintaisn that one undifferentiated, inderminate, self-that one undifferentiated, inderminate, self-luminious absolute (Brahman) is real, and that luminious absolute (Brahman) is real, and that God, souls and the material world are unreal God, souls and the material world are unreal appearances due to some defect.appearances due to some defect.

First Ramanuja contents that nescience must First Ramanuja contents that nescience must subsist in something. It can not abide in the subsist in something. It can not abide in the individual soul (Jiva), since it is a product of individual soul (Jiva), since it is a product of nescience, an unreal appearance.nescience, an unreal appearance.

Nescience can not abide in Brahman, since it is Nescience can not abide in Brahman, since it is self luminuous and of the nature of knowledge self luminuous and of the nature of knowledge which is contradictory to nescience. which is contradictory to nescience.

Therefore Brahman, which is of the nature of pure Therefore Brahman, which is of the nature of pure knowledge, can not be the locus of nescience. knowledge, can not be the locus of nescience. Nescience can not abide in any locus. Nescience can not abide in any locus.

Secondly, nescience can not veil the self-luminous Secondly, nescience can not veil the self-luminous nature of Brahman, since self–luminosity which is nature of Brahman, since self–luminosity which is its essence would be destroyed.its essence would be destroyed.

Third and fourth Shankaracharya maintains that Third and fourth Shankaracharya maintains that the self-luminious subject-objectless consciousness the self-luminious subject-objectless consciousness apprehends itself as countless subjects and objects apprehends itself as countless subjects and objects owing to some defect in itself.owing to some defect in itself.

Sixthly Shankaracharya maintains that nesciene is Sixthly Shankaracharya maintains that nesciene is destroyed by the integral knowledge of the identity destroyed by the integral knowledge of the identity of Brahman and the self.of Brahman and the self.

Lastly, there can be no cessation of nescience, since Lastly, there can be no cessation of nescience, since there is no knowledge which can destroy it. there is no knowledge which can destroy it.

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