Showing posts with label Idhar Udhar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Idhar Udhar. Show all posts

Sunday 17 November 2019


Sāmānādhikaraṇyam

Definition of Sāmānādhikarayam  (sāmānādhikaraa + yanj)
When two or more words in a sentence, each of which has a different meaning, together denote one and the same object, they are said to be in sāmānādhikarayam (in apposition).
Śakara has, in his BSSB 3.3.9, explained that sāmānādhikarayam is of four kinds.

These four kinds are explained below.


1. Adhyāse sāmānādhikarayam - Superimposition.
Here the word adhyāsa is not used in the sense of superimposition due to delusion but in the sense of a deliberate mental act of looking upon one thing as another for the purpose of meditation. The Upaniadic statement, “Meditate on a name as Brahman” is an instance of such a sāmānādhikarayam. Here the idea of Brahman is superimposed on a name, but the idea of name persists and is not negated by the idea of Brahman as it happens in the case of a superimposition due to delusion. Another example is a meditation on an image as Lord Viṣṇu, where the idea of Viṣṇu, is superimposed on the image.


2. Ekatve sāmānādhikarayam  (aka aikya-sāmānādhikarayame.g. rāmo dāśarathiḥ

i) rāmo dāśarathiḥ
rāma = śarathiḥ. There is aikyam. They are equal as well as identical. It may be noted that equal and identical are different. They do not mean the same always.

However, rāmo dāśarathiḥ is not the same as - sarvaṃ khalu idaṃ brahma (Everything is God).

Everything (sarvam) is multifarious, variegated and perishable (naśvaram). Anything dśyam is jaam

ii) Another example of ekatvam/aikyam is satya jñānam ananta brahma.   Here each of the three words, satyam, jñānam and anantam have a different meaning, but together they denote Brahman. Satyam, jñānam,  anantam are identical with Brahman.

iii) Yet another example is, “The pot-space is the same as the total space”. Here both are equally real (vyāvahārika sattā) and their identity is declared.


3. viśeaa-viśeya-bhāva-sambandha sāmānādhikarayam - nīlo ghaa

i) e.g. nīlo ghaa.
Here, the meaning of both the words are different, the words are also different. But they are in the same case (vibhakti), pointing to the same object - the thing that is blue is a pot. Here there is viśeaa-viśeya-bhāva-sambandha. This is aikya-sāmānādhikarayam .
Here the relationship between the words is that of substantive and attribute. An example is, “a blue (viśeaa) lotus (viśeya)”. The thing that is blue is pot. Here there is viśeaa-viśeya-bhāva-sambandha.


4. Apavāde sāmānādhikaraṇyam  (aka bādhāya sāmānādhikaraṇyam)

e.g. śuktikā-rajatam

a) The example given by Śakara for this is - the idea that the body-mind complex is the Self, which has been persisting over innumerable births, is discarded on the rise of right knowledge arising from the Upaniadic statement ‘That thou art”. Here what was thought to be the Self is found to be not so. Thus the wrong knowledge is replaced by right knowledge.
b) Another example is the statement, “The silver is nacre” (śuktikā-rajatam). Here the meaning is that what appeared to be silver is really nacre. The statement sarva khalu ida brahma (Ch. Up, 3.14.1), which means “All this is indeed Brahman” is of this type. It means that all this that appears has no reality and that there is nothing but Brahman.
In this kind of sāmānādhikaraṇyam, the two which are in apposition are of different levels of reality. Silver is prātibhāsika, while nacre is vyāvahārika. “All this” is vyāvahārika, while Brahman is pāramārthika.


Now the question is -
Q. Is sarvaṃ khalu idaṃ brahma  (Everything is God), like nīlo ghaa, where nīlam is an attribute to ghaam (viśeaa-viśeya-bhāva-sambandha)?
A. No.

Q. Is it like rāmo dāśarathiḥ, where there is aikya-sāmānādhikarayam between rāmaḥ and śarathiḥ?
A. No.

Thus, in sarvaṃ khalu idaṃ brahma  there is bādhāyāṃ sāmānādhikarayam
(negation of the sāmānādhikarayam). Ya sarpa, sā rajju.

Q. Where is your rajju?
A. Your serpent is the rajju.
Q. Is there a viśeaa-viśeya-bhāva-sambandha in ya sarpa, sā rajju? Are they identical?
A. No.

So, what you thought as sarpa, is not sarpa.
First see the false sarpa as false. Don't jump. It is rajju. Extending this, what you perceive as jagat, is not jagat. It is Brahman.

In sarva khalu ida brahman, what is taken as the other/multiple...is neither multiple nor other.


***


Pre-Sankara Advaita
17.11.2019

The metaphor of dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants (Latin: nanos gigantum humeris insidentes) expresses the meaning of "discovering truth by building on previous discoveries". This concept has been traced to the 12th century, attributed to Bernard of Chartres.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_on_the_shoulders_of_giants

This picture is derived from Greek mythology: the blind giant Orion carried his servant Cedalion on his shoulders to act as the giant's eyes.

Isaac Newton said he had seen farther by standing on the shoulders of giants[1]

The idea of knowledge as cumulative - a ladder, or a tower of stones, rising higher and higher - existed only as one possibility among many. For several hundred years, scholars of scholarship had considered that they might be like dwarves seeing farther by standing on the shoulders of giants, but they tended to believe more in rediscovery than in progress. - Issac Newton

What Des-Cartes did was a good step. You have added many several ways, and especially in taking the colours of thin plates into philosophical consideration. If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.


Pre-Sankara Advaita
1. Bādari
2. Auulomi
3. Kāsakṛtsna
4. Āśmarathya
5. Ātreya
6. Kārṣṇājini
7. Bādarāyaṇa (400 BCE)
8. Upavarṣa (50-400 BCE)
9. Bodhāyana (5th century CE) Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda
10. Taka (550 CE) Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda
11. Brahmadatta Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda
12. Bharuch (9th century CE) Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda
13. Dravia (aka Dramia)
14. Guhadeva
15. Kapardin


1. Bādari - an Advaita-Ācārya is referred to four times in Brahmasūtra[2] - 1.2.30, 3.1.11, 4.3.7, 4.4.10, and seven times in the Jaimini-sūtra 3.1.3., 4.1.27, 5.3.6, 6.1.27, 8.3.6, 9.2.23, 9.2.30. Thus, it is proved that he wrote on both Karma-Mī and Brahma-Mī.

He opined that everyone has right to perform the Vaidika Karma. Conversely, Jaimini refuted this and said - the śudras do not have right to perform Vaidika Karma.

2. Auulomi - an Advaita-Ācārya, is referred to in Brahmasūtra 1.3.21, 3.4.45, 4.4.6.

3. Kāsakṛtsna - an Advaita-Ācārya, is referred to in Brahmasūtra  1.4.22

4. Āśmarathya - an Advaita-Ācārya, is referred to in Brahmasūtra  1.2.29, 1.4.20[3] and Jaimini-sūtra 6.5.16.

As per Āśmarathya, the statement ātmani vijñāte sarvam-ida vijñāta bhavati shows Bhedābheda. This Bhedābheda was later confirmed by Yādavaprakāśa

5. Ātreya - an Advaita-Ācārya, is referred to in Brahmasūtra 3.4.44, Jaiminisūtra 4.3.18 
and 6.1.26 and in the Mahābhārata 13I.137.3[4].
He has written about the agāśrita upāsanā which is
i) yajamāna-kartka and
ii) tvik-kartka.
Now, doubt can be raised as to whom the result will go. Ātreya's contention is - the result will go to the yajamāna/kartā.

6. Kārṣṇājini - Referred to in Brahmasūtra 3.1.9.

7. Bādarāyaṇa (400 BCE)[5] wrote Brahmasūtra which is considered the Nyāya-prasthāna of the Prasthānatrayī. It has 535 sūtras as per Śaṅkara, 545 as per Rāmānuja and 564 as per Madhva.


8. Upavarṣa (350-400 BCE) an Advaita-Ācārya (brother of Varṣa, Pānini’s guru). The
vttikāra in Brahmasūtra-bhāṣyam. Śāriraka-Mīmāṃsā-Vṛtti - a sub-commentary on the Brahmasūtra. He also wrote a commentary on Jaimini-sūtra. Upavarṣa is referred to by Śaṅkara in his BSSB 3.3.53.

Upavarṣa has referred to the six pramānas in his vtti. Referred to in Sābarabhāṣya (Mimāṃsāsūtra 1.1.5)

9. Bodhāyana (5th century CE) (Jñāna-Karma-samuccaya).
popularly known as the vttikāra is an Advaita-Ācārya who wrote a concise vtti[7]  (Bodhāyana-Vtti (or Kṛtakoṭi) on Brahmasūtra dated around 400 BCE. Only one person had memorized. The text is not extant afterward.
10.Taka (550 CE) (Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda)

Taṅka (aka Brahmānandin or Nandin), an Advaita Ācārya was known as vākyakāra in the Vaiṣṇava tradition. He is described as Ātreya or Atrivasīya (descendant of Sage Atri).
Taka, well-versed in the field of Vedanta, is said to have written commentaries on the Chāndogya Upaniad. His commentary on Chāndogya Upaniṣad  in the form of brief statements was referred to as sūtras by Madhusudana Saraswati, they being similar to Brahmasūtras. All his works are lost. But his sayings are quoted by the later scholars.  His time is estimated to be around 550 CE; which is, after Bodhāyana, but before Dramia, Bhartprapañca and Śakara.

The Viśiṣṭādvaitins consider Taṅka and Brahmānandin or Nandin as one person.

Hence, Taka emphasized the union of knowledge and action, which later came to be known as Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda.  He was opposed to the notion of instantaneous enlightenment.

In Taka’s work, the relationship between Brahman and the phenomenal world is likened to that between the ocean and its foam. Rāmānuja states that Taka puts forth Pariṇāma-vāda and explains the phenomenal world arising out of Brahman like dadhi (coagulated milk) from milk.

If we can try to summarize Taka’s views :
Brahman is the Ātmā of all and everything is pervaded by Brahman; That which exists in the space within the heart, the golden person seen in the eye and so on which are discussed in the Upaniads refer to Brahman. Its essence is pure consciousness Prajñā. It is eternal and has a form which is beyond the senses; yet, it resides in everything and controls the desires of all the deities and beings. Thus, Taka, it seems, held that each of the individual selves corresponds to the body of Brahman.

Rāmānuja has referred the name of at least six ācāryas who had written about Vedanta. And they were not nirviśea brahmavādins. They were Bodhāyana, Taka, Dramida, Guhadeva, Kapardika, and Bharuchi. Amongst these, the contentions of Taka (aka Brahmānandi) is non-different from the contentions of the Vaiavas.

11. Brahmadatta (Jñāna-Karma-samuccaya-vāda)
He was a senior contemporary to Śakara.

Brahmadatta was an upholder of jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda[10] and Dhyāna-niyoga. He propounded videha-mukti[11] and rejected jivan-mukti.

12. Bharuchi (Viśiṣṭādvaita) 9th century CE - (Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda)
Bharuchi (aka Baruchi) said to be an ancient scholar on Vedanta. Traditionally, he is placed before Dramiḍa.

Bharuchi, it seems, also advocated the combination of knowledge (Jñāna) and action (Karma) - Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda. He is said to have held the view that Sāṃkhya and Yoga as two systems that complement each other.  Rāmānuja held Bharuchi in high esteem, but does not explicitly quote any of his views.

Bharuchi is also recognized as an author or a commentator on Dharmaśāstra. He is said to have written a commentary on certain chapters of Manusmti [12]. He is also credited with commentary (Tīkā) on Viṣṇu-dharmasūtra. Bharuchi is mentioned as an authority   in Vijñāneśvara’s Mitākara[13] on Yājñavalkya-smti and, in  Mādhava's Tīkā on Parāśara-sahitā[14] and Saraswatīvilāśa[15] One of his quotations also occurs in the commentary composed on the Āpastamba Ghyasūtra by Sudarshana Suri, a teacher of Viśiṣṭādvaita.

However, none of his works on Vedanta has survived. Vishal Agarwal, a noted scholar, has attempted to reconstruct Bharuchi’s views on Vedanta issues as gleamed from the comments on certain verses of Manusmti.  According to that:

(a) Bharuchi appeared to have believed in the combination of action and knowledge as essential for salvation  (Jñāna-karma-samuccaya-vāda). Bharuchi says - in all the stages of life, combination of knowledge and action is to be known as the means of attaining Brahmaloka. Performing rites such as Agnihotra regularly all through one’s life is obligatory, no matter whether one takes sannyāsa or not.

(b) He seemed to believe in a distinction between Jīvas and Brahman. Bharuchi supports the Sāṃkhya doctrine of duality of Purua and Pradhāna.

(c) He appears to believe that the soul is nirgua in the sense that it does not have guas such as: sattvarajas and tamas. However, he believes in the duality of souls and matter in the effected world.

(d) He refers to the distinction between dualists and non-dualists amongst Vedantins.

In summary, it appears that Bharuchi’s Vedantic views resembled those of Rāmānuja, Bhāskara Bhaṭṭa and other non-Advaitins, more than they resembled the views of Advaita Vedanta.


13. Dravia/ aka Dramia

Draviḍa[16] was an ancient Vedantin/ Advaita-Acārya. He has written an elaborate commentary on Chāndogya Upaniṣad. He has also commented on Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad,[17] Chāndogya-vākyas of  Taṅka, Māṇūkya Upaniad, as well as on Brahmasūtra.
Dravia is respectfully referred to as Dramiācārya, the bhāṣyakāra or bhāṣyakt, the commentator par excellence. His views are often cited by Rāmānuja in his Sribhāṣya and in Vedārtha-sagraha.

Śakara has referred to him as āgamavit in Mānūkya Upaniad bhāṣyam 2.32, 2.20. Śakara also cites Dravia as an authority at the beginning of his commentary on Chāndogya Upaniad (3.10). In Bhadārayaka-Upaniad-bhāṣyam, Śakara calls him sampradāyavit. Śakara has not refuted the contentions of Dravia, which shows that his contentions were not against Śakara 's.

Dravia was later than Taka, as Dramia is said to have written a bhāṣya on the vākyas of Taka[18].

It is said, Dravia explained Brahman as the absolute principle, creator of the universe (viśva-sj); as the Supreme Divinity (parā-devatā) having internal attributes (antargua); and as Lord of the world (lokeśvara) who creates the phenomenal world and regulates all the worlds.

Dravia did not seem to make a distinction between Brahman and Īśvara. Brahman or Īśvara’s relation to the universe is compared to that of a king with his kingdom. The theistic doctrine of liberation is presented on the basis of the relation between the Lord and the individual self.

According to Dravia, the Highest Self and individual self belong to the same genus (jāti) just as the sparks coming out of the fire but are not identical.

The individual self purified from all taints by performing meditation is liberated by the grace of the Lord; and then attains union with the Lord. The liberation according to Dravia is that the individual self residing in peace with the Highest Self, and that is granted by the grace of the Lord.

And, while it is with the Lord, the individual self still retains its identity as before. Though it is in union with the Highest Self, it does not possess the powers of creation, sustenance and dissolution. On this point, Taka and Dravia are one, and it is close to the doctrine of Rāmānuja.


14. Guhadeva
Guhadeva and Kapardin were said to be ancient Vedanta teachers and authors. The two were referred to by Rāmānuja as śiṣṭa - wise and erudite. But, nothing much is known these scholars, and Rāmānuja does not also seem to quote from their works.

As regards Guhadeva, some scholars surmise -  if Guhadeva mentioned by Rāmānuja is the same as the ancient scholar Guhasvāmin, then it is possible that he could be the one who flourished during the first century BCE, and to whom the commentaries on the Āpastamba- Śrautasutra and the Taittiraya-Ārayaka are attributed.

15. Kapardin
Kapardin is a peculiar name. It does not seem to be the proper name of the person. It is a descriptive term. Kapardin[19] indicates one who has matted, braided hair or hair twisted into a bun on top (Kaparda-kapardi)

jailo mua smaśāna-ghasevaka |
ugra vratadharo rudro yogi tripuradārua ||

In the context of Vedanta texts, Karpadi might refer to a sage who is said to have written commentaries on the texts of the Taittiriya (Āpastamba) śākhā of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. We do not know if Rāmānuja was referring to this Kapardin. In any case, nothing much is known about the commentator Kapardin.



[1] https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/02/16/newton-standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants/

[2] aka Śārirakasūtra aka Vedāntasūtra
[3] Śaṅkara in his Brahmasūtra-bhāshyam 1.4.22 has stated āsmarathyasya...
[4] where he is teaching Nirguṇa Brahman
[5] almost all scholars agree to this period

[7] (a short gloss explaining the Sutras  in a little more, extended manner, but not as extensively as a Bhashya, a full-blown commentary)
[8] adjective
 of the greatest importance; fundamental.
"two cardinal points must be borne in mind"
synonyms:
fundamental, basic, main, chief, primary, prime, principal, premier, first, leading, capital, paramount , pre-eminent; 

[9] holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.
[10] vehemently refuted by Śakara in Taittiriya)
[11] Śakara propounded jivanmukti on the basis of tat-tu samanvayāt. After jivanmukti, videhamukti is  
   superfluous.
[12] first four chapters, parts of chapter five, and verses of later chapters
[13] 1.18 and 2.124
[14] 2.3
[15] Ch 133
[16] It was Dravia, who illustrated the famous story of the huntsman and the prince in Chāndogya Upaniad wrt  tat-tvam-asi, adapted  by Śakara, Sureśvara, Ānandagiri and Madhva.
[17] Referred to by Śakara in Bhadārayaka
[18] brahmānandi-virachita vākyānāṃ sūtra-rūpānāṃ bhāṣyakartā draviācāryo api.

[19] Rudra is often addressed as Kapardin (imā rudrāya tavase kapardine - RV.1.114.1 - Rudra with hair knotted like Kaparda, a cowry shell).

And, it seems during the Vedic times some men and women sported braids or plaits of hair. For instance; a woman having four plaits of hair was called chatu-kapardin; and, the Vasithas wearing their hair in a plait on the right side were known as Dakinatas – kaparda.[Ref: Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, Volume 1; Volume 5 by Arthur Berriedale Keith]

It is also said; a certain Kapardin (Ca. 800-25 CE) assisted a Rashtrakuta Chieftain in extending his rule in the region due to which act the region came to be known in his honour as Kapardika - Dvipa or Kavadi - Dvipa.  The term Kapardika Dvipa occurs in the inscriptions of the Kadamba Kings who ruled over Goa and Banavasi region of North Karnataka. Some surmise that the name of the strip along the west coast – Konkan, may have derived from Kapardika.






Srimad BhagavadGita Chapter - 10

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