2.6. Vedanta Darśana

The Upaniṣads are known as Vedanta. Therefore, the school of philosophy that is based on the Upaniṣads is the Vedanta Darśana. The essence of the Upaniṣads is brahmavidyā. For this reason, the Vedanta Darśana is identified as the school of brahmavidyā. In addition to the Upaniṣads, this brahmavidyā is also explained within the Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā. As a result, the Vedanta Darśana also considers the Gītā to be greatly significant. Maharṣi Vyāsa compiled this brahmavidyā in the form of sūtras. These sūtras are collectively known as the Brahmasūtra. The Brahmasūtra is also often referred to as Brahmamimānsā, because of its thorough investigation of the entity Brahman. In this manner, the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahmasūtra form the foundational scriptures of the Vedanta Darśana. These three scriptures are collectively known as the Prasthānatrayī. The Vedanta Darśana is the only school of Vedic philosophy that is still actively practiced today. Within India, traditions such as Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, and Dvaita have emerged as branches of the Vedanta Darśana.^[1]

[Branches of the Vedanta Darśana]—

Within India, several dārṣanic traditions have emerged as branches of the Vedanta Darśana. These traditions include the Advaita Darśana, Viśiṣṭādvaita Darśana, Dvaita Darśana, Dvaitādvaita Darśana, Śuddhādvaita Darśana, and Acintyabhedābheda Darśana. A brief description of each of these six darśanas, along with the seventh, the Akṣara-Puruṣottama Darśana, is given below. 8

1. Advaitā Darśana (Ādi Śaṃkarācārya)

The Advaitā Darśana was established by Ādi Śaṃkara. It is believed that he lived between 788 and 820 CE. Śaṃkarācārya authored commentaries on the Upaniṣad, Bhagavad Gitā, and Brahmasūtra according to the principle of Advaitā–non-dualism. He traveled throughout India and instituted four centers of learning (mathas)–one in each of the four cardinal directions.^[2]

Ādi Śaṃkara mentions his entire position:

ślokārdhena pravakṣyāmi yaduktaṃ granthakoṭibhiḥ |
brahma satyaṃ jaganmithyā jīvo brahmaiva nāparaḥ ||^[3]

“I explain in half of the śloka which is described in billions of scriptures that only Brahman is the ultimate reality; this world is false and jīva is Brahman itself nothing else.”

The Advaitadarśana accepts the existence of only one real ontological entity, Brahman. Māyā and the world that is created from it is understood to be merely an illusion and unreal. Brahman is believed to be nirguṇa (without qualities) and nirākāra (without form). Brahman itself becomes bound by this illusionary māyā and becomes liberated from it. It is believed that Brahman itself takes the form of the jīvas and the world. In order to secure the Advaita principle, the following three realities are conceived: the pāramārthika (absolute reality), vyāvahārika (experiential reality), and prātibhāsika (imaginative reality).

2. Viśiṣṭādvaita Darśana (Rāmānujācārya)

The founder of the Viśiṣṭādvaita, Rāmānuja was a prominent philosopher of his time. He was a Vaiṣnava devotee born in 1017 CE in Sriperumbudur, Tamilnadu. He substantiated the doctrine of Viśiṣṭādvaita, or qualified non-dualism, by authoring commentaries on the Bhagavad Gitā and the Brahmasūtra. He, however, did not author a commentary on the Upaniṣad. Sometime later, a scholar named Rangarāmānuj composed a commentary on the Upaniṣad according to Rāmānujāchārya’s doctrine.

The Viśiṣṭādvaita position advocates the existence of three ontological entities: cit (sentient), acit (insentient), and Brahman. Brahman is forever qualified, or Viśiṣṭa, by sentient and insentient creation. This doctrine is identified as Viśiṣṭādvaita as a result of this relationship. Having refuted many Advaita principles, including the acceptance of Brahman as the only single, real entity, the world as an illusion, the jīva as ontologically identical with Brahman, and Brahman as nirguṇa, Rāmānujāchārya established his own position in his commentarial works. Within this Darśana, the significance of devotion (bhakti) and refuge (prapatti) is emphasized, and Vaikuntha is regarded as the highest abode.

Rāmānuja claims:

īśvaraścidacicceti padārtha tritayaṃ hariḥ |
īśvaraściditi prokto jīvo dṛṣyamacitpunaḥ ||^[4]

“The tenets of Rāmānuja are as follows: three categories are established, as soul, not soul, and Brahman; or as a subject, object, and supreme disposer.” His Viśiṣṭādvaita (qualified monism) also affirms that there is a unity of each individual self and can realize identity with the Brahman.^[5] 25 26

3. Dvaita Darśana (Madhvācārya)

Madhvācārya CE (1238-1317), or Purāṇa Prājña or Ānanda Tīrtha, was a great philosopher of India. He asserted the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta. Madhvā identified his philosophy as ‘Tattvavāda’ (realist viewpoint).

His Bhedavāda reveals:

svatantraṃ paratantraṃ dvividhiṃ tattvamiṣyate |
svatantro bhagavān viṣṇurnirdoṣośeṣasadguṇaḥ ||^[6] 10

“The two categories are asserted: one independent and second dependent. Independent is Lord Viṣṇu, who is flawless and eminent with infinitive virtues whereas the rest of the entities fall into the dependent category.”

Madhvāchārya was a devotee of Krṣna. He was born in South India and is believed to have lived between 1238 and 1317 CE. Madhvācārya authored commentaries on the Upaniṣads and the Brahmasūtra. In order to further propagate his philosophy, he established the ‘Shri Krishna Matha’ in Udupi, a town located in the state of Karnātaka.

‘Dvaita’ means two. This Darśana is identified as Dvaita because it accepts the existence of two distinct real entities: that which is svantantra (independent) and those that are paratantra (dependent). It believes Paramātman is independent, whereas all others - jīva, prakṛti, and the world–are dependent. In addition to the sacred texts of the Prasthānatrayī, this darśana also accepts the Bhāgavata Purāna and the Panchrātra texts as authoritative. Bhakti is considered to be a prominent spiritual endeavor. The Darśana is severely critical of the Advaita principles.

4. Dvaitādvaita Darśana (Nimbārkācārya)

The Dvaitādvaita Darśana is also known as the Bhedābheddarśana. Nimbārkāchārya, a devout follower of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, established the Dvaitādvaita Darśana. He is believed to have lived during the sixteenth century. Along with other texts, he authored a commentary on the Brahmasūtras entitled the Vedantapārijāta-Saurabha. Within this darśana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā has a specific relationship.

Bhedābheda-darśana explicitly says,

“cidacitsvābhāvikabhedābhedāśrayo bhagavān vāsudevaḥ puruṣottamaḥ”^[7]

“Lord Viṣṇudeva Puruṣottama is the natural substratum as distinct and united, sentient and nonsentient entities.”

Within this Darśana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is worshipped as the Supreme Being and Rādhā is considered to be the principal devotee. The Darśana accepts the existence of the following three ontological entities: cit, acit, and Brahman. By believing cit and acit to be distinct from Brahman, the position advocates a dualistic point of view. Despite this, by understanding the cit and acit to not exist independently from Brahman, the position also supports a non-dualistic perspective. That is why this Darśana is identified as Dvaitādvaita Darśana.^[8]

5. Śuddha Advaitā Darśana (Vallabhācārya)

Vallabhācārya (CE 1479-1531), was the founder of Śuddha Advaita Darśana and Puṣṭimārga. He is the ācārya and Guru within the Puṣṭimārga, which he founded after his own interpretation of the Vedanta Philosophy.

Similar to Śaṃkara’s position, this Darśana accepts the existence of a single ontological entity, Brahman.

śuddhayoḥ advaitam iti śuddhādvaitam | arthāt śuddhajagataḥ jīvasya ca śuddhabrahmaṇā advetam | jagadjīvau śuddhabrahmaṇoḥ svarūpau kintu brahmaṇaḥ abhinnau | kāraṇarūpabrahma ca kāryarūpajīvajagadātmakabrahma śuddhaṃ, na māyikam | “kāryakāraṇarūpaṃ hi śuddhaṃ brahma na māyikam”^[9] iti |

“Two pure united entities identified as Śuddhā Advaita. This world has no influence of māyā so has jīva. The world and the jīva are the forms of Brahman itself. They are not distinct from Brahman. In this way, Brahman in the form of cause and the world and the jīva in the form of effect are pure without the impact of māyā.”

However, Brahman, by its own wish, becomes the jīvas and the world. This is understood as Bhagavān’s divine play. His devotional songs on Kṛṣṇa are very famous even today. Mostly in the poetry of the sect, God’s daily actions and incidents are described. It became the tradition that no Vaishnava devotee spend their time without singing or memorizing these devotional songs.^[10] Vallabhā’s memories are preserved at Nāthvara and in the Braja region.

6. Acintyabhedābheda Darśana (Caitanya Mahāprabhu)

Caitanya Mahāprabhu (18 February 1486–14 June 1534) established the Acintyabhedābheda Darśana. He was born in 1486 CE in West Bengal. Although he did not author any commentaries, a scholar within his lineage named Baldeva Vidyābhushana authored a commentary on the Brahmasūtras in 1875 CE. This dārṣanic tradition is known as Madhva Gauḍīya, or Gauḍīya Saṃpradāya. Within this tradition, Kṛṣṇa is identified as the supreme being and Rādhā is also revered. The Bhāgavata Purāna and the Bhagavad Gitā are considered to be primary texts for attaining devotion towards Kṛṣṇa. Paramātman is regarded as being powerful and understood to possess infinite powers. The darśana believes that it is unascertainable (achintya) to know whether there is a distinction (bheda) between Paramātman and his power or they are one (abheda). As a result of this position, this Darśana is identified as the Acintyabhedābheda Darśana. It says:

caitanyamatasya sārāṃśaḥ prasiddhaśloke pradattaḥ | yathā
ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśatanayastaddhāma vṛndāvanaṃ
ramyā kācidupāsanā vrajavadhūvargeṇa yā kalpitā |
śāstraṃ bhāgavataṃ pramāṇamamalaṃ premā pumartho mahān
śrīcaitanyamahāprabhormatamidaṃ tatrādaro naḥ paraḥ ||^[11]

“Within this tradition, Śrī Kṛṣṇā is identified as the supreme being who was a son of Nanda, the ruler of Braja. God’s abode is Vṛndāvana. The worship method is accepted from gopīs who offered worship to Kṛṣṇā. Among them, Rādhā is greatly venerated. The favorite scripture is the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. They believe in loving devotion towards God. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s position. We don’t believe in anything else.”

The Darśana believes that it is unascertainable to know whether there is a distinction between Paramātmān and his power or they are one. As a result of this position, this Darśana is identified as the Acintyabhedābheda Darśana. Caitanya is sometimes referred to by the names Gaurāṃga or Gaurā.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhadreśadāsa Sādhu, Akṣara-Puruṣottama Darśana an Introduction, 2018, pp. 8-9

[2]:

Dr Prinja K. Nawal, Explaining Hindu Dharma, RMEP of Chanistor Publications Ltd. 1996, pp.126-163

[3]:

Brahmadarśanadāsa Sādhu, Bhāratīya Darśanonī Ruparekhā-2, 2007, p.21

[4]:

Mādhvācārya, Sarvadarśana Sangraha, Caukhambā Vighābhavana, Vārāṇasī, 2016, p.161

[5]:

C. J. Bartley, op.cit., pp. 1-2, 9-10, 76-79, 87-98.

[6]:

Madhvācārya, Sarvadarśana Sangraha, Caukhambā Vighābhavana, Vārāṇasī, 2016, p.212.

[7]:

Nimbārkācārya, Vedantpaarijata Saurabhakhya three Bhāṣya, nityasvarupabrahmachari mudritam, Vṛndāvana. p.19 11

[8]:

Brahmadarśanadāsa Sādhu, op.cit., pp.144-145

[9]:

Girīdhara Gosvāmī, Śuddhādvaita Mārtaṇḍa -28

[10]:

Catherine B. Asher; Cynthia Talbot, India Before Europe. Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 111-112.

[11]:

Gopālabhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrīharibhaktivilāsa -8