Dvaita: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Dvaita means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Alternative spellings of this word include Dwait.
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Dvaita (द्वैत) or Dvaitavāda (Cf. Bhedavāda) refers to the “dualist doctrine”.—In Abhinavagupta’s time and place, tantric Śaivism (mantramārga) was divided into two main branches: Śaiva Siddhānta―its main representatives being Sadyojyotis and Kashmirian theologians such as Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇakaṇṭha and his son Bhaṭṭa Rāmakaṇṭha II (or Rāmakaṇṭha)―and non-dualist, Śākta-oriented schools such as the Trika, on which relied most of Abhinavagupta’s exegesis. Both forms of tantric Śaivism essentially share a single ritual system, with the same elaborate procedures for initiation, consecration of officiants and worship. However, certain features set the two schools apart. While Śaiva Siddhānta adheres to a strictly dualist doctrine (dvaita-vāda, bheda-vāda) according to which Śiva is the efficient cause of the world and is distinct from souls and worlds, non-dualist schools hold that Śiva is ultimately non-different from the soul and that liberation is achieved not through ritual but through gnosis.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Dvaita (द्वैत) refers to “duality”, according to the Viṣṇudharma verse 96.25-26.—Accordingly, while discussing the cessation of mind: “Since [duality is based on mental activity and non-duality on the ultimate truth], the activities of mind, which are caused by meritorious and unmeritorious actions, should be stopped. Because of their cessation, duality (dvaita) does not arise. This duality, which consists of whatever is moving and unmoving, is an object of mind. When the mind has become without thoughts, then one obtains the absence of duality”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
1) Dvaita (द्वैत) refers to “dualism” (as the root of suffering), according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Janaka says to Aṣṭavakra]: “[...] Truly dualism is the root (dvaita-mūla) of suffering. There is no other remedy for it [dvaitamūlamaho duḥkhaṃ nānyattasyā'sti bheṣajam] than the realization that all this that we see is unreal, and that I am the one stainless reality, consisting of consciousness. [...] Truly I do not see dualism (dvaita) even in a crowd of people (dvaita) [aho janasamūhe'pi na dvaitaṃ paśyato mama]. What pleasure should I have when it has turned into a wilderness? I am not the body, nor is the body mine. I am not a living being. I am consciousness. It was my thirst for living that was my bondage. [...]”.
2) Dvaita (द्वैत) refers to “duality” (which does not affect a true Yogī).—Accordingly, [as Janaka says to Aṣṭavakra]: “Using the tweezers of the knowledge of the truth I have managed to extract the painful thorn of endless opinions from the recesses of my heart. For me, established in my own glory, there is no religion, sensuality, possessions, philosophy, duality (dvaita) or even non-duality. [kva dvaitaṃ kva ca vā'dvaitaṃ svamahimni sthitasya me] [...]”.
Dvaita (द्वैत) refers to “duality”, according to the Māṇḍūkyopaniṣatkārikā 3.31-32.—Accordingly, while discussing duality and mental activity: “All this duality (dvaita) which is [comprising of] whatever is moving and motionless is [just] a visible object of the mind. For when [the state of] no-mind of mind [arises], duality is not perceived. [Why is this?] When the mind does not conceptualize because [one has] realized the truth of the self, then, it goes to the state of no mind. Therefore, in the absence of perceivable objects, there is no perception [of duality]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
General definition (in Hinduism)
Dvaita (द्वैत) (also known as Bheda-vāda, Tattva-vāda and Bimba-pratibimba-vāda) is a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya (c. 1238-1317 CE) who was also known as Purna Prajna and Ananda Tirtha. Dvaita stresses a strict distinction between God— the Supreme-Soul (paramātmā (परमात्मा)) and the individual souls (jiivatma (जीवात्मा)). According to Madhvacharya, the individual souls of beings are not 'created' by God but do, nonetheless, depend on Him for their existence.
Dvaita Vedanta (dualistic conclusions of the Vedas) espouses dualism by theorizing the existence of two separate realities. The first and the more important reality is that of Vishnu or Brahman. Vishnu is the supreme Self, God, the absolute truth of the universe, the independent reality. The second reality is that of dependent but equally real universe that exists with its own separate essence. Everything that is composed of the second reality, such as individual soul (Jiva), matter, etc. exist with their own separate reality. The distinguishing factor of this philosophy as opposed to Advaita Vedanta (monistic conclusion of Vedas) is that God takes on a personal role and is seen as a real eternal entity that governs and controls the universe.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
dvaita (द्वैत).—n (S) Diversity (of opinions, sentiments, interests). 2 Dislike, disagreement, difference. 3 The doctrine of the duality or distinct subsistence of the Deity and the universe.
dvaita (द्वैत).—n Diversity (of opinions &c.) Dis- like, disagreement. The doctrine of dualism.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Dvaita (द्वैत).—[dvidhā itaṃ dvitaṃ tasya bhāvaḥ svārthe aṇ]
1) Duality.
2) Dualism in philosophy, the assertion of two distinct principles, such as the maintenance of the doctrine that, spirit and matter, Brahman and the Universe, or the Individual and the Supreme Soul, are different from each other; cf. अद्वैत (advaita); किं शास्त्रं श्रवणेन यस्य गलति द्वैतान्ध- कारोत्करः (kiṃ śāstraṃ śravaṇena yasya galati dvaitāndha- kārotkaraḥ) Bv.1.86.
3) Name of a forest.
Derivable forms: dvaitam (द्वैतम्).
Dvaita (द्वैत).—n.
(-taṃ) 1. Duplication, doubling or being doubled. 2. Duality, in philosophy, the assertion of two principles, as the distinctness of life and soul, spirit and matter, god and the universe. E. dvi two tal affix, dvita double, two-fold, abstract affix aṇ. dvidhā itaṃ dvītaṃ tasya bhāvaḥ svārthe vā aṇ .
Dvaita (द्वैत).—i. e. dvi + tā + a, n. Duality, [Prabodhacandrodaya, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 21, 8.
Dvaita (द्वैत).—[neuter] duality, dualism.
1) Dvaita (द्वैत):—[=dvai-ta] [from dvai] a See dvaita.
2) [from dvai] b n. ([from] 1. dvi-tā) duality, duplicity, dualism (cf. -vāda), doubt, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Kapila; Prabodha-candrodaya; Bhāgavata-purāṇa etc.]
Dvaita (द्वैत):—(taṃ) 1. n. Duplication, duality.
Dvaita (द्वैत):—n. Zweiheit, Dualität, Dualismus [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1424.] [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 14, 5, 4, 15.] [Kapila 1, 22. 155.] [Prabodhacandrodaja 21, 8. 81, 5.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 1. 15, 31. 6, 15, 26. 16, 19. 7, 12, 10.] [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 23, 45.] vāda [Oxforder Handschriften No. 170.] vādin [Śabdakalpadruma] [Wilson’s Wörterbuch] nirṇayavāda [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 1403.] advaita (s. auch bes.) n. [Mahābhārata 3, 10639.] [Prabodhacandrodaja 21, 8.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 7, 15, 62. fgg.] [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 23, 45.] Wohl zunächst zurückzuführen auf dvitā, nom. abstr. von dvi; vgl. traita und das Verhältniss von daivata zu devatā .
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Dvaita (द्वैत):—, nirṇaya Titel verschiedener Werke [Oxforder Handschriften 273,a, No. 648. 292,a,31. 281,a, No. 659. 285,a,32.] [HALL 21. 193.]
Dvaita (द्वैत):—n. Zweiheit , Dualität , Dualismus.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
Dvaita (द्वैत) [Also spelled dwait]:—(nm) duality, dualism; discrimination, ~[vāda/~vāditā] dualism; —[vādī] dualist(ic).
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Kannada-English dictionary
Dvaita (ದ್ವೈತ):—
1) [noun] = ದ್ವೈತಮತ [dvaitamata].
2) [noun] the state of being dual; duality; dualism.
3) [noun] a set of two different things.
4) [noun] want of certainty; uncertainty; doubt.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Dvaita (द्वैत):—n. 1. dualism; 2. philosophy believing that the soul and God are different;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Dvai, Luo, Da, Ta.
Starts with (+11): Dvaita-shasana, Dvaitabhakti, Dvaitabhana, Dvaitabhava, Dvaitabhavana, Dvaitabhavane, Dvaitabhrita, Dvaitabhushana, Dvaitadarshana, Dvaitadhvanta, Dvaitadvaita, Dvaitadvaitamarga, Dvaitadvaitamargaparibhrashta, Dvaitadvaitaviveka, Dvaitahina, Dvaitamarga, Dvaitamata, Dvaitamula, Dvaitanirnaya, Dvaitaparishishta.
Full-text (+180): Advaita, Dvaitavada, Dvaitavana, Dvaitavadin, Kriyadvaita, Dvaitavaitathyopanishad, Dvaitabhrita, Dvaitabhava, Dvaitanirnaya, Dvaitamata, Dvaitabhushana, Dvaitaparishishta, Dvaitadvaitamarga, Dvaitaviveka, Dvaitasiddhi, Dvaitin, Dravyadvaita, Dwait, Duality, Madhva.
Relevant text
Search found 95 books and stories containing Dvaita, Dvai-ta; (plurals include: Dvaitas, tas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Yuktimallika by Vadiraja (critical study) (by Gururaj K. Nippani)
4. vadiraja’s contribution to some philosophical problems < [Contribution of Vadiraja]
1. Introduction to the Gunasaurabha < [Critical exposition (1) Gunasaurabha]
Srikara Bhashya (commentary) (by C. Hayavadana Rao)
Part 37.3 - Sankara's Criticism of Bhedabheda
Part 33 - The Bhedabheda Theory
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Yoga-sutras (Ancient and Modern Interpretations) (by Makarand Gopal Newalkar)
Concept of Mokṣa according to Dvaita Vedānta < [Introduction]
Part 3f - Āstika Darśana (6): Vedānta darśana < [Introduction]
Sūtra 3.2 < [Book III - Vibhūti-pāda]
Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study) (by Sadhu Gyanananddas)
2.6. Vedanta Darśana < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
7. Videhamukti (Introduction) < [Chapter 5 - Analysis on the basis of Soteriology]
6. Prasthānatrayī-Svāminarāyana-Bhāṣya < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Ushaharana Kavya of Trivikrama Pandita (Study) (by Pranesh R. Archak)
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