Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study)
by Sadhu Gyanananddas | 2021 | 123,778 words
This page relates ‘Introduction (spirituality and philosophy)’ of the study on the Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam in Light of Swaminarayan Vachanamrut (Vacanamrita). His 18th-century teachings belong to Vedanta philosophy and were compiled as the Vacanamrita, revolving around the five ontological entities of Jiva, Ishvara, Maya, Aksharabrahman, and Parabrahman. Roughly 200 years later, Bhadreshdas composed a commentary (Bhasya) correlating the principles of Vachanamrut.
Introduction (spirituality and philosophy)
A full-scale philosophical system is necessary to engage with the problems in the following areas: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and theory of value, logic, and philosophical method.[1] Nevertheless, above all, philosophy is an intellectual quest. It aims at the inquiry into the nature of ultimate reality. The philosophy of realism is an attempt to understand the relationship between man and the world and as well as with the ultimate reality.
On the other hand, as Rādhākṛṣṇan says,
In this manner, philosophy is a quest for freedom and the highest well-being, based on faith in the ideal, which is realizable through the practice of certain disciplines. Thus, the belief in Parabrahman as the ultimate reality, faith in Parabrahman to redeem one’s self from bondage, trust in the efficiency of the means and disciplines undertaken to realize the highest goal of freedom and the inspiring examples of those who have attained freedom are the chief marks of Indian Vedic Darśana.
For Svāminārāyaṇa, philosophy and spirituality are two sides of the same coin. Mere intellectual apprehension without its efficacy and application in life is useless and unproductive. It is not worth the trouble if it does not help in reaching the goal it talks of. Therefore, philosophy must sub-serve the ultimate spiritual goal of attaining freedom; and this spirituality with a philosophical basis to satisfy intellectual quests and should become a positive rational movement. So, instead of being an academic activity of intellectual discussion concerning metaphysical reals, Svāminārāyaṇa sādhanā is also a profound spiritual activity directed towards the realization of the goal of freedom, the fruit (phala) of all cognitive-affective-conative labor. Therefore, Svāminārāyaṇa Vedanta begins with philosophical inquiry, which takes into account ontology, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics and culminates in practical spirituality aiming at realization of the goal of freedom in one’s life time. Consequently, it discusses in detail the means (spiritual endeavor) to attain the goal (sādhanā-vicāra) and the nature and kind of mokṣa (phalavicāra).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Potter Karl H., The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Metaphysics and Epistemology_ The Tradition of Nyaya-Vaisesika up to Gangesa, Motilal Banarasidas, 1977