Sunday, December 13, 2015

Philosophy of Śrī Madhvācārya - B.N.K. Sharma

Notes from today's reading.

VII. DOCTRINE OF MUKTI
CHAPTER LIV NATURE OF THE RELEASED STATE AND ITS STAGES

He talks about Maitreyī - Yājñavalky's samvada - "न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्ति इति" on how Maitreyī could not understand that there is no consciousness after death.

Madhva holds that the released retain their individual consciousness as released and rest in full knowledge of their deliverance from all misery:
आजन्ममरणं स्मृत्वा मुक्त्वा हर्षमवाप्नुयुः

According to Madhva, Aparokṣajñāna or direct vision of God in his aspect of one's Bimba, opens the door to spiritual redemption.

Madhva distinguishes four states of the fruits of Aparokṣa: (1) karmanāśa (2) Utkrānti or Laya (4) Mārga and (4) Bhoga

Madhva distinguishes between two kinds of anārabdha karma (karma that has not yet begun to bear fruit) viz., इष्ट and अनिष्ट. अनिष्ट is destroyed and इष्ट is credited to the account of released in mokṣa. The प्रारब्ध alone remains to be worked out. According to Brahmasūtras iii.4.16 reductions and concessions are possible wrt प्रारब्ध.

अपरोक्षज्ञानिन्/जीवनमुक्ता continues in his phyiscal frame till प्रारब्ध gets over.
The destruction of linga śarīra takes place along with four-faced brahman's

Jayatīrtha defines mokṣa in dvidalātmaka: आत्यन्तिकदुःखनिवृत्ति (destruction of sufferings) परमानन्दावाप्ति

Madhva system accepts fourfold distinction of mokṣa into Sālokya,  Sāmīpya, Sārūpya and  Sāyujya taught in Bhāgavata purāṇa. Vyāsatīrtha in this Nyāyāmṛta, mentions that these represent and ascending order of blessedness.

CHAPTER LV CRITIQUE OF THE CONCEPTION OF MOKSA IN OTHER SYSTEMS

Jaina: ceaseless upward flight in Alokākāśa (nothing spiritual/divine about it to kindle heart of seeker)
Buddhists: nirvāna entry into mahāsūnya (forbidding in aspect)
Advaithic: same as buddhists except for absorption into Brahman (kartṛkarmabhāva)

CHAPTER LVI MADHVA'S VIEW OF MUKTI

Madhva discusses the famous text of Chāndogya अशरीरं वाव सन्तं प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतः
and establishes that it is only the material joys and pleasures that are regarded as disagreeable to mukta and ruled out while the intrinsic bliss of selfhood adn its enjoyment are accepted without reserve.

Sūtrakāra says that released souls can fashion at will (in conformity with God's will) suitable bodies of śuddhasattva or enjoy themselves with their own spiritual bodies composed of cit, ānanda etc. The released may rest in the contemplation of their own blessedness, contrast their present with past and feel thankful for deliverance. They may adore the majesty of God and sing his praises in thousand ways, offer sacrifices, only that nothing is obligatory there, no punishment if not done. Unlimited scope for spontaneous creative work of any kind - karma, jnana, bhakti

It is freedom from all conditions that distinguishes the life in Mokṣa from ordinary life. बन्धप्रत्यवायाभावे हि मोक्षस्य अर्थवत्तवम्, अन्यतथा मोक्षत्वमेव न स्यात् (Brahmasūtra bhāṣya iii.3.3) 

भक्तिर्ज्ञानं तथा ध्यानं मुक्तानामपि सर्वशः।
साधनानि तु सर्वाणि भक्तिज्ञानप्रवृद्धये।
नैवान्यसाधनं भक्तिः फलरुपा हि सा यतः॥ 
(Madhva, commentary of BrhUp i.4)

Madhva has brought together certain texts beraing upon nature of life in the released state. Most important being:
सर्वे नन्दन्ति यशसागतेन सभासाहेन सख्या सखायः
अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः

Some enjoy with women, some praise lord, some exclaim words like hāvu, hāvu, some practise yajya as per purvaabhyasa, some have darshan of pitradi, some play with suddhasattva nirmitta sarira, some dance, some play instruments - 11 such points as per author of Madhvasiddhantasara.

Next weekend:
CHAPTER LVII RATIONALE OF ᾹNANDA-TᾹRATAMYA IN MOKṢA

The rights and liberties of the freed are constitutionally defined and properly safeguarded by the principle of undictated harmony (satyakāmatā) of their nature. There is no room for discord or jealousy there. Each one has his reward and each feels so happy and full to the brim: like bowls and pitchers, rivers and seas filled to capacity.

Concept of svarūpānandatāratamya. Every released soul is perfect in its own way; but the perfection (pūrṇatva) of each is distinctive, sui generis. It is an expression of self hood.

It is a conception which applies to spiritual life the principle of peaceful co-existence and fellowship to the whole community of the released souls and guarantees to each one of them the fundamental right to exist sui juris and to be in a position to have complete and distinctive enjoyment of its own selfhood and Svarūpānanda in communion with Brahman.