[Advaita-l] RE: Jaimini's mimamsa sutras

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

>Are the mImAmsa sutras still extant? I had read
>somewhere that they contain 1000 "sections" as opposed
>to 192 "sections" of the Brahma sutras. Also I
>understand that advaita could be considered as a
>"modified" purva mimamsa bcos of the importance put on
>karma for non-sannyasis by Shrimad Shankaracharya (as
>in the Gita Bhashya).

The mImAMsA sUtras (technically, the pUrva mImAMsA sUtras) are indeed quite 
extant and have been studied extensively, both by traditional pundits and 
modern scholars. I am not sure about the number of topics discussed in them, 
but please note that the 192 sections (the technical Sanskrit term is 
adhikaraNa) of the brahmasUtras are according to the advaita vedAnta 
tradition. Other vedAnta traditions number the topics of the brahmasUtras 
differently.

vedAnta (of all schools) is also called uttara mImAMsA, but it should not be 
thought of as a modified pUrva mImAMsA. The simple reason is that the two 
mImAMsA-s address different problems and different parts of the vedic 
tradition. And yes, there is great importance laid on karma for 
non-sannyAsins, and for this, we turn again to the pUrva mImAMsA school, but 
nevertheless, vedAnta or uttara mImAMsA stands a separate and independent 
darSana. Indeed, vedAnta comprises at least three major darSanas in itself - 
non-difference, modified non-difference (of various flavors) and difference.

Turning to your other question about learning veda in Bangalore, I would 
suggest going to Shankarapuram and contacting the pundits at the Shankara 
Matha there. I'm sure one or more of them would be willing to teach people 
with sufficient interest.

Regards,
Vidyasankar

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