[Advaita-l] Attack on Adi Sankara-by Dvaitins-what has been done to resolve this?

[Shrisha Rao]

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007, Vidyasankar Sundaresan wrote:

>> I heard from one of my friends that Adi Sankara has> been attacked 
>> viciously by the dvaitins. I also read a

> That is true.

While on the subject, let us note that such attacks have also occurred by 
others (e.g., the mImAmsaka Parthasarathi Mishra, and various naiyAyika-s, 
vishishhTAdvaitins, and others).  Some criticism/abuse has also flowed in 
the reverse direction.

My own view, also shared by people I respect, is that it is generally more 
fruitful to carefully develop one's understanding based on a careful 
study, rather than waste time on who abused whom in what century.

>> Many advaitin friends have contacted the dvaita list> moderator,

Really?  Such as who, for instance?  I have e-mail and postings going back 
a decade or more, and find no such contacts (which is not unreasonable, 
since as Vidyasankar points out, I am hardly someone who can help in this 
matter).

>> someone named Rao, but he didn't have the> decency to respond properly. 
>> In fact, he hurled abuses> at people who expressed concern.

I guess such an allegation is mild in comparison with, e.g., Tommy 
Hilfiger's reputation and business being damaged by false accusations of 
racism, but it is equally absurd in a way.  I have not abused anyone "who 
expressed concern," for the simple reason that no one has "expressed 
concern" to me, and why should they?

For the record, I don't believe I have spoken ill of Sankara personally at 
any time, in public or in private.  Some years ago there was also a bit of 
comment to me personally when I opined on the Dvaita list that character 
assassination of Sankara is hitting below the belt in a way and ought to 
be avoided, and that the historical accuracy of the maNi-maJNjarI is not 
entirely without question (quite apart from this matter).

Regards,

Shrisha Rao

> Vidyasankar