[Advaita-l] Discussion on "Knowledge and the means of knowledge"VP-11" on Determinate and indeterminate

[srikanta at nie.ac.in]

This is with reference to the posting by Sri.Kuntimaddi Sadananda on VP by
Dharmaraja Advarindra.He writes analysing the "Determinacy and
indeterminacy" the Adwaitic and Vishistadwaitic positions on the
statement"Tat tvam asi" that Vishistadwaita also uses some kind of "Bhaga
tyaga Laksana".This is not correct.Ramanuja and Vedanta Desika employs the
statement,"Tat tvam asi" to prove that the jiva(tvam) is controlled by
Tat(Brahman).Ramanuja takes only the "antaryamin"part of the Sutra to give
his interpretation without further explaining the latter part of the
Siddhanta,that Brahman is Jiva,by the Samanadhikarana(syntactic
apposition)principle.He twists the statement"Tat tvam asi" to mean that
Brahman and jiva are different,while the statement is more direct and
immediate.Infact no where in his SriBhasya,Ramanuja uses the
Samanadhikarana principle as clear as Sankara.So is the meaning of the
Mahavakya,"satyam,jnanam,anandam
Brahma"who twists the meaning as qualities(guna)in Brahman.When Ramanuja
accepts that the Brahman has parts,where is the question of "Bhaga tyaga
lakshana".It will do well towards understanding of the VP if SriSadananda
refrains from bringing in Vishishtadwaita.
Hari Om Tat Sat.                                   N.Srikanta.