The basics of Qualified Non-Dualism


Qualified Non-Dualism 

    There are many schools of thought in Hinduism regarding the relationship of the Ātman, jiva, and Brahman. These three terms can be loosely translated to the self-existent essence of humanity, the worldly self or soul, and the underlying reality of everything, respectively. In nondualist schools of Hinduism, particularly in Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta or nondualism and Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita Vedanta or qualified nondualism, the Ātman is equated with Brahman. They derive this understanding primarily from the Hindu scripture, the Upanishads, which are the last part of a larger corpus of texts known as the Vedas. There are differences between these two schools of thought and the primary focus of this essay will be the school of Ramanuja. 

According to both these schools of thought, although more explicit with Shankara, this world is an illusion or māyā and to be under this illusion is the ignorance that keeps the individual trapped in the cycle of reincarnation or saṃsāra. To reach liberation from saṃsāra, or moksha, they must realize that they are truly Brahman. This is not limited to the self but even inanimate objects and the gods themselves are all manifestations of Brahman and dependent on Brahman. In the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, this does not mean that this world is physically unreal or there is no difference between humanity, dirt, and even utterances, but rather that there is something greater under the superficial nature of what is seen with the eyes. They can be described as the body of God in that they are also God and cannot exist independently of God, yet God can do anything with them including becoming. One of the major ways to understand this connection is through bhakti or devotion to God. In the case of the Vaishnava community, it would be Vishnu who is associated with the identity of Brahman. According to Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, the jiva is only the limited self and is the embodiment of the individual in this world while the Ātman is the part that is associated with Brahman.

It is important to make a distinction between Nirguna Brahman, Brahman without qualities, and Saguna Brahman, Brahman with qualities. While Ramanuja and Vishishtadvaita Vedanta acknowledge both to be aspects of Brahman, there is more importance given to the latter due to the emphasis on bhakti as a means of liberation. Nirguna Brahman is more of an abstract and impersonal conception of God but Saguna Brahman, on the other hand, can be seen as a loving deity who actively engages with humanity, such as Krishna, an avatāra of Vishnu in the Bhagavad Gita. Perhaps one problem that Nirguna Brahman and Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta may face is, what would be the ontological difference between God’s avatāra or incarnations and humanity since both are identical to Brahman through the Ātman. Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita Vedanta would claim that even though the Ātman and Brahman are not separate, they possess different attributes and individuality. Therefore, there would be an ontological difference between the devotee and the object of devotion. An avatāra would thus be a complete manifestation of the Saguna Brahman and therefore does not encounter this problem. 

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