Paasuram 167-168

Today , we will study the two Paasurams dealing with Swamy Desikan's criticism of the MaadhyAmika Matham .

Before we proceed with the study of the meaning of the Paasurams realted to the refutation of the doctrines of the four sects of Bhouddha Matham , it would be useful to have an overview of this matham as elaborated in SarvArTa Siddhi of Swamy Desikan . The excerpts from the Doctoral thesis of Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr about SarvArTa Siddhi is :

" There are four schools of Buddhism: VaibhAshika , Sautraanika , YogAchAra and Maadhyamika.They have some common points:
(1) all entities are impermanent , transitory and in a continous state of change
(2) apart from the flow of cognitions , there is no soul or Aathman as the seat of cognition or consciousness.

Coming to The School of Budhdism of Maadhyamika , it has close relationship with the school of nihilists of western philosophy in denying the real existence of every thing seen within and around us.... The MaadhyAmikas deny the reality of everything in the universe. Even consciousness or intellect (chaitanya) is considered unreal .
Nothing comes into existence nor perishes. Like other schools of  Buddhism , MaadhyAmikas hold that things are momentary... There is a close relationship to Advaitham among the doctrines of MaadhyAmikam (Samvruthi in MaadhyAmikam is the same as the term avidhya in advaitham).Adhvaithin holds every thing except Brahman is unreal and the appearance of thing as existing is due to the superimposition on the basis (adhishtAna) , namely , Brahman which alone is real as per his (adhvaitin's) contention , MaadhyAmika finds no purpose in holding even that Brahman as real to serve as basis (adhishtAna) for the superimposition and maintains that no cognition requires a basis.The MaadhyAmika asks: " What harm would arise if Brahman alone is denied reality ? .
The MaadhyAmika does not accept the authority of Vedam and has no scruples in denying the need for a real basis (adhishtAna) for unreality. Thus, MaadhyAmikan denies the existence of Brahman and is an atheist.

Swamy Desikan refuted soundly the MaadhyAmika's views , which seek to prove the void of the universe as opposed to the reality of the universe. "

167) Criticism of the MaadhyAmika Matham
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kANa(tha)thu ilathu yenuumkalviyinArai kaDinthathaRppin
kONAr kutharkkangaL koNDE kuzhappum bhavuttharhaLil
nANAthu anaitthum ilathu yenRum nAlvahai anRu yenRum
VaazhnAL aRukkinRa matthimatthAn vazhi mARRuvamE

(Meaning): One of the four sishyAs of Bhuddha is Maadhyamikan, who developed the doctrine : "Sarvam Soonyam " (all is void ) and without hesitation declares that there are no Tatthvams. He was the most favored sishyan of Buddha. It is generally accepted that there are four kinds of vasthus in the Prapancham (universe):

(1) Sath (Truly existing ) , (2) asath (nonexistent ) , (3) Sathasath ( Mixture of true and untrue ) and (4) sathasath vilakshaNam ( one which is neither Sath or asath).

Maadhyamikan holds that the Universe can not be classified as any one of the above four kinds. He denies the existence of Iswaran and the vasthus of the universe belonging to Him and therefore loses the fruits obtained through the grace of Iswaran . In this context , MaadhyAmikan is like the women , who hates her living husband and cuts her MangaLa Soothram and throws it away. Swamy Desikan says that He refutes MaadhyAmikam as the First of the four Buddhistic systems in the 7th adhikAram of his Para Matha Bhangam.

168) Protecting the world from being stolen/deluded by MaadhyAmikAs
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mAnam ilai mEyam ilai yenRu maRROr
Vaadha neRi ilai yenRum vaathu pooNDa
thAnumilai tannurayum poruLm ilai
tatthuvathtin uNartthi sayam illai yenRum
vAnavarum mAnavarum manamum veLha
vaLam pEsu mathkEdan MatthimatthAn
tEna neRi koNDu anaitthum thiruDA vaNNam
sezhumathi pOl yezhum mathiyAR-semitthOmE

(Meaning ): MaadhyAmikan's doctrine is that all is soonyam (void). In his matham , there is no pramANam
to comprehend the different vasthus. There is no debating method . He is not there for engaging in debate. There is
no vaakyam uttered by him and no meaning for those vAkyams. There is no Tathtva Jn~Anam . There is no victory in debates. Inview of these strange aspects of his matham , the DevAs and humans laugh at his doctrines and his own mind also chuckles about his stupidity . We (Swamy Desikan ) refuted these strange doctrines of MaadhyAmikan , which makes every thing void and denies the existence of Iswaran and His sentient and insentient universe.
 
Paasurams 169-170

Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of the Second of the Four
Matham associated with Buddhism : YogAchAram.

169) Refutation of YogAchAra Matham
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muRRum chahatthil ilathu yenRE pahattiya muttarai nAmm
   suRRum thuRanthu thuRayil ninRE tuhaL-Aakkiya pinn
maRRu onRu ilathu mathi pala uNDenRu vanchanyAl
   saRRum thuRantha yOgAchAranai sathikkinRanamE

(Meaning) : One of the four groups of Bhouddham with the name of MaadhyAthmikan propagated his foolish doctrine  that every thing is void in this world and cheated the human beings with his trickery. Earlier , We stood firmly on VedAnthic  ground and refuted his matham and pulverized his doctrines. Now , we refute the doctrines of the second group of Bhouddham known as YogAchAram , which also tried to enchant the world
with its sophistry.

YogAchAran's main contention is that Jn~Anam alone is true. It is of many kinds. Beyond that , there is neither
the knower nor the vasthus understood by that Jn~Anam. Since he rejected himself as the knower and the objects
enjoyed by him , he is a forever loser that forefeits even  the trivial phalans that he is entitled to in this & the other world.

Dr.SeshAdriyAcchAr sums up this philosophy of YogAchAryan this way: " Cognitions apprehend their objects as if the objects were  distinct from the cognitions and as existing externally. Hence ,  the yogAchAran is called " aathma-khyAti vaadin " .  If the so-called external objects , he says , are spoken of as being real, it is due to their having only the empirical reality ( Samvruthi-sathyatA )... As a matter of fact , there  is neither a separate apprehender  nor even a seperate  apprehended object . One and the same apprehension  appears in three forms as apprehender , apprehension and  apprehended...".

In the next paasuram , Swamy  Desikan says that the two eyes of YogAchaaran are  KshaNikathvam and NirAkArathvam.  These are his PramANam and PramEyam. Swamy Desikan says that he used VedAnthic  arguments to destroy them  as meaningless babble.
 
170) Establishment of the Universe denied by YogAchAran
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uLak-kathiyai nAmm uLLI uLLam tERi
   ulahatthAr uhanthu isaya ulahu uNDu yenROm
iLakka arithAhiya nall tarukkam sErntha
   yezhil maRayil Isanudan yemmaik-kaNDOm
viLakku nirai pOl mathikaL vERAy vERu
   onRu aRiyAthE viLangumena viLambuhinRa
kaLak-karutthan kaNNIraNDu azhitthOm nANA
   kAham pOl thirinthu avan kathaRumARE

(Meaning ): The doctrine of YogAchAryan is that Jn~Anam is  born from moment to moment in new forms and ceases to exist  the next moment(KshaNikatthvam)  .This Jn~Anam will not  relate to any thing other than itself. Therfore , there are no  external objects (nirAkArathvam). The successions of the Jn~Anam that is born every second and dies is considered as AathmA .  This leads to the inevitable conclusion that AathmA is not eternal.
At the same time , consideration of AathmA as Jn~Anam  confers its firm presence as a lasting entity (sTiram). Therefore, there is a fundamental contradiction in YogAchAran's views. Just as the flames (JwAlAs) emanating from a lamp (Dheepam ) varies  from moment to moment and yet is the same dheepam that is behind  these variations in a firm and steady manner to give the  Jn~Anam  that it is the same Dheepa JwAlai , it is concluded that Aathma is anithyam and the doctrines of YogAcchAran are incorrect.

YogAchAran negates ChEthanam , achEthanam and Iswaran using untenable logic. He says that " the knower is false" and " the known vasthu is false (nonexistent)". Swamy  Desikan states that he has destroyed  the above two "eyes" of YogAchAra matham and reduced the status of YogAchaaran as a wailing  blind man . He compares the YogAcharan's status to that of the KaakAsuran , who committed unforgivable apachArams to SithA PirAtti and sought without  success some one to protect him in all the three worlds and finally lost one of his eyes to the blade of grass empowered by Lord Raamachandran to serve as BrahmAsthram . Swamy Desikan says that KakAsuran wailed over loss of one eye , where as YogAchAran symbolically lost both his eyes(KshaNikatthvam and NIrAkAratthvam )  in the debate with him and was wailing over that unbearable loss.
 
We will study next Swamy  Deskan's refutation of the third of the Bhouddha Matham : SouthrAnthikam.

Paasurams 171-172

Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of  the Third of the Four
Mathams associated with Buddhism : SouthrAnthikam .

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy  Desikan on this branch of Buddhism , let us summarize the key aspects of SouthrAnthikam as presentedd  by Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) :

1. The MadhyAmikan focused on Soonya Vaadham.

2. The YogAchAryan stayed with the theory of the Phenomenality of the world.

3. SauthrAnthikan represented that things being imperceptible are to be inferred by their forms imprinted in the cognitions.

Buddhist's views of momentariness of all things (KshaNikathvam ) and the theory that substratum is no more than an aggregation of qualities (nirAkArathvam )  are broadly present in all of the four Buddhistic Mathams.

Although momentary features can not be completely denied such as Cloud , flood et al , this does not lead to the conclusion that non-momentary entities do not exist. Dr.Varadachary of the French Institute of Indology points out in this context that Recognition proves that stability (AakArathvam instead of nirAkArathvam) is at the basis of
the worldly things in most of the Vaidhika Mathams .

Coming back to SautrAntikan , he hods that the external objects like pot and cloth are real but they can not however be directly percieved by the senses . He states that these (pot or cloth) can only be inferred by the cognition , which bears their " form " or "likeness".

SautrAntikan 's view of the process of generation of a perception and subsequent cognition  is described by Dr.V.N.S Swamy this way :

"  There are few requisites for every cognition: (1) Aalambana Pratyaya (2) Samanantara Pratyaya (3) SahakAri Pratyaya and (4) Adipathi Pratyaya .

( Let us understand each of the four Pratyayas and their interrelationships)

(1) Aalambana   pratyaya relates to the objects , which are the causes of the cognitions in which , in the absence of those objects , can not come in to being .

(2) Samanatara pratyaya is a cognition that enables the succeding cognition to recieve the form of the external objects.

(3) SahakAri pratyaya refers to light etc. which are responsible  in making the cognition distinct  with regard to its object. The absence of light disables a person from having  a clear apprehension of an object placed in the darkness.Therefore light is sahakAri (assistive).

(4) Adhipathi pratyaya  refers to the sense organs . It is the sense organs that make the objects present their forms to the cognition in the succeeding moment .

As the external objects present their forms to the Cognition , so do the internal objects like pleasure, pain and hatred ; thus they too become inferable . "

SautrAntikan's view  is based on an untenable theory and has been criticized by the other two Mathams associated with Buddhism ( YogAcharam and VaibhAshikam). AchArya RaamAnuja and Swamy Desikan have soundly criticized the SautrAntrikan's theories using Tarkam and VedAntham. Acharya Raamanuja  asks the question :
" If things are contended to be MOMENTARY , the external things would cease to exist in the moment of the presentation of their form to the mind. In the absence of such a thing , how can its form  alone
survive to be presented to the mind?

The unsoundness of the SautrAntikan's views is severely criticized by Swamy  Desikan in SarvArTa Siddhi  and Para Matha Bhangam as well as in the Desika Prabhandham carrying the same name.

We will take up those criticisms of Swamy  Desikan in his Tamil Prabhandham ( SoutrAntika BhangAdhikAram ) in the next posting .

Today , we will study  the  two paasurams that house Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of  the Third of the Four
Mathams associated with Buddhism : SouthrAnthikam .

171) Refutation of the SautrAntika Matham
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PoruL onRu ilathu yenRu bhOdham onRum kONDa poyyarai nAmm
   teruL kONDu theertha pinnkANavoNNA poruL tEDuhinRa
maruL koNDa soothu uraikkum SoutthhirAnthakan vaNNikkai nAmm
  iruL koNDa pAzhamkiNaRu yenRu ihazhnthu Ooda viyampuvamE

(Meaning) : YogAchAran has the doctrine that there are no external objects and that Jn~Anam alone exists. We (Swamy  Desikan ) refuted those views with our special Jn~Anam acquired from our AchAryAs in the previous adhikAram. The Buddhist belonging to SautrAnthika Matham accepts the reality of external objects.
The SautrAnthikan due to his ignorance tries to use beguiling ruses to prove the existence of the external objects and internal entities through anumAnam (inference ). His unconvincing arguments are like the Paazhum KiNaRu ( dark and dangerous empty well ). If any one stumbles in to this type of well will lose his life . We (Swamy  Desikan ) criticized severely the SautrAnthika Matham so that VivEkis will develop a distaste for this Matham and
stay away from it.

172) The Inconsistencies of the SautrAntikan's doctrines
*******************************************
nilayillA poruL mathiyai viLaitthu tAnn sER
   niRam kodutthu tAnn azhiyum tannAl vantha
nilayillA mathi tannil niRatthaik-kANum
   ithu kANum poruL kANNKai yenRa neesan
mulai illAt-tAai koduttha mulaip-paal uNNUm
   muhamilla mozhi yenavE mozhintha vArtthai
talai illAt-taaL oorum kaNakkAi ninRa
   kattaLai nAmm kaNDu inRu kaattinOmE

(Meaning): In contrast to YogAchAran , SautrAnthikan accepts the existence of external objects. SautrAntikan's
doctrine is: External objects generate Jn~Anam and hand over the white , yellow and other colors to that Jn~Anam
and become extinct. Therefore , the Indhriyams can not apprehend /comprehend these objects , which have
the svabhAvam of extinction after enriching Jn~Anam about their attributes like their colors. Even id these external objects cease to exist, we can comprehend the objects through the information transferred to Jn~Anam about the colors through a process of anumAnam (inference). Even this Jn~Anam with transferred  information on
the colors of the external objects becomes extinct in a trice (KshaNam ). This Jn~Anam is equivalent to the AathmA. This Jn~Anam will enjoy the colors like blue , yellow  et al that has been given to it by the external
objects. This anubhavam is termed Vasthu SaakshAthkAram.

In SautrAntikan's doctrine , one has to accept that Jn~Anam is generated after the birth of the Vasthu .
That vasthu exists for a KshaNam and ceases to exist after that kshaNam . During that KshaNam
of its existence , the external object  creates Jn~Anam and imparts information about itself  to Jn~Anam and
thereafter the external object  ceases to exist . Thus this external object that is destined to become extinct in
a kshaNam has to be born first,  Create Jn~Anam in the first second , transfer the information to Jn~Anam
in the second Second and in the third second has to become extinct. This is totally impossible to concieve . Further,
the Jn~Anam housing the imparted information also becomes extinct after a KshaNam . First second, Jn~Anam is born ,the next second it becomes the repository of information from the external objects and in the third second , it has to become extinct . How can that Jn~Anam accomplish Vasthu SaakshAthkAram ( Visualization of external objects )? It is inconceivable and imposisble . The situation here is similar to the baby helping itself to mother's mik from a mother , who has no breasts; it is like speaking , when there is no face ; it is like the movement by the feet , when there is no head in the body to command it. Thus we refute the inconsistent and unsound theories of SautrAnthikam says Swamy  Desikan in this Paasuram.

Paasurams 173-174

 Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of  the fourth of the Four
Mathams associated with Buddhism : VaibhAshikam .

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy  Desikan on this branch of Buddhism , let us summarize the key aspects of VaibhAshikam as presented  by U.Ve. Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) and his elder brother , U.Ve. V.N.SrIrAma DesikAcchAr  Swamy :

" The Four Schools of Buddhism , namely , VaibhAshika , SautrAntika , YogAchAra and Maadhyamika , inspite of
many differences in their principles , have some aggrements in their viewpoints :

(1) All entities are impermanent , transitory  and in a continous state of change (2) apart from the flow of cognitions , there is no soul or aathman as the seat of cognition or consciousness. Unlike the two latter Buddhists (YogAchara and MaadhyAmika) , the VaibhAshika and the SautrAntika hold both mental and physical entities as real and existing . The VaibhAshika contends that all external objects are real and apprehensible by perceptions
generated by the sense organs . Space and NirvANa are , according to him , eternal ; matter and mind which is not
an entity distinct  from the so-called soul or atman , are impermanent and momentary. For the reason that some
entities are held as permanent and non-momentary , the VaibhAshika is condemned as a non-buddhist
even by his colleagues , who uphold the momentariness of all existing entities.

The VaibhAshika is grouped with SautrAntika because both of them maintain the reality of external things. Consequently, they are both called Sarva-asti-vAdhins .The VaibhAshika objects however to the contention of SautrAntika on the point of presentation of a form by the external thing to the mind ".

173) Swamy  Desikan's condemnation of VaibhAshikam
********************************************
KaaNkinravan ilai kAtcchiyum kaNDathum uNDu avai tAmm
    yENN koNDana anRu ivaRRil guNamum nilayum ilai
sENN koNDa santhathiyAl sErnthum onRu yena niRkum yenRa
    kONN koNDa kOLUrai VaibhAtikan kuRai kUruvamE

(Meaning ): VaibhAshika's doctrine are: (1) The Jn~AthA , who knows the meaning is false ( poy aavAn) (2) Jn~Anam , and the entity comprehended by the Jn~Anam are real entities(3) That Jn~Anam and the vasthus comprehended by it are limitless(4) Both of them however have no attributes (GuNams) (5) They do not stay permanent and are destroyed in a moment. (6) Vasthus will stay as assemblies of ParamANus
(sub-atomic entiites ).

Some weird and distorted  inferences are made form this ParamAnu theory of VaibhAshikan . According to him , although the ParamANus are limitless , their assembly makes the entity of similar ParmANus that we call as a Pot or the flame made up of  similar ParamANus of fire(microcosms of fire ) . Even if the sparks of flames are similar
ParamANus to make the mighty flame , it is confusing to extend the instaneously perishing sarks to become an existign flame. This kind of Vakra (distorted) rguments are criticized heavily by Swamy  Desikan in VaibhAshika BangAdhikAram .

(174) The contrast between Theory and Reality in VaibhAshikam
****************************************************
kumbhiduvAr yAr yenRu tEduhinRAr
   guNangaLayum tangaLuku kooRuhinRAr
tamm padiyai tamarkku urIaitthup-padivikkinRAr
   tamakku ini mEl VeedenRu sAthikkinRAr
tamm pudavai uNal kuritthu nedithu yeNkinRAr
   santhatikkut-tavam palikkat-tAmm pOhinRAr
sempadavar seyhinRa siRRinippaic-
   chEvahap-paRRudanE nAmm sehtthittOmE

(Meaning ): VaibhAshikars accept Jn~Anam and vasthu as real and yet reject guNams (attributes) in them and state their existence is momentary. These doctrines counter their behavior . VaibhAshikAs spend a lot of time and effort to collect sishyAs  for the sake of amassing wealth and glory . They proclaim that they possess dispassion (VairAgyam ) and non-violence (ahimsA) . They instruct the sishyAs about their doctrine that  they will secure MOksham , the moment their bodies fall down at the end of their life span . They take a lot of trouble to amass wealth and food and worry quite a bit on bodily matters. They state that they perform penance for the upliftment of their sishyAs and family . All of these are inconsistent with their doctrines that all entities are momentary and these entities have no attributes. We (Swamy  Desikan ) have refuted all these inconsitencies between the VaibhAshikA's acts and their professed philosophies .

The use of the Tamil word in this Paasuram "Sempadavan " has double meanings: (1) Sempadavar means fishermen . Hers the VaibhAshikAs are compared to fishermen , who use their distorted logic to attract the minds of the people to win them over to their doctrines (2) Sem+padavar means one , who wears ochre robes
( KaashAyam).

 Paasurams 175-176

Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of Adhvaitham .At the outset ,
let me request all who to read this posting to treat it as a historical summary with no intention to hurt anybody's feelings . This particular posting is aimed at the students of Philosophy .

Source Literature
*************
There are many outstanding books on Advaitha, Dhvaitha , VisishtAdhvaitha VedAnthams by eminent AchAryAs going back to many  centuries . In most recent times , the following books on the comparitive analysis and defense of Advaitha and VisishtAdhvaitha Darsanams would be of immense use to the students of such darsanams :

1. SrI Madhusoodhana Saraswathi ( 1540-1647 C.E) : Advaitha Siddhi

2. Swamy  Desikan (1268-1369 C.E) : Satha DhUshaNi   & Other SrI Sookthis     such as AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi  , 11th chapter of Para Matha Bhangam

3. SrI AnanthakrishNa  Saasthri ( 1956) : Satha BhUshaNi

4. SrI UtthamUr Swamy ( 1959): ParamArTa BhUshaNam

5.SrI S.M.S. Chari 1961) : Advaita and VisishtAdhvaitha   (A study based on Vedanata Desika"s Sata DhUshaNi ).

6. SrI S.M.S. Chari ( 1998): The Philosophy of the Vedantha SoothrAs

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy  Desikan on Advaitham , let us summarize the key aspects of  Advaitham as presented  by U.Ve. Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) and his elder brother ,
U.Ve. V.N.SrIrAma DesikAcchAr  Swamy along the lines of AchArya RaamAnujA in SrI BhAshyam (laghu and MahA SiddhAntham) and Swamy  Desikan in Satha DhUshaNi, Tatthva Muktha KalAPam ,
SarvArTa Siddhi and Para Matha  Bhangam (11th Chapter: Pracchanna Bhouddha BhangAdhikAram) .

Adhi Sankara's contributions
***********************
His contributions are many from PrakaraNa granthams to moving sthOthrams and subhAshithams like Bhaja Govindham. Adhi Sankara destroyed the faulty doctrines of Veda-Baahya mathams like Bhuddhism and Jainism and established the authority of Vedams and crushed the nihilistic theories of Bhuddhisam . We are
indebted to Adhi Sankara for these unique contributions .

Adviatham & Buddhism (Continued)
*****************************
Dr.V.Varadachary's observations on Adhvaitham developed by Aadhi Sankara are : " Idealism of the Bhuddhists found room in SankarA's system in which Brahman assumed the place of Knowledge. Brahman is without attributes and is the only Reality. The world of animates and inanimates (ChEthanams and achEthanams ) has  only phenomenal existence and while dividing existence thus in to absolute and phenomenal , SankarA paved the way for living a virtous life leading finally to absolutism ". In view of overlaps with Buddhistic doctrines in some key areas , some have described adhvaitham as Pracchanna Bhouddham.

Some disagreements
****************
VaishNavite Achaaryas have over centuries disagreed with the basic premises of Advaitham in the follwing areas
as defined by Dr.S.M.S. Chari in his classical monograph entitled "Advaitha and VisishtAdhvaitha " :

(1) The validity of PramANAs for Advaita VedAntham
(2) The nature and content of Perception
(3) TheNature of Consciousness
(4) The nature of Jeevan
(5) The Nature of Brahman: SaguNa or NirguNa Brahman
(6) The nature of Jagath (Universe)
(7) The doctrine of avidhya and
(8) Sadhana and Mukthi .

As Dr.S.M.S. Chari points out , there have been criticisms Advaitham by VisishtAdhvaitham and vice versa over
centuries and continues even today.

Darsanams wiht different view points
******************************
Professor P.N. SrInivAsAchAri's wise  assessment has to be borne in mind, while we treat this subject
( the Two schools of VedAnthA ) in this series of Postings on Para Matha Bhangam .

" Every VedAnthic System has a synthetic purpose as it claims be a criticism of and fulfilment of previous systems. The conflicts between two schools of thought do not in any way affect their value as a system of philosophy . On the other hand , they enrich them in so far as they serve as an impetus to further development of Philosophic thought "

The Core Doctrines of Adhvaitham
***************************
Samkara Advaitha has the core doctrines:

" Brahma Satyam  Jagan Mithya , JivO Brahmaiva na Para: "

This core statement of Advaitham affirms
(1) the nonduality of  Brahman / the onenness of the individual Jeevan with the absolute Brahaman/ the nondifference between the Jevan and Brahaman
(2) the nonreality of the empirical world around us and
(3) Brahman alone is True.

The key concept in Advaitha VedAntha is avidhyA /MaayA ) .It is used  to explain  the distinction between the attributeless (nirguNa ) Brahman and the One with attributes (SaguNa Brahman ) and to explain the distinction between non-dual reality appearing as Jeevans and as God ( Iswaran) .

We will study the two Paasurams dealing with the criticism of Adhvaitham by  Swamy  Desikan in the next posting .

Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with  Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of Adhvaitham , which forms
the 11th Chapter of Para Matha Bhangam .

175) Refutation of Adhvaitham
**************************
VedangaL mouli viLanga ViyAsan virittha nal nool
   paadhangaL aana pathinARil Isan padi maRaitthu
BhEthangaL illai yenRu ohR birama picchu iyambuhinRa
   bhOdham kazhinthavanai Bhuddhar mAttudan poottuvamE

(Meaning): For the purpose of understanding the true meaning of Upanishads  , Sage VyAsa compiled Brahma Soothrams in four adhyAyams containing  sixteen padhams . Adhvaithins do not accept Iswaran's anantha kalyANa guNams and Svaroopam proclaimed by the above VedAntha Saasthram . Instead , they describe Brahman as
mere JN~Ana Svaroopan without any guNams (nirguNa Brahman). They  assert Brahman alone is Real (sathyam ) and all else are false. They declare that MayA does make all these unreal objects appear real to Brahman as a result of its Ajn~Anam . We have no choice under these circumstances  to link adhvaitham with Bhouddham
and reject both as unsound in this adhikAram of Pracchanna BhouddhA Matha Bangam .

176) Condemnation of the avidhyA sambhandham to Brahman
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pirivu illa iruL onRu piNakku onRu illA
   peru-veyilai maRaitthu ulaham kaattum yenna
aRivillA aRivu onRai avitthai moodi
   aham puRam yenRu ivai anaithtum amaikum yenpAr
seRivu illA Buddharudan sErnthu kettAr
   seevanayum Isanayum chithaikkap-pArthAr
neRi illA nErvazhiyum tAnE aanAn
   NedumAlai nAmm adainthu nilai peRROME

(Meaning ) : The main tenet of Adhvaithis is that Brahmam alone is true (sathyam). It has no GuNams like Jn~Anam. But it (Brahman) stands as the Jn~Ana Svaroopam . There is no real Vasthu other than Jn~Anam .Brahma Svaroopam has sambhandham from time immemorial to a vasthu called MaayA. The nature of MaayA
is to hide its aadhAram , Brahman.Sine Brahman is hidden by MaayA , Brahma svaroopam does nor shine as it should in its real nature.

This MaayA is a vasthu made up of the three guNams , Satthvam , Rajas and Tamas ; it can not be described either as real or unreal; it has the svabhAvam (nature ) to hide its substratum (aadhAram); it changes constantly.It hides Brahma Svaroopam and shows transformed vasthus like Water, Earth ( Pruthvee) and similarly
through its thirOdhanam (hiding Brahman ) , shows up as variations such as Desire (icchA ), Jn~Anam and DhvEsham ( resentment). These are the key doctrines of Advaitham.

The description of avidhyai hiding Brahman to create all vasthus is like saying that a mighty darkness hides the brightest luminous body and that mighty darkness shows all vasthus of the world to the people ( IruL onRu peru veyilai maRaitthu ulaham kAttum yenna) .

It is YogAchAran's doctrine that Jn~Anam alone is sathyam  and the rest are false.He says that Jn~Anam is momentary in existence.It ceases to exist every moment and newer Jn~Anams are born and perish the next second. This anithyathvam (impermanence) and Bhauthvam ( nature of being many Jn~Anmas) are figments of fancy and are not consistent with Veda PramANams. In this Bhouddha Matham , Jn~AthA (the knower ) is false ( asathyam) and the phalans of the Jn~Anam are also unreal. Adhvaitham overlaps thus with YogachAras in some areas and MaadhyAmikas in other areas . There are commonalities between the two mathams. Bhouddham is an avaidhika matham ( Veda Baahya matham ) and does not accept Vedam as PramANam. Adhvitham is indeed a Vaidhika matham but misintreprets the true meanings of VedAntham as revealed by Sage VyAsa in his Brahma Soothrams.The key outcome for adhvaitham is that they do not accept that Jeevan and Iswaran are different tatthvams. The Adhvaithins believe in the identity of Jeevan with Brahman . In Adhvaitham , " All things other than Brahman are unreal because they are different from Brahman, like the shell-Silver . Avidhya (ignorance ) makes one see the universe in Brahman even though  the Universe has no real existence...This doctrine of avidhyA or  MaayA is the very life blood of Adhvaitha " .With the use of avidhyA , the realtion between Brahman and the Universe is distorted by adhvaithins.

VisishtAdhvathins stoutly refute many of the above doctrines of Adhvaitham.They hold that The Universe is Real and the Supreme Being is full of kalyAna GuNams . Brahman is held to be playing the role of Soul to the Universe , which is recognized as His own body. The Body-Soul relationship between the Universe and Brahman is the life blood of VisishtAdhvaitham . All the chEthanams and achEhtanams form the body of Brahman .

VisishtAdhvaitham's central tenet is " Brahman (the Supreme Being) having the Universe of ChEthanams and achEthanams as its body is the ONLY Real thing and there is NOTHING , which is not the body of Brahman and which is independent of the same Supreme Being .Whereas in the doctrine of Adhvaitha , Brahman alone is real, and every thing else--Sentients and insentients -- is false ; the VisishtAdhvaitha while presenting the view  that brahman alone is real explains that brahman includes sentients and insentients , which are proved to be inseparable
attributes and body of Brahman. This intrepretation reveals a vast gulf of difference between Adhvaitham and
VisishtAdhvaitham ".

Swamy  Desikan states in this slOkam : " neRi illA nEr vazhiym tAnE aanAn, NedumAlai adainthu nilai peRROM " ( We performed the UpAyam of SaraNAgathy to the Lord , SrIman NaarAyaNan , who has no other alternative except Himself  for granting MOksham and we as Sesha BhUthans protected out Svaroopam as His eternal servant through rejection of other misleading Mathams  like Adhvaitham .

We will study the two Paasurams dealing with the criticism of Jaina Matham by  Swamy  Desikan in the next posting .