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Ideology of Dvaita Vedanta philosophy

Dvaita Vedanta Philosophy

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1. Introduction

  • Dvaita Vedanta is another sub-school of Vedanta.
  • Key question: What is the relationship between Jiva and Brahman?

2. Core Tenet: Absolute Difference

  • Relationship between Jiva and Brahman is like A : B - completely different.
  • Madhvacharya clearly establishes that the Jiva and the Brahman are entirely separate entities.
  • Jiva is completely dependent upon Brahman.

3. Key Tenets of Dvaita Vedanta (Summarized in Seven Points)

  • Vishnu is Supreme: Vishnu/Hari is the supreme reality and equal to Brahman.
    • Theistic form of Vedanta, similar to Ramanujacharya's.
  • World is Real: The world is real (not Maya) unlike Shankaracharya's claims; the differences in the world are real.
  • Five Types of Differences: Madhvacharya highlights the importance of difference by distinguishing five types:
    • Difference between Jiva and Ishwara.
    • Difference between Jiva and Jagat (everything in the world).
    • Difference between Jagat and Ishwara.
    • Difference between Jivas.
    • Difference between different Jagat entities.
  • Servants of Hari: All Jivas are servants of Hari/Vishnu.
  • Gradation of Beings: There is a hierarchy among Jivas.
    • Some are eternally bound to samsara (cycle of birth and death).
    • Some are eternally free from samsara.
    • Some can enter and leave the samsara cycle.
  • Moksha is Realization of Bliss: Moksha is realizing the natural bliss (ananda) of the self and its true nature.
    • Every self has innate properties and ananda.
  • Bhakti is the Path to Moksha: Bhakti (devotion) towards Lord Vishnu/Hari is the path to liberation.

4. The Samsara Chakra (Cycle of Birth and Death)

  • How is the Jiva locked in the samsara chakra?
    • Ishwara causes the Jivas to be born in this cycle of samsara to become unaware of the relation between Jiva and Ishwara.
  • Ishwara is the source of being in and out of this cycle.
  • Prayer to Ishwara is very important for moksha.

5. Uniqueness of the Jiva

  • Every Jiva is unique.
  • The purpose of creation is to help Jiva realize its true nature (Swarupa).
  • Each Jiva has a unique karma.
  • After which the Jiva can realize its true nature.

6. Attributes of Ishwara

  • Ishwara is Saguna - with attributes.
  • Pictorial depictions of Vishnu embody this.

7. Realization of Ishwara through Bhakti

  • Oneness is not in the Advaitic sense but realizing relation to Ishwara.
  • Bhakti must be aided by karma and jnana.
  • Engaging in Vedic rituals and studying Prasthanatraya (Brahma Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads).
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