Simultaneous Oneness and Difference

It is common in academic and yoga circles to regard Advaita as a monistic system which brings about the oneness experience to its practitioners. It is hailed as the philosophy which can revolutionize human consciousness and deliver us to a state of existence where there is no suffering - which is the creation of a dualistic mindset . Their proponents argue that the dualistic mindset that operates at the lower mental levels at which most of mankind exists can only bring about sorrow and suffering. And a solution to suffering can only be found by transcending that dualistic state , and experiencing the monistic state , and understanding that all these dualities do not really exist and are brought into existence as a result of our ignorance , avidya, at a lower state.

Dualism , the pairs of opposites , according to advaita are brought about by Maya. Maya is that principle which makes the one and only Nirguna Brahman appear as many and divided. The universe is the result of Maya and they say Maya is not illusion , and people who think advaita is illusionism have not understood it.

But whatever you may call it , Maya according to the advaitin is the principle that makes the unreal appear as real. Transcending Maya means the realization that all these things do not exist and realizing that only Brahman exists. Realized souls will see only the undivided Nirguna Brahman everywhere and not material objects which fill the consciousness of the ordinary man.

For Advaitins , Maya is not illusion. But whatever it is, its byproduct , the real universe which we perceive around us , does not exist. Maya makes the unreal world real. Advaitins juggle words to explain Maya and to tell you that the world around us is unreal but not an illusion. But whatever it is , its clear that advaitins do not ascribe the same level of reality to Brahman and the World around us. This is evident from that famous aphorism of Adi Shankara , "Brahman Sathyam , Jagan Mithyam" or "The Brahman alone is real , the World is only Mithya". One may ascribe different meanings to Mithya but clearly mithya is different from sathya and they are both not the same. Mithya is a different grade of reality compared to Sathya. If it was not so , advaitins would say "Brahman Sathyam , Jagan Sathyam" which they do not. Thus world exists in a non-real or unreal state for the Advaitin.

But is that all correct ? Do what the advaitins say , the real state of things , the true nature our experience ?

The Vaishnava schools of thought , which are many in number , take an entirely different stand. Especially if we study the system and the school of thought brought into existence by Madhva. For him the world is real and not only simply real but as real as Vishnu Himself. The world ontologically is of the same grade of reality as Brahman. The only difference being Brahman is self-conscious , self-luminous and has certain powers which we cannot ascribe to atoms and molecules that make the real world. Brahman and the souls have the power of will but matter does not. Souls are as real as atoms but they are constituted of a higher grade of reality on account of their powers of Volition. Brahman on the other hand , even though as real as atoms and souls , is a still higher grade of reality compared to the other two. Thus Brahman has the power to control the souls and matter who become subject to its Suzerainty.

The concept of Advaita or oneness exist in Madhva's system as well. Advaita is simply a Sanskrit word which means oneness and this word can be used by anybody and to refer to anything and is not the private property of the advaitins. The material scientists for example are advaitins as well. There are many places where Vishnu is referred to as Advaita by Madhva. Thus advaita is not the proper word to describe Shankara's philosophy. Since Madhva accepts the oneness of Vishnu we could say his followers are advaitins. The material scientists can also make similar claims.

Thus the correct word that can be used to describe advaitins is Mayavadins viz the ones who accept the doctrine of Maya , the principle that causes the unreal to appear as real. This would be the proper description for them. Any other description will not bring out the uniqueness of the philosophy or its theme accurately.

But how shall we describe the philosophy of Madhva ? Madhva himself used the word tattvavaada or the doctrine of reality to describe his system. From Madhva's point of view all nature was real and the differences we see around is in nature are real as well. Not only are differences real but they are also eternal. This may come as a shock for those who equated difference with Ignorance and considered the enlightened state as one where all differences cease to exist But for Madhva differences become even more pronounced and clear in the Realized state than the unrealized state in which most of mankind exist. Realization for Madhva is the enjoyment of bliss latent in the soul. The world is objectively real and it remains so for the Realized souls as well , though their perspective of the universe becomes different. And it is the proper understanding of the differences (there are five in number) that makes it possible for a soul to attain salvation.

There are two types of differences here which we should learn to become familiar with it. There is the difference or rather the dividedness which we perceive around us in this world caused by the ego and also the objective reality. Every inanimate object (jada) is different from the other and it is this difference which gives reality to it. In other words ,difference, we can say is the essence of reality. Nay , its very foundation. Recognizing this difference actually reduces suffering in the world. And leads one to salvation. The second is the divided-ness brought about by the rajasic ego in us. We perceive this dividedness in the use of such words , you, I , they , them. These differences are the result of lower consciousness , brought about by the rajasic ego which is the station of identity for the Lower Man . Such a discrimination while useful in real life is also the source of much suffering as well. Wars for example are the result of the rajasic ego which has gone out of control. But this is only one reason for Wars. Madhva asks us to get rid of this rajasic ego. In asking us to get rid of this , he does not mean that the differences in the world outside should also be rejected. These are real and out there and they cannot be gotten rid off by any amount of Yoga. Getting rid of rajasic ego puts an end to the divisive consciousness and brings us into the unity consciousness. The difference is still there in the real world , but what has gone out is the dividedness which covered our consciousness , clouded our consciousness and made us vulnerable to certain lower forces which wanted to keep us in a state of Ignorance. When the rajasic ego is gotten rid of the person then tends to live most of his life in the sattvic ego station and that life is certainly a better one as it opens up the potential for Joy, Bliss and Knowledge. But then wasn't Yoga supposed to get rid of all the differences ? Haven't all those great Yogis from past and present asked us to get rid of all differences ?

We must realize that the experience of oneness that most Yogis talk about (from Adi Shankara to Ramana Maharishi) is merely one such experience. In fact it is one of the lowest levels of realization that anybody can achieve. It is directly above the Buddhist state of realization. Buddhist realization itself just above the realization that scientists experience. In that state of Spiritual Advaitic realization , the world appears as merely a projection of the Nirguna Brahman , having no reality of itself , a mere shadow play of the Attributeless Absolute Consciousness. Most Yogis stop after reaching this stage, out of conviction born out of subscription to standard authority. They then assume the responsibility of saving the world or teaching the method to others and often tour around the world , giving lectures and acting as a conduit for those aiming for self-fulfillment. Each advaitin reinforces the idea to himself and others that this is the highest realization that is possible and becomes a famous Guru the world over.

But there have been a few great souls who have labored past this experience, pushed the limits of knowledge and endurance and reached a state of existence that is superior to this Advaitic experience. Foremost among them was Ramanuja , an Acharya born in the state of Tamil Nadu and famous for his socialistic attitude and also for the Vishista Advaita school of thought. Vishista Advaita means Qualified Monism. That name is given to his philosophy because while he accepted Advaita as propounded by Shankara , he also made some modifications to it . The state of yogic experience which corresponds to his intellectual philosophy is just above the yogic experience of Absolute Attributeless Nirguna Brahman experienced by the Pure Advaitin. Ramanuja went further and discovered a state of realization in which the world does not appear to be a mere illusion and the Brahman a mere attributeless absolute passive entity. Rather the One Divine appears in this state to manifest as the Many and the whole world seems to be nothing but the interplay of the One and the Many. This state is dynamic compared to the Advaitic experience which is primarily static in nature. Here the One Lord appears to take the form of the Many entities in the universe , not merely supporting them from behind but also taking an active part in them. This state is called as the Dynamic Cosmic in the Aurobindoan tradition. The Lord in this state is no longer a passive entity to be realized. But He appears to partake in the many aspects of the universe , retaining His identity , which is that of a Person , and also mingling with one and all in a great sport of the Divine. The World is no purposeless illusion and the Lord is seen to be everywhere and everywhen and the World appears to be a part of the lord , even constituted of the Lord , the World is the Lord. One who has reached this state cannot help making the welfare of the citizens of this world a matter of priority and see the service to the humanity as service to the Lord , for the Lord is the World , the Lord is Humanity. Ramanuja's efforts to unite the caste-ridden hindu society and also help it tide over the crises springing from the threat of Islam is the direct result of this level of Realization. His reforms were largely responsible for the hindu society's continued existence from the dual threat of the arrogant advaitin and the aggressive Muslims. Ramanuja brought the knowledge of the Soul and the Divine Lord down to the lowest of the people. Many of his followers wrote works in the tamil language and eschewed Sanskrit which was known only to a few. He helped the masses to grasp the difficult vedic concepts and also made possible unity and brotherhood in the hindu society.

The third of the great poises of the Supermind is Madhva's realization of Krishna. The Individual is the last and also the nearest and most intimate realization of the Divine. In this level of realization , the Lord is seen from the most intimate point of view. The Lord is the Person who is closest to his devotees and loves him intimately , while also partaking the love of the bhaktha This state of realization is the highest and achieving it is also the rarest. It is beyond the realization of Ramanuja , but includes it as well. This state does not negate the realization of Shankara or Ramanuja but includes it and goes beyond it. A person in this state of realization can easily come down and experience the other two states of realization. He can partake of it and return to the highest realization of the Individual.