Suddhadvaita of Vallabhacarya

Source Of Knowledge:

The highest authority is Veda in the system of Vallabhas's philosophy. For metaphysical teachings he accepts the authority of Upanisads. He accepts Smrtis only if they agree with the Vedas like Manu's book of law. From philosophical sutras, only the sutras composed by Krsna in His incarnation as Vyasa are worthy of importance. For the same reason he accepts Mahabharata. Srimad Bhagavad Gita possesses unique significance in his philosophy. The Ramayan possesses full authority, because Valmiki composed it in `Samadhi bhasa'. Puranas form a needful supplement to Sruti and Smrti; if the latter are like eyes, then the former is like the heart for knowledge.

The Bhagavata is the highest means of help for salvation, because it calls forth the love for Krsna, which warrants welfare; and brings us to maturity. No other book is so highly valued by Vallabha, because nowhere else does the worship of Balakrsna, which is so much propagated by him, occupy an equally dominating position; and because no other holy scripture is authoritative to such a significant extent for the furthering of his doctrines. The works of Pancaratra are expressly pointed out as authoritative and cited so often.

Thus, the Upanisads, the Brahmasutras and Gita are the pillars on which Vallabha erects his building of Doctrines. To these 3 `prasthanas', the Bhagavata is joined as the fourth one, which he considers to be expressly of the similar worth because it was told by Vyasa in `Samadi bhasa'. The four holy scriptures complete and explain each other in a reciprocating way (i.e, they supplement and complement each other); as the Bhagavata explains the Brahmasutras, these explain the Gita and the Gita explains the Veda.

DEFINITIONS:

1. BRAHMAN:

According to Sri Vallabhacarya's doctrine of `Suddhadvaita', Brahman is a pure entity, free from `Maya'. It is conceived as non dual, one without a second. The Universe with souls and matter, `maya' or `prakrti', `kala' or time, exists in one Supreme Reality. All these constitute the being of Brahman and as parts of the Brahman are not distinct from Him.

Brahman is free from the 3 kinds of difference known as `Svajatiyaªbheda' (difference which appears between things of the same category), `vijatiya©bheda' (difference which appears between things of different category) and `svagata©bheda' (difference which manifests itself in one and the same thing, either between its essence and form or between its component parts). It is omniscient and omnipotent and possesses an infinite number of attributes. It has marvelous powers (`aisvarya') by virtue of which it can even hold together things or attributes which are mutually opposed. Thus it is both qualified (`saguna') and unqualified (`nirguna'). It is one, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, possessed of an infinite number of attributes, and essentially of the nature of `sat' (existence), `cit'(intelligence) and `ananda'(bliss). It is `Suddha' (pure), i.e, never contaminated by connection with ~Maya".

Brahman has three forms, (i) the highest Divine Form (`adhidaivika') as Krsna or Purusottama, possessing an infinite number of auspicious attributes, attainable by a devotee; (ii) the `aksara' form (`adhyatmika'),
in which all the attributes have become non©manifest and which alone is attainable by sages (`jnanin'), and (iii) the `antaryamin' form as seen in the incarnation or avataras of Visnu.

Jiva and the world are identical with Brahman. Jiva is Brahman with the quality of bliss obscured and the physical world is Brahman with the quality of both bliss and intelligence obscured. Creation and destruction in their case mean the appearance (`avirbhava') and disappearance (`tiraobhava') of Brahman in these forms. Brahman is both material and efficient cause of jiva and the world, manifesting itself in these forms simply for the purpose of sport (`lila'). In doing so, it does not undergo any change in essence. It is just like snake forming itself into coils.

2. JIVA:

Jiva is an atomic part of Brahman, produced from its `cit' (intelligence) part, just as sparks are produced from fire. It is not an adjective of Brahman, but Brahman under limit. Jiva, being identical with Brahman, is endowed with all the divine powers (`aisvarya'). It is bound by `avidya' when, by the will of Brahman, its divine powers are obscured.

There are three categories of Jiva: `suddha' (pure), `samsarin' and `mukta'. Jiva is `suddha' when its divine qualities, such as `aisvarya', are not obscured by `avidya' (ignorance); `samsarin' when, by the will of Brahman, its divine qualities are obscured and it comes in contact with `avidya', identifying itself with the gross and subtle bodies; and `mukta' when, again by the will of Brahman, it is freed from bondage by `vidya'.
The Jiva, though atomic can pervade the whole body by virtue of its quality of intelligence (`caitanya'), just as sandal©wood can by its fragrance make its existence known even where it does not exist.

The souls to be found in `Samsara' fall in 3 classes viz. (i) the divine (`daivi') souls, which are fit for salvation (`mukti yogya'), (ii) the middle (`madhyama') or human souls who are destined for wandering (`srusti yogya') and (iii) the demoniac (`danava') souls who are condemned to gloom or darkness. This division of souls finds its reference in the old `Pancaratra' texts.

The souls are also classified in another way in `Pusti©Pravah Maryada Bheda'. Here four sorts of souls are distinguished. (i) Pusti souls which are redeemed by grace of God, (ii) Maryada souls who attain salvation by following the Vedic precepts in the way of knowledge, (iii) Pravaha souls who swim in the "current" of Samsara in a demoniac way, and are (a) either `durgna' or bad nature and therefore sink down in darkness in the end, or (b) `agna' who are led astray at times by other demoniac (`asuras') people, but who can be improved again later, and lastly (iv) Sambandhin souls, that is such as are without fixed character, who do not come out of Samsara, let themselves be driven here and there, just like corrupt women (`charsani') who throw themselves in the arms of this and that paramour now and then.

As a matter of salvation, the Pusti souls can enter into Goloka and participate in the joyful nature of God. Maryada souls carry in them only the spiritual, not the joyful nature of God, and are therefore capable of only intellectual salvation the entrance in the soul of the world (`aksara'). The Pravaha souls have nothing to do, either with God's joyful body, or with his spiritual nature, they can neither attain a commonplace with the Purusottama, nor enter the `aksara' but dissolve themselves in the blind darkness, an existence free from joy and spirit. There no question of salvation for the fourth class.

Thus it follows that according to Vallabha only a few souls are fit for salvation, while others remain continuously in Samsara or enter the darkness for ever. Vallabha also teaches the perpetual damnation of abandoned souls.

3. JADA:

The inanimate world (`jada') is created from the `sat' (existence) part of Brahman. It is, therefore as real as Brahman. But the Jiva, under the influence of `avidya', endows it with illusory forms. The world is real, but its appearance (`pratiti') to the Jiva under the spell of `avidya', is erroneous. It is like a man sitting on a moving boat perceiving a tree on the bank, to whom the tree appears to be in motion. The tree is real, but the perception of the motion of the tree is illusory. Similarly, the world which is essentially of the nature of Brahman and, therefore, purely subjective and free from difference, is real, but the objectivity and multiplicity, which the Jiva in ignorance perceived in it, are unreal.

Brahman is the non different material and efficient cause of the Universe. Vallabha however does not use the term `upadana'. He has described Brahman as the `samavayikarana'. Because, `Upadana' involves change while Brahman is unchangeable. The word `samavaya' implies identity. Thereby Vallabha stresses the complete identification of Brahman with the world.

Brahman creates the cosmos not like a potter, who creates a pot from material different from that of his own self, and by turning the potter's wheel which is something found outside his ownself, but He creates without any stuff and without instruments; like a Yogin, He turns `Himself' into the world; just as milk becomes sour©milk of its own accord. This thesis of the enfolding of Brahman to the world finds its proof in the `Satkaryavada', which accepts a Universal Identity of cause and work. Just as an unrolled piece of cloth is not different from a rolled up one, so also the world is not different from Brahman. The plurality of appearances in the world says nothing against the being of God at their bottom: a bangle and a ring are different from each other, but both of them have the same material basis, namely Gold. Thus the world created from Brahman (`Brahma©karya') in the sense that Brahman itself is manifested in the form of the gross world. Thus the creation and destruction of Objects in this world mean only the manifestation (`avirbhava') and disappearance (`tirobhava') of the Brahman in those forms; and when Brahman appears as a product and as capable of being experienced (`anubhavayogya') the world is created; but when it goes back to its causal form and ceases to be the object of ordinary experience,
the world is destroyed. The world is, therefore, as eternal and real as the Brahman itself, its creation and destruction being nothing but powers (`saktis') of Brahman. It is neither illusory nor essentially different from the Brahman.

Vallabha accepts 23 tattvas in the creation of the world. They are Prurusa, Prakriti, 3 gunas, Mahat, Ahankara, Manas, 5 Gyanendriyas, 5 Karmendryas and the Pancamahabhutas. It is characteristic in this enumeration that no difference is made between Purusa and Prakrti and their forms of development, because according to the of system of Vallabha both are only different ways of manifestation of God.

4. BONDAGE:

According to Vallabha, the Jiva's association with `avidya', as well as his bondage and freedom, are brought about by the free will of Brahman for the purpose of sport.

5. MOKSA:

The moksa which consists in the absolute cessation of all misery and the experiencing of the bliss which was observed in the condition of Samsara, can be attained by two means, Bhakti (devotion) and Jnana (knowledge). Of these the former is superior, since it leads to the realisation of the divine form of the Brahman as Krsna or Purusottama, in which the Anandamsa is at its best; while the latter is inferior, as it leads to the realisation of the second or non©determinate form of brahman where the Anandamsa is of an inferior order. bhakti itself is of two degrees, `Maryadabhakti' and `Pustibhakti'. In the former, the devotee attains moksa by practice of means (`sadhana') on his own part, such as, the disciplines laid down in the Sastra, which produce an aversion to worldly things, or worship and prayer of Bhagavan. In the latter©and this is the higher kind of Bhakti©the devotee, without having recourse to any Sadhanas, depends upon nothing but pure and simple love of Him; his goal is only the service of Hari; his highest pleasure is to become one of the associated of Hari and to sport with him in the celestial Vrndavana. This `pustibhakti' is the privilege of only him whom Bhagavan is pleased to favour; it begins with `prema' which removes a liking for anything but Hari, and passing through `asakti' which produces a positive aversion to objects not connected with Hari, culminates in `vyasana' or entire devotion to Hari.