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Re : Attribute, Mode of Brahman

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bindinganavale suresh • March 13, 2002 


Dear Srinivasan,
                You asked :-
*******************************************************
Dear Vaishnava Vedantins:

This is a question that I am repeating with some
elaboration but I 
think it is relevant, especially after the
restructuring of the 
List. The background of the doubt is:

I came across 3 terms that Sri Ramanuja uses to
accurately describe 
the exact relationship between the Jivatman and
Brahman (Narayana) - 
  a) body-soul
  b) substance-attribute
  c) substance-mode

It is somewhat easier to grasp that the Jivatman is
the body of 
Brahman, or putting it the other way, Brahman is the
Self of the 
Jivatman. I understand it like this - just as we (the
Jivatman) are 
the Self of our physical body (temporarily, of
course), Brahman is 
the Self of our Self (eternally) - hence the Atman is
the body of 
Brahman.

However what adiyen finds difficult to grasp is how
the Jivatman is 
an attribute of Brahman. Generally an attribute is not
a substance 
and a substance is not an attribute. But the Jivatman
is a 
substance. How are we understand Ramanuja's statement
that the 
Jivatman is also an attribute of Brahman?
*******************************************************
The answer folows :-

True,the jiva atman is a dravya or substance in itself
but as it is related eternally to Brahman(known as
aprathik siddhi)who is also a substance,in the
following ways :-
   
    Brahman     Jiva and prakriti
1. Controller  controlled  
2. Supporter   supported
3. Whole       part

it is clear from this that the jiva exists for Brahman
and from the point of view of totality of reality one
cannot be missed for the other i.e definition of jiva 
is incomplete without reference to Brahman of which it
is a part and definition of Brahman is incomplete
without reference to jiva and prakriti which are part
of it.
Now,among the three entities as Brahman is the 
"main entity" to which jiva and prakriti belong with
the various aspects of relationship mentioned above,
Brahman becomes the essence or the main substance to 
which the other two classes of realities become the
attributes though they are substances.This is why
acharya Ramanuja says that all terms connote Brahman
as
terms referring to attributes ultimatley point to the
substance inherring them in reality.
*******************************************************

  

Another thing adiyen finds unable to understand is
Ramanuja's 
statement that the Jivatman is a Mode of Brahman. What
is meant by 
Mode? 

*******************************************************

The answer follows :-

A mode in this context is a "means" that Brahman uses 
for his purpose.In the Upanishad it is said,Brahman
prior to creation desired to become many through names
and form.But as Brahman himself is the material cause
as antaryamin of jiva and prakriti,he used the later
two to achieve his purpose of becoming many,like he
entered various bodies reffered by the terms as
animal,man,gandharva etc "as the jiva".So,in this way
prakriti and jiva become a mode in which Brahman
expresses himself.  

*******************************************************
Can some learned Ramanuja-dasa kindly clarify my
doubts along with 
numerous examples so that adiyen can grasp and
contemplate upon this 
True and Eternal Relationship between us and
Brahman-Narayana?

Many thanks in advance.

dasan,
P.Srinivasan
*******************************************************
 I hope my reply answers your questions.Any errors
above are mine.Feel free to write to me.

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
Suresh B.N.




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