Bhakti List Archives

Re: Re : Attribute, Mode of Brahman

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Shruti Dhara • Wed Mar 13 2002 - 08:49:51 PST 


Dear Respected Vaishnavas,

Although this question was addressed quite lucidly, I also wanted to offer a 
possible explanation. My deficiency lies in the fact that I do not have much 
recourse to traditional references. But I thought I would exercise my buddhi 
in this discourse.

I am not sure what sanskrit term is translated as attribute (is it 
lakshan?), nor am I sure if these terms had been introduced during 
Ramanuja's time--anu cetana [chaitanya} and vibhu cetan. But I tried to 
considered in which way a jiva was an attribute--how could a conscious 
entity be an attribute to a larger Supreme being. I am sure an ornament of 
Bhagavan can be conscious, like padukas or kausthuba gem, but an attribute 
is a characteristic or quality.

So, by extension jiva as dravya is a quantitative consideration. Jiva as 
attribute is a qualitative concept. So how my intellect played with it is 
that the quality of atomic individual awareness (jiva) is an attribute of 
the infinite awareness of the Supreme (vibhu), capable of holding all 
possibilities of experience/consciousness/awareness within it.

Perhaps these terms aren't part of the schema, but I hope you enjoyed my go 
at it. I felt I wanted to join the discussion.

Ys,
Jagadish das



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