7/1/2017 Gaudiya.

com - Philosophy

Oursectiononphilosophywilldelvedeepintothefundamentalquestionsoflife,
offeringanoverviewofthevastandpenetratingwisdomoftheGaudiyaVaishnava
school.

ONACQUIRINGKNOWLEDGE

Aphilosopherwillfirstask,"Whatisthemeanstoknow?"Instudyingthis
perennialquestion,thephilosophershavecategorizedallmethodsofattaining
knowledgeintothreebasiccategories:

(1)Pratyaksa(senseperception):Theknowledgedirectlyperceivedbythe
fivesenseorgansandthemindisknownaspratyaksa.Theknowledgeperceived
throughthesensescanneverbefullyrelieduponduetoourinherenthuman
defects.Oursensesarelimitedbytimeandspace,andourmindisbiasedby
variousdesires.Wedonotseethingsveryfarorverynear,andwemaysee
thingswhichholdnosubstanceinreality,suchasamirageoramagician'sshow
INTRODUCTION HISTORY
wemistakeittobesomethingitisnot,andweareconfusedovertherealityof
PHILOSOPHY thematter.Eventherealityofamundaneobjectcannotbeknownwithcertainty
THEOLOGY
throughthemeansofsensoryperception.Howcouldtranscendencethenbe
PRACTICE LITERATURE
proventhroughourmaterialsenses?
ESSAYS RESOURCES
(2)Anumana(reasoning):Knowledgeinferredfromourobservationsisknown
SAINTS GLOSSARY
asanumana.Forexample,wehaveseensmokeandfiretogether.Whenwe
UPDATES observesmokerisingfrombehindamountain,wereasonthereisfire.However,
CONTACT
wemayhavemistakenacloudforsmoke,oraraincloudmayhavealready
extinguishedthefire,leavingonlythesmokebehind,andthereforeourconclusion

isfalse.Ifthereasonismistakenlyunderstood,orthereisanexceptioninthe
principle,ourconclusionwillbefalse.Therefore,reasoningisnotaninfallible
meansofacquiringknowledge.Moreover,beinglimitedtoourexperiencesinthis
HareKrishna
world,reasoninglacksacapacitytoreachintothespecificsoftranscendencewith
HareKrishna
anydegreeofcertainty.
KrishnaKrishna

HareHare
(3)Shabda(revealedknowledge):Forknowledgetobebeyondhuman
limitations,itmustdescendfrombeyondthehumanplane.Thescripturesare
understoodtobeapauruseya,orofdivineorigin.Thewritingsofthesagesare
bornofdivinerevelation,consistingofknowledgehandeddownbyGod,whichis
HareRama
thenpassedonandpreservedoverthegenerationstoprovideanadequatemeans
HareRama
ofinsightintothetranscendence.Naturally,foracceptingtheevidenceof
RamaRama

scripture,aninitialleapoffaithisrequiredbutisthisnotthesameinaccepting
HareHare
anylessonfromanyone?Initialfaithiscertainlyrequiredbeforeunderstanding
literatureonanygivensubjectmatter,inordertofacilitatestudyandto
eventuallyprogresstoastageofpersonalrealizationanddivineinsight.

TheGaudiyaschoolacceptsathreefolddivisionofrevealedknowledge,namely
(1)shastratheconsiderationsofthescripture,(2)sadhuthe
considerationsofthesaints,and(3)gurutheconsiderationsofone'sown
guru.Thereisarelationofinterdependencebetweenthethree.Theguruisa
representativeofscripturesandthepredecessorsaints,thesaints'teachingsmust
beinharmonywiththeteachingsofscriptureandunderstoodwiththehelpofthe
guru,andthevariousscripturalstatementsareproperlyunderstoodthroughthe
teachingsofthesaintsandtheguru.Ifthetestimonyofoneofthemisnot
compatiblewiththeothertwo,itisnottobeacceptedasconclusive.

Thatbeingsaid,wemaylegitimatelyask:Whyshouldtherebeanydefectinthe
scripture,sinceitissaidtooriginatefromGod?Thescriptureitselfanswersthe
question:ThevastbodyofVedicliteratureiscomparedtoawishfulfillingtree
offeringfruitsofchoicetooneandalltofacilitatetheirspiritualgrowthaccording
totheirinclinationsinanygivensituationoflife.Whatisavalidadviceforone
maybecontrarytotheprogressofanother.Consequently,atraditionofsaints
andarealizedguruwhoteachesthescriptureinarelevantwayisnecessaryfor
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obtainingvalidknowledgeofthatwhichisbeyondtherangeofsensory
perception.

ESSENTIALCATEGORIES

Tobeginwith,weshoulddeterminethatwhichistobeunderstood.Inexamining
thenatureofexistence,wedividephilosophyintothreebasiccategories:

(1)Sambandha(relationship)thenatureofandrelationshipsbetweenthe
individuallivingentityandtheSupreme

(2)Abhidheya(methodofattainment)thepropercourseofactionin
accordancewiththeaforementionedunderstanding

(3)Prayojana(ultimateperfection)theultimategoalandpurposeofthe
livingentityinrelationwiththeSupreme.

Letusreflectontheseconceptsandtheirvariousconstituents.

SAMBANDHARELATIONSHIP

Therearetwofundamentalfactorsinexistence:(1)Thelivingentities,whohave
aneternalrelationshipwith(2)theSupremePerson.

(1)ThelivingentitiesThelivingentity,aneternalspiritualbeing,isencaged
withinaworldofmattersincebeginninglesstime.Onaccountofignoranceofits
essentialnature,theeternallivingentityidentifiesitselfwithvariousattributesof
thisworldlifeafterlife.Fromchildhoodtoyouth,fromyouthtooldage,fromold
agetodeathandagaintoanewbirthinaccordancewithitsdesiresanddeeds,
thelivingentitywandersinthisworld.

Sometimesthinkingofhimselfasamale,sometimesafemale,sometimesan
American,sometimesanIndian,andsometimesacameloranass,theliving
entitymeetshappinessanddistressamongvariousspeciesoflife,birthafter
birth.Longingtosatisfyitsunfulfilleddesires,thelivingentityroamsaboutinthis
worldinanendlessquestforloveandhappiness,nevertobesatisfied.Thatwhich
isofspiritinnaturewillneverfinditspeaceinaworldmadeofmatter.

(2)TheSupremePersonTheSupremePersonistheultimatemanifestation
oftheAbsoluteTruth,theoriginalcauseofallcreation,maintenanceand
destruction.Heissimultaneouslytranscendentandimmanent,beingbeyondthe
influenceofthisworld,yeteternallyawareofeverythingtherein.Whateverexists
inallthematerialandspiritualworldsconsistsofHimandHisinfiniteenergies
only.Hisvariousenergiesaredividedinthreebasiccategories:

(1)ExternalenergyHisexternalenergyconsistsofthematerialworld.This
energyisdividedintoeightbasicelements,namelyfivegrosselements,andthree
subtleelements.Theyare(1)Earth,orallthatissolid,(2)Water,orallthatis
liquid,(3)Fire,orallenergy,(4)Air,orallaeriformsubstance,(5)Ether,orthe
spaceinwhicheverythingexists,(6)Mind,ortheemotionalfacultyofthepsyche,
(7)Intelligence,orthediscriminatingfacultyofthepsyche,and(8)Falseego,or
thefacultyofthepsychewhichformsamundaneconceptionofpersonality.This
combinationofelementsknownasthematerialworldistemporaryinnature.

(2)MarginalenergyHismarginalenergyconsistsofthelivingentitiesofthis
world,thetinyspiritualsparkswhicharesituatedinamarginalpositionbetween
thematerialworldandthespiritualworld,havingthepossibilityofchoosing
betweenthetwoinaccordancewiththeirdesires.Thelivingentitiesare
simultaneouslyonewithanddifferentfromtheSupreme,justasarayofsunis
onewithanddifferentfromitsorigin,thesun.

(3)InternalenergyHisinternalenergyconsistsofsandhini(eternity),samvit
(consciousness)andhladini(ecstacy),formingthebasisofexistenceinthe
spiritualworld.Thefeatureofeternityistheingredientofwhichallspiritualworlds
consists,thefeatureofconsciousnessistheingredientfromwhichvarietiesof
awarenessarise,andthefeatureofecstacyistheingredientfromwhichdivine,
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blissfullovingemotionsarise.

ThenatureoftheSupremePersonisdiscussedindepthinour[theology]page.
Havingclarifiedthetheoreticalbasisofeverything,letusexaminethefunctional
basicsforexistence.

ABHIDHEYAMEANSOFATTAINMENT

Inaccordancewiththeirinsightorlackthereof,thelivingentitiesofthisworldare
engagedinvariouspursuits.Someareengagedinattemptstoproducebodilyand
mentalcomfortfortheirselves,forthesocietyorfortheworldatlarge.However,
sincewearelivinginatemporaryworld,nothingofapermanentnaturecanbe
achievedbysuchendeavors.

Othersareengagedinapursuitforwisdomtonegatethejoysandgrievesofthe
temporalworld,longingforsalvationoremancipation.However,inlackofa
positivespiritualalternative,howcouldtheindividualspiritualbeingattainthe
fulfillmentofitseternal,individualdesires?

Thepathofbhakti,oflovingdevotionalservicetotheSupremePerson,isknown
asthepathforattaingingtheultimategood.Prayojana,ortheultimateperfection
forthelivingentity,isknownaspure,unnalloyed,ecstaticlovefortheSupreme
Person.Thepathforattainingbhaktiiscalled"sadhana",or"thatwhichleadsto
thegoal".

Therearetwopathsofbhaktiinpractice(1)vaidhibhakti,and(2)raganuga
bhakti.Theyareunderstoodasfollows:

(1)Vaidhibhakti(devotionalpracticeofrulesandregulations)When
onehearsfromthesaintsaboutthescripturalstatementsonthedutyofallliving
entitiesistoserveandworshiptheLord,afeelingofobligationandreverence
mayawakenwithintheheart.Whensuchaconceptionactsastheimpetusforhis
pursuingthepathofbhakti,hispathiscalledvaidhibhakti,ordevotionalpractice
followinginthewakeofscripturalinjunctions.

(2)Raganugabhakti(devotionalpracticeinsearchoflovingattraction)
WhenonehearsfromthesaintsaboutthesweetnessoftheLord'spastimeswith
Hisassociates,asacredgreedforobtaininglovingfeelingssimilartooneofHis
associatesmayawakenwithintheheart.Whensuchaconceptionactsasthe
impetusforhispursuingthepathofbhakti,hispathiscalledraganugabhakti,or
devotionalpracticeinthewakeoflovingattachment.

Thesetwopathsleadtheaspirantstotwodifferentgoalsinthespiritualworld.
ThepracticeofvaidhibhaktileadstheaspiranttoVaikuntha,whereasenseof
aweandreverencetowardstheLordprevails,whereasraganugabhaktileadsthe
aspiranttoVraja,wherenaturallovingfeelingsareprominent.

Externallythepracticesofthesadhaka(practitioner)onbothpathslooksimilar.
Thedifferenceisintheinnermotivation.Variouspracticesofsadhanawillbe
discussedinaseparateessayonthe[practices]page.Letusnowexaminethe
gradualninefoldevolutionoftheaspirantfromthebeginningofhisjourneytothe
perfectionofecstaticloveofGod.

(1)Sraddha(faith)Inthebeginning,thereisfaithinthescriptures
describingbhakti.Thisfaitharisesfromcontactwithsaints.Inonepersonfaith
appearsspontaneously,andinanotheritappearsastheresultofresolvingdoubts
andmisconceptionsaboutthescripturesandthewordsofthesaints.

(2)Sadhusanga(associationofsaints)Afterattainingfaith,onenaturally
seekstheshelterofaspiritualteacher(guru),andinquiresfromhimandreceives
initiationintothevariouspracticesofdevotion.Thenonereceivesthefortuneof
associatingwithsofthearted,realizedsaintswhoareendowedwithsimilar
spiritualaspirations.

(3)Bhajanakriya(engagementinworship)Inthecourseofengagingin
variousdevotionalpractices,onewillundergovariousphasesinprogressingfrom
unsteadinesstosteadypractices.Onewillmeetwithinitialenthusiasm,oscillating
attentionandslackness,indecision,strugglingwiththeuncontrolledsenses,
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inabilitytoupholdvows,andstrayingafterthebyproductsofadvancement
arisingfromtheadmirationofothers,suchasprofit,fameandadoration.

(4)Anarthanivritti(cessationofunwantedelements)Inthecourseof
devotionalpractices,onewillbecomepurifiedof"anartha",orvariousundesirable
elementswhichobstructdevotion.Theyareknownas(1)anarthaarisingfrom
sinfulworks,(2)anarthaarisingfrompiousworks,(3)anarthaarisingfrom
offences,and(4)anarthaarisingfromdevotion.Thesefourcausethefollowing
obstacles:(1)ignorance,falseegotism,attachment,hatred,andentanglementin
bodilyenjoyment,(2)affectionforthepleasuresofthisworldobtainedasthefruit
ofgoodworks,(3)lackoftaste,loveandaffectionfortheLordandHisname,and
(4)variousbyproductsofbhakti,suchasprofit,fameandadoration,whichmay
leadoneastray.Bythepowerofdevotionalpractice,alloftheaforementioned
unwantedelementswillgraduallybedestroyed.

(5)Nistha(steadiness)Afterovercominglaziness,distraction,inabilityto
engageindevotionalpracticesdespitebeinginasuitablesituation,attachmentto
oldbadhabits,andtheinfluenceofsensualpleasures,onecomestoastageof
steadinessinpractice.Atthispoint,noobstaclescanwaverhimfromhis
determinedpracticeofdevotion.

(6)Ruci(taste)Thetreasureofbhaktiilluminatedbythefireofdevotional
practicesgivesrisetoaspecialtasteforallaspectsofpractice,suchaschanting
theholynames,hearingthepastimesofKrishnaandsoon.Atthisstage,the
sadhakaneverfeelstheslightestfatiqueevenbyrepeatedhearingandchanting.
Thistastegivesrisetohisintenseabsorptioninthesame.

(7)Asakti(attachment)Whenone'stastebecomesverythickandmature,
onearrivestothestageofattachment.Inthestageofruci,engagementin
devotionisthedominantobjectoftaste,butinthestageofasakti,theLord
Himselfbecomesthedominantobjectoftaste.Inthestageofruci,someeffortis
requiredforfocusingthemindontheLord,butinthestageofasakti,this
paramountabsorptioncomesaboutnaturallyandwithoutseparateendeavours.

(8)Bhava(intenseemotion)Asaktiinitsextremematurityisknownas
bhava,orintenseemotion.Atthisstage,thenaturallysoftheartoftheaspirant
meltslikebutterorhoneyscorchedbytheraysofthesun,anunquenchable
yearningformeetingtheLordiseverpresentinhisheart,andheisplungedinto
awhirlpooloflovingemotions.Atthispoint,heattainscompleteidentification
withhisperfectspiritualform(siddhadeha)inwhichhehaslongedtoservethe
Lord.

(9)Prema(ecstaticlove)Finallythelovingaspirantobtainsthefruitof
prema,andtastesthejointexperienceofalldivineemotionsknownasbhakti
rasaorsacredrapture.Thispremawithintheheartofthedevoteebecomeslikea
powerfulmagnetattractingthedarkironlikeKrishna.EventuallytheLordreveals
tohimHismostauspiciousqualitieslikebeauty,niceodour,sweetvoice,His
tenderness,nicetaste,generosityandcompassion,overwhelmingallofhis
senses.Alltheseattributesaremostsweetandeternallyfresh,andwhenthe
devoteebeginstorelishthemwithlove,thisrelishincreaseswithinhisheartat
everymoment.Thiscausesapowerfuleagernessandfinallycreatesanoceanof
ecstacywhichnopoetcouldproperlydescribe.

Theperfectionofalldevotionalendeavoursisfurtherdescribedinthefollowing
section.

PRAYOJANAULTIMATEPERFECTION

TheLord,whileeternallyresidinginHisdivineabodeintheworldbeyond,also
eternallydisplaysHispastimesinthisworld,movingaboutfromoneuniverseto
anothertoblessthesoulsofthisworldwiththenectarofHispastimes.The
pastimesoftheLordinthespiritualworldarecalledHisunmanifestpastimes,and
thepastimesinthisworldarecalledHismanifestpastimes.

Astheaspirantreachesthestageofecstaticlove(prema),attainingdirectvision
ofhisbelovedLord,hisjourneyforperfectioninthisworldiscompleted.Ashe
departsfromthisworld,heistakentotheuniversewheretheLorddisplaysHis
pastimesatthattime.Hetakesbirthfromthewombofagopi(divinecowherd
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lady)inthevillageofKrishna,attainingaspiritualbodysuitableforfurther
expressionsofdivinelove.

Duringthatlife,heorshe(dependingonthekindofrelationshiptheaspiranthas
longedfor)spendshertimewiththeeternallyperfectedassociatesoftheLord
whohavedescendedwithHimfromtheunmanifestworld,andisacquaintedwith
lifeinthespiritualworld,graduallymasteringtheexpressionofalldivine
emotions.Then,attheendoftheLord'smanifestpastimes,sheistransferredto
theeternal,unmanifestpastimesoftheLordinthespiritualabode.

Now,letusexaminetheconceptofbhaktirasa,thecollectiveexpressionofdivine
love,accordingtoitsdifferentconstituents,knowntobeoffivekinds.

(1)Sthayibhava(permanentemotion)Sthayibhavaisthebasisof
experiencingbhaktirasa,andithasfiveprominentvarieties:(1)neutrality,(2)
servitude,(3)friendship,(4)parentallove,and(5)amorouslove.Clickherefora
moreelaboratedescriptionofsthayibhava.

(2)Vibhava(provokingemotion)Vibhavaisknowntobethatwhichinspires
theexperienceofsthayibhava,andisoftwovarieties,(1)thepersonswho
provoketheexchangeofemotions,namelytheobjectoflove,Krishna,andthe
reservoiroflove,thedevotee,and(2)itemsconnectedwithKrishna.

(3)Anubhava(consequentemotion)Anubhavasareexpressionsofemotion
suchascrying,laughingandsinging,whichnaturallyfollowinthewakeofthe
primaryemotion.

(4)Sattvikabhava(ecstaticemotion)Sattvikabhavasarepowerful
ecstaticemotionswhichariseinthedevoteewithoutanyconsciousintentionwhen
heisoverwhelmedwithblissfullove.Becomingstunned,faintingandfalteringof
voiceareexamplesofsattvikabhava.

(5)Vyabhicaribhava(surgingemotion)Vyabhicaribhavasaresurging
emotions,whichappearonthefoundationofsthayibhavajustaswavesriseand
fallintheocean.Excitement,shynessandjubilationareexamplesofvyabhicari
bhava.

Thecollectiveexperienceofthesefiveemotionsisknownasbhaktirasa,orthe
sacredraptureofdevotion.Bhaktirasaisacompleteexpressionofexquisitelove
ofGod,theultimategoalforalllivingentities.Initialexperienceofbhaktirasa
takesplacealreadyinthisworld,butthefullestextentofexpressionisonly
possibleinaspiritualbodyofanassociateoftheLordinHisabode.

ThisdivineabodeisdescribedintheancientwordsoftheBrahmaSamhita:

"IworshipthedivineabodeofGoloka,whichisrarelyreachedbythesages
ofthisworld.ThereSriKrishna,thesupremeloverandenjoyer,sportswith
Hisdivinebeloveds.Thereeverytreeisadesiretree,thesoilconsistsof
wishfulfillingdesiregems,andthewaterintheriversandlakesismadeof
nectar.

Inthisworld,everywordisasong,everystepisadance,andthefluteis
alwaystheLord'sdearcompanion.Everythingispermeatedwithsupreme
effulgenceofcognizanceandbliss,andanoceanofmilkflowsfromthe
divinesurabhicowsoftheLord.Theretimecertainlydoesnotpassawayfor
evenasplintersecond,sinceitiseternallybeyondthedeteoriatinginfluence
oftime."

TheLord'sabodeisfurtherrevealedintheprayersofRaghunathaDasGosvami:

"ItakeshelterofthepasturefieldsofVraja,whereeventodayKrishna,His
brother,andHisdearestfriendsareengagedintheirpastimesofherdingthe
cowswithgreataffection.TheindescribablesweetnessofVrajaismanifestin
theheartsandmindsofthesensitivedevoteeswhoareconversantwiththe
mellowsofdevotion.

IworshipthemostenchantingabodeofSriVrindavana,whichismade
fragrantbythelotusfeetoftheadolescentDivineCouple,Radhaand
Krishna,whoaresurroundedbymanylaughingandjokinggirlfriends,who
areveryexpertallvarietiesofartsoftheamorousplay.InVrindavana,the
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DivineCouplepassionatelysportsdayandnightintheforestgroves
surroundedbytrees,vinesandfreshleaves,aswellasinthecavesofits
mountains."

ThusweconcludeourdiscussiononthephilosophicalpreceptsbehindtheGaudiya
Vaishnavatradition,havingdescribedtheconceptionsofthelivingentities'
relationshipwiththeSupremePerson,thesupremegoaloflife,andtheprocess
foritsattainment.

[Returntotop]

Copyright20022017Madhavananda

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