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Advaitha to Dvaitha

அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி
பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு.
Like letter a, starting point of alphapet, God is starting point and also basis or ultimate of everything

கற்றதனாலாய பயனென்கொல் வாலறிவன் | .
நற்றாள் தொழாரெனின்.
Purpose of education/studies is to understand, accept and pray or surrender to God/ultimate reality

Click to view for more Metaphors/examples
Click to view for more Metaphysics

God is THE ONLY THING!!!

  • God/Brahman is the basis, source and support of everything — the source, material and effect of all creation known, unknown and yet to happen in.
  • Brahman is inclusiveness. Everything is inside It. Even the one aspiring to know It is included in It.
  • If someone is to know Brahman, that someone stands outside Brahman. There is nothing outside Brahman.
  • There was nothing before creation, so can not understand what was before creation or process of creation.

History of monotheism

Ancient times, each group/tribe had a local patron deity. But Svayam bhagavan or கடவுள் is an old theological term that refers to the concept of absolute representation of the monotheistic God within Hinduism.
Monism and monotheism emerge in the same period, during the Nasadiya Sukta, upanishads, thirumandiram etc.
Monotheists hold that there is only one god, and may claim that the one true god is worshiped in different religions under different names.

Monism - Advaita

ஒன்றாகக் காண்பதே காட்சி; [ஔவையார்].
One's outlook should be to see oneness or as ultimate reality (instead of divisiveness).

There were many advaitic scholars in different parts of the world, even 3000 years before.

Two terms used to describe brahmam are: Nirguna (without qualities) and Saguna (with qualities). Sankara reconciles these two theological extremes by insisting that being spoken of on two levels. On the highest level (Nirguna) Brahman cannot be spoken of as having any qualities or any relationships.
However God takes forms as perceived by humans and this perceived form is called saguNa brahman (god with attributes).

  • GOD is the only reality and everything is illusion. (what you see is not what is real). By removing illusion, one can see the truth.
  • All Jeevathmas are same Paramathma, colorless entities. When one sees through different color glasses, objects appears in different colors though object is colorless.
  • When it is dark, you can mistake a rope to be a snake. With light, You realize that it is just a rope. Like rope appears as snake, Paramathma appears as individual Jeevathma.
Sumerians may be around 5000 years ago, wrote this: All beings are like flowing water. There is no separation. Color, taste and other characteristics take the land on which it flows. When it vaporises, it becomes pure again. (Rising to heavens represent pure state). Monist concepts was also popular with many Greek philosophers like Thales.
Parmenides wrote that Being or Reality is an unmoving perfect sphere, unchanging, undivided. "The apparent plurality of substances is due to different states or appearances of a single substance"

Qualified Monism - VishishtAdvaita

VishishtAdvaita ("Advaita with uniqueness; qualifications") is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy.

Ishvara or Supreme Cosmic Spirit maintains complete control over the Universe. Ishvara is Parabrahman endowed with innumerable auspicious qualities and is perfect, omniscient, omnipresent, incorporeal, independent, the creator of the universe, its active ruler and also its eventual destroyer.
Ishvara is causeless, eternal and unchangeable. Ishvara is the subject of worship. Ishvara is the giver of the fruits of one's Karma.
Ishvara is the indweller of all beings and all beings dwell in Ishvara.

Three real entities are: jiva (living souls); ajiva (matter or no living) and Ishvara (Vishnu-Narayana or Parahbrahman, creator and controller of the world).
Chit (jivas) refers to beings possessing consciousness or self-awareness.
Achit are entities as denoted by matter or the non-conscious Universe.
Brahmam is Nirguna in the sense that impure qualities do not touch it.
Ishvara is the substantive part of Brahman, while jivas and Achit are its modes.

  • We are all made up of same divine matter. We all are like jewels made up of gold. Though all are made up of same gold, each jewelery is different.
  • We are all electric devices or for simplicity bulbs. GOD is like electricity, illuminating all bulbs. Each bulb is different in sizes, brightness and active life. Same electricity (paramathma), in different bulbs (jeevathma) behaves differently.
  • Soul is like waves, which is part of bramham (ocean). Waves have independent existence, but will eventually merge back into ocean.

Dualism - Dvaita

Dvaita is a Sanskrit word that means "duality, dualism". The individual souls are depicted as reflections, images or shadows of the divine, but never in any way identical with the divine. Moksha (liberation) is for souls to be as close to Brahmam as possible. Some describe Vaikunda as living close to GOD or eternal bliss.
  • GOD is the original light. With the screen of ignorance, shadow play is created and we are characters in that play.
  • GOD is our Master or our "Swami". We are his belongings or subjects.
  • We are all merely players or performers in a large play created and controlled by GOD.

Few Statements on Brahmam:

  1. ஆதியும் அந்தமும் இல்லா அரும்பெருஞ் சோதியை,கேட்டறியோம்.
    உனைக் கண்டறிவாரை, முந்திய முதல் நடு இறுதியும் ஆனாய் (மாணிக்கவாசகர்) .
    ஆதியும் அந்தமும் ஆன ஐயாரன் அடித்தலமே (திருநாவுக்கரசர்) .
    ஆதியும்ஈறும் ஆய எம்அடிகள் – (சுந்தரர்) .
    The Divine has no beginning, middle or end and is also timeless
  2. அதுயின்றி எதுவுமில்லை - அதுகடந்து எதுவுமில்லை
    [There is nothing with out it and nothing beyond it]
  3. அது எங்கும்உள்ளது - எல்லாம்அதில் உள்ளது
    [GOD is in everything and Everything is in GOD]
  4. प्रज्नानम ब्रह्म - ப்ரஜ்ஞானம்ப்ரஹ்மந்
    [Rig Veda: Brahman is Knowledge or Consciousness is Brahman]
  5. अहम ब्रह्मास्मि - அஹம்ப்ரஹ்மஸ்மி
    [Yajur Veda: I am Brahman, popularly known asGod/Creator/almighty. Brahman is in me or I am not the body but Brahman]
  6. तत्त्त्वमसि - தத் த்வம்அஸி
    [Sama Veda: Thou are that - ” The identity of individual self as a part of the whole which is ‘tat’, Brahman.]
  7. अयमात्मा ब्रह्म - அயம் ஆத்ம ப்ரஹ்மந்
    [Atharva Veda: This Atman is Brahman]
  8. ஸத்யம் ஞானம் அநந்தம் ப்ரஹ்மந்
    [Brahman is Truth, Knowledge and Infinity]
  9. ப்ரஹ்மவித் ப்ரஹ்மைவ பவதி
    [Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman]
  10. சாந்தம் ஸிவம் அத்வைதம்
    [Brahman is Peace, Auspiciousness and Non-duality (with out a second)]
  11. சாந்தம் ஆரம் அம்ரிதம் அபயம் பரம்
    [Brahman is Peace, Without oldage, Immortal, Fearless and Supreme]
  12. ஏகம்ஏவ அத்வைதம். - தன்னிகரில்லா, ஒப்பில்லா அப்பன்
    [The Reality is one without a second]
  13. ஸர்வம் க்ஹலவிதம் ப்ரஹ்மந்! ஸர்வம்பிரம்மமயம். அதுஒன்றுமின்றி எதுவுமில்லை
    [All this is, indeed, Brahman. Everything is Brahman. There is nothing other than ‘it’]
  14. அயம் ஆத்ம சாந்தஃ –
    [This Atman is Silence]
  15. ப்ரஹ்மம் ஸத்யம். ஜகத் மித்ய | ஜீவொ ப்ரஹ்மைவ ந ஆபரஹ்
    [Sankara's Advaita, meaning Brahman alone is real, this world is unreal; the Jiva is identical with Brahman]
  16. அஸவதித்யோ | ப்ரஹ்ம ப்ரஹ்மைவாஸ்மி ||
    [you are of the nature of Brahman - Jeevatma and Paramatma are same]
  17. பஸ்தீ ந ஸுன்யம் - ஸுன்யம்ந பஸ்தீ
    [This is not emptiness (zero) and the emptiness is not the universe.That is, neither without anything nor anything is without it!.]
  18. நிர்குண நிரஞ்சன ஆத்மா விஸ்வ ப்ரஹ்மம்!
    (Is Brahmam cosmic mind, which is pure and with out likes/dislikes/attachment and boundaries?)
  19. ஸமுத்பவம் தஸ்மாத் ஸர்வகதம் ப்ரஹ்ம நித்யம்
    Eternal Brahmam has no beginning or end, and Omnipresent
  20. “தத் தூரே; தத் அந்திகே; தத் அந்தரஸ்ய சர்வஸ்ய; தத் சர்வஸ்ய பாஹ்யதே”
    That has spread every where. It is in universe, in you, in everything. Cosmos is image or reflection of that

Unknown Paramathma

  • அந்தமில்லானுக் ககலிடந்தான் இல்லை
    அந்தமில்லானை அளப்பவர்தாமில்லை
    அந்தமில்லானுக்கு அடுத்தசொல் தான் இல்லை
    அந்தமில்லானை அறிந்து கொள்பத்தே - திருமந்திரம்
    omnipotent One cannot be transcribed in a single place nor can be measured, nor has any names but can only be experienced
  • முகத்திற்கண் கொண்டு பார்க்கின்ற முடர்காள்
    அகத்திற்கண் கொண்டு காண்பதே ஆனந்தம்
    மகட்குத் தாய் தன் மணாளனோடு ஆடிய
    சுகத்தைச் சொல் எனல் சொல்லுமாறு எங்கனே. - Thirumular
    How can anyone visualize the Lord through the normal eyes? one can only see the Divine through the mind ; You have to experience it yourself as others can not explain this for you. For example, how can a mother explain to the child the pleasure she had with her beloved

Cosmic Dance: Fundamentals of Reality

தோற்றம் மாயம் சித்தம் கலக்கம்
உள்ளது சிவம் வேண்டுவது சாந்தம்
What is seen is illusion. What is present is Sivam.
Mind is always confused or agitated. What you need is peace, nothing else

தேகம் மாம்சம் ஆட்டுவது சிவம்
நின்றதும் சவம் நாடுவது திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்
Body is nothing but meat. Siva makes it to dance/move. Once movement is stopped, body is a corpse. Look towards or surrender to God at tiruvalangadu

கூத்தனில்லாத கூத்திது உணர்வது எளிது
அறிவது அரிது விளக்க இயலாது
Everything is the cosmic dance (with hidden or missing dancer). We all can feel/enjoy. This is difficult to understand. Impossible to describe.
[Savach swamiyar guru of Pattinatthar]

Sunya Vada

The existence of an abstract principle cannot be proved or disproved. The "Sunya Vada" or the Nihilist school of Buddhism is deduced from realism. Sunyavada and Vijnanavada, the theory of the voidness, and changing nature of the world is presented by many Buddhist scholars.

Universe is unreal (asat). Since its origin is sunya and it ends in sunya, logically, its interim must also be sunya. Ultimately the element of time also does not exist. Is continuously changing or appearing things, is equivalent to non existing?

  1. Shunyata (Sanskrit), Stong-pa-nyid (Tibetan), Kung (Chinese) – are translated as “void” or “openness.” Emptiness is seen as the opposite of “fullness".
  2. Emptiness (Wu) points to an inner realization or state of mind characterized by simplicity, quietude, patience, frugality and restraint.
  3. Emptiness is the dark womb of creation. Rhythm refers to balance of opposiing forces.
  4. Emptiness imply an infinitely open space that allows for anything to appear, change, disappear, and reappear. The basic meaning of emptiness, in other words, is openness, or potential.
  5. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, silence, and non-action - are the perfection of the Tao and its characteristics.
  6. Essence of Being is complete peace and stillness. Emptiness is also linked to the creative Void, meaning that it is a state of complete receptivity and perfect enlightenment. It represents the disappearance of, or more precisely the merging of, the ego with its own essence, which in Western tradition is called the Universal Soul or the Unknown God, and in Buddhism is called the Clear Light.
  7. Reality changes all the time. Reality is part of life as it brings the necessary changes and meanings that we all need to express ourselves.

Infinite and Zero

Infinite and Zero are two boundaries. All numbers are contained with in that. (removing positive and negative signs before numbers)

மாறிக் கொண்டேயிருக்கிற, இல்லாத வஸ்துவான மாயைதான் பூஜ்யம். எல்லாமே சூனியம், பூஜ்யம், மாயை என்கிறது பௌத்தம். "பிரம்மம் பூரணமானது; பிரம்மம் என்ற பூரண வஸ்துவில் உலகம் என்ற பூரணம் உதயமாயிற்று; இந்த உலகம் என்ற பூரணத்தைப் பிரம்மம் பூரணத்திலிருந்து எடுத்துவிட்ட போதிலும் பிரம்மம் பூரணமாகவே இருக்கிறது" என்று ஓர் உபநிஷத மந்திரம் சொல்லுகிறது. பூரணம் என்றால் எல்லாம் என்று அர்த்தம்.
அனந்தம்தான் (Infinity) பிரம்மம். பிரம்மம் வேறேதோ பொருள்களைக் கொண்டு உலகை சிருஷ்டிக்க (Create) வில்லை. பிரம்மம் உலகமாக மாறிவிடவும் (Transform) இல்லை. பிரம்மம் உலகமாகத் தோன்றுகிறது (Appearance). அவ்வளவுதான். பிரம்மம் என்பது சத்தியம் என்று சொல்வது அத்வைதம்;
பிரபஞ்சத்தை சத்தியமாகச் சொல்கிறது த்வைதம்.
பிரம்மம் × மாயை = பிரபஞ்சம் என்று நாம் மேலேகண்ட equation சூத்திரத்தை,
Infinity (God) × shunya (illusion or Appearance) = shunya (creations or universe)
அத்வைதம் × பௌத்தம் = துவைதம்
[from தெய்வத்தின் குரல்]

Concluding Summary

ஒன்றாகக் காண்பதே காட்சி; புலன்ஐந்தும்|
வென்றான்தன் வீரமே வீரமாம் - என்றானும்
சாவாமல் கற்பதே கல்வி; தனைப்பிறர் |
ஏவாமல் உண்பதே ஊண்' - [ஔவையார்]
One's outlook should be to see oneness or as ultimate reality (instead of divisiveness). one who has controlled one's five senses is the real brave person. Education is learning with out mistakes or with perfection. Live with pride or Food is to be obtained with sincere work and dignity not some thing thrown to a slave.

கடவுள் = உள் கட and கட… உள்
கடவுள் means "One which is inside every thing but also beyond everything enclosing all things."

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
ஓம்பூர்ணமத: பூர்ணமிதம்பூர்ணாத் பூர்ண முதச்யதே
பூர்ணஸ்ய பூர்ண மாதாய பூர்ணமேவா வஸிஷ்யதே
ஓம்ஸாந்தி : ஸாந்தி : ஸாந்தி :
This is Full and that is also is Full. From Fullness comes that Fullness. Taking Fullness from Fullness, Fullness Indeed Remains.

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