Ramanuja's Commentary on the Brahma-Sutras Establishing the
Philosophy of Vedanta
1. Brahma-Sutra
The text attributed to Badarayana designated Brahma-Sutra or
Sariraka-Sutra occupies the foremost position of authority in the
system of Vedanta. That there were commentaries on it even before
Sri Sankara we learn explicitly from Sri Sankara himself, whose
commentary is the earliest available now. Its central status in
Vedanta is thus very well established. This is understandable as it
explicitly endeavours to formulate, elaborate, and defend the
philosophy of the Upanisads in the full-fledged darsana style. The
Bhagavad Gita seems to accord to it this pivotal status in the one
significant reference we have in it.
All the commentators seem to identify the author Badarayana with
Veda Vyasa. The Advaitic tradition handed down both by Vacaspati and
Prakasatman is unanimous on the point.
The Sutras fall into a magnificent pattern. The first chapter
brings out the coherent import of the Upanisads by elucidating the
apparently doubtful import of certain pronouncements. The second
chapter works out a philosophical defence of the Vedantic standpoint
in the context of adverse systems of thought. The third chapter
outlines the spiritual pathway to the supreme Goal of life, while
the fourth chapter discusses the nature of that goal itself.
2. Pre-Ramanuja Position
In spite of the greatness of the design, the Sutras offer
insuperable difficulties. Excepting a few, the Sutras in general do
not indicate the theme of discussion or the particular line of
thought adopted. They definitely require an interpretative tradition
to convey their import. Hence authoritative commentaries utilizing
such tradition or traditions were supplied from time to time. Sri
Sankara refers to a vrttikara in the context and Sri Ramanuja refers
to an extensive vrtti by Bodhayana. Sri Sankara's commentary is the
earliest and a very substantial work of elucidation. He propounds a
specific school of philosophy as sponsored by the Sutras. Its
distinctive features are that it asserts the sole reality of the
Absolute Spirit, named Brahman in the Upanisads, regards the
external world as only phenomenally real, and identifies the
essential Self in man with Brahman. Man's supreme perfection lies in
apprehension of this identity through the realization of the import
of the fundamental propositions of the Upanisads.
It appears, as is evident in the next significant commentary of
Bhaskara, that this formulation of the philosophy of the Sutras was
found to be unacceptable to a considerable section of Vedantic
philosophers. They seem to have felt that the Brahma-Sutra, while
affirming Brahman, does not negate the reality of the world, nor
identify the individual spirit with the absolute so wholly, and the
way to blessedness is knowledge that springs from Karma-yoga and
matures into upasana or devotional meditation. There was a strong
current of the mysticism of love or bhakti, standardized by the
greater Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Agamas, and the experience
of high-ranking and God-intoxicated saints. Sri Yamunacarya seems to
have yearned for a competent and adequate commentary on the Sutras
integrating all these doctrinal and spiritual points of view. He was
convinced that the truth promulgated by Badarayana lay in this
direction but could not himself produce the much needed work of
interpretation.
3. Sri-Bhashya
The prayers of the saintly Yamuna were to be fulfilled by his
grand-disciple, Sri Ramanuja. Providence destined Sri Ramanuja to
accomplish the great task of elucidating the Sutras in a theistic
style, asserting the metaphysical eminence of Brahman without the
supplementary thesis of world-denial and the denial of the
individuality of the finite selves, and promulgating knowledge of
Brahman as arising from Karma-yoga and maturing in bhakti.
Sri Ramanuja has bequeathed three works on the Brahma-Sutra: the
Vedanta-Sara, Vedanta-Dipa, and the Sri-Bhashya. The first work
merely enunciates the meaning of the Sutras. The second goes beyond
this summary of conclusions and indicates cates the dialectical
framework. The third is the fullest and all-sufficient commentary.
Pious tradition records that the Goddess Sarasvati was so charmed by
it that she blessed it with the prefix 'Sri'.
Sri Ramanuja lived a long and full life. He seems to have spent
nearly half of it in equipping himself for the creation of this
masterpiece. He did advance his special philosophical point of view
in his early work, the Vedarthasangraha in a brilliant and spirited
manner. But he acquired devoutly all that Sri Yamuna's tradition
could give him on the Sutras, studied ancient documents on the
Sutras such as the works of Bodhayana, Tanka, and Dramida, mastered
the current schools of philosophy to perfection, soaked himself in
the Vedic literature, particularly the Upanisads, acquired an
authentic understanding of the commentaries of Sri Sankara,
Bhaskara, and Yadava-prakasa, got the core of the Advaitic classics
of the masters such as Mandana, Padmapada, Suresvara,
Vacaspati-misra, Vimuktatman, and Prakasatman, and shaped his own
vision of Vedanta and an appropriate style before he addressed
himself to the literary mission of his life.
No wonder the Sri-Bhashya is a stupendous and masterly work, its
style matching its substance. Sri Ramanuja chooses the hard way on
every issue, that of thoroughness, and he is massive in the
statement of prima facie views and also in his vindication of his
own findings. The language of exposition is lucid as well as grand.
Vedanta Desika, himself a great master of style, acknowledges that
his own style acquired grace through a devout application to the
writings of Sri Ramanuja. In the compass of vision, fullness of
execution, and splendour of style the Sri-Bhashya reaches heights of
excellence.
4. The Sequel
The great commentary evoked a great many sub-commentaries in its
turn. It is a pity that Vedanta Desika's Tattva Tika is available
only in its introductory portion. His verse condensation of the
Sri-Bhashya, the Adhikarana Saravali, is happily available
completely. But Vedanta Desika's greatest service to the Sri-Bhashya
is his preservation, under hard circumstances, of the Srutaprakasika
of Sudarsana Suri, an elder contemporary of his, and his propagation
of it. This work is a monument of devotion, thorough elucidation and
brilliant amplification. As a sub-commentary it set standards
unsurpassed in Vedantic literature.
The Ramanuja tradition of Vedanta thus consolidated has
influenced all subsequent writings on the Brahma-Sutra, not
excluding the commentaries adverse to Sri Ramanuja's school of
Vedanta. The Vaisnava schools of Vedanta in general have utilized
kindred elements profusely. It is in the fitness of things that Jiva
Gosvamin, the celebrated Vedantin of the Caitanya school says of Sri
Ramanuja, "Pramita mahimnaam", "as one whose glory is established."
The great Appayya-diksita used the Sri-Bhashya considerably in his
Sivarka-Mani-dipika and also wrote a condensation of it called
Naya-mayukha-malika.
Thus the Sri-Bhashya is a major work in the history of Vedanta,
propounding a powerful theistic version of it, and is also great in
its subsequent influence.
5. Architectonics of the Work
The Sri-Bhashya expounds the philosophy of Sri Ramanuja in all
its essentials. The structure of the work following the structure of
the Sutras is laid down well. The first four Sutras concern
themselves with four considerations of an introductory character.
The rest of the first chapter elucidates the crucial passages of the
Upanisads that appear to be ambiguous, and the result is a
formulation of the philosophy of the Upanisads in a coherent and
decisive manner. The second chapter deals with the possible
exegetical and philosophical objections to the standpoint. It
incidentally examines rival philosophical systems. These two
chapters present the metaphysics of Vedanta. The third chapter
propounds the sadhana or the pathway to the attainment of the
supreme Goal of life. The fourth chapter delineates that goal with
all its implications. The last two chapters, thus relate to the
ideals to be achieved. In traditional language the first two
chapters formulate the Tattva or the nature of Reality and the third
deals with the Hita or sadhana, and the fourth brings out the
Purusartha or the supreme ideal of life.
6. Introductory Matter
The first aphorism of the Brahma-Sutra is very important as it
initiates the inquiry into Brahman. It lays down the precondition
into the inquiry and also the reason for it. The precondition is the
inquiry into the nature, limitations, and value of karma as
elucidated in the Karma-Mimamsa of Jaimini.
Inquiry into karma and Brahman constitutes one organic unity of
Vedic philosophy. In the earlier inquiry into karma, the purport of
the earlier portion of the Vedas centred in religious activity is
discussed. Being dissatisfied with the objectives of karma, the
inquiry into Brahman is undertaken as the knowledge of Brahman is
said to bring about the eternal and infinite good of man in the
later portion of the Vedas, namely, the Upanisads.
In this context the Sri-Bhashya discusses elaborately the role of
karma, as it leads to minor objectives when performed in an
ego-centric way and also as it conduces to the understanding of
Brahman when performed in a disinterested spirit of worship and
dedication. Such a discrimination is the antecedent to the inquiry
into Brahman. The reason for the inquiry is the unsatisfactory
character of the ends procured by religious life devoid of
knowledge. The inquiry is for purposes of gaining knowledge of
Brahman; which knowledge is said to bring about the summum bonum.
The knowledge that could accomplish such a supreme consummation is
no mere intellectual and mediate understanding, but a devout and
intense meditation on Brahman. It is, in short, bhakti.
In this context the Sri-Bhashya under takes a complete
examination of Advaita in its longest discussion, opposing the
concept of nirguna Brahman and the supplementary postulate of Avidya
or Maya. Brahman is significantly described: "The term 'Brahman'
signifies the supreme Person (Purusottama) who transcends all
imperfections and abounds in infinite classes of auspicious
qualities of unsurpassed excellence."
The Purva-Mimamsa writers attempted to interpret the whole of the
Vedas as just inculcating imperatives and denounced the metaphysical
purport of Brahman. That position is rejected after considerable
discussion.
The second aphorism offers a definition of Brahman to focus
further elucidation and Sri Ramanuja defends the definition as
perfectly legitimate. The definition according to him means:
That supreme Person who is the ruler of all; whose nature is
antagonistic to all evil; whose purposes come true; who possesses
infinite auspicious qualities such as knowledge, bliss and so on;
who is omniscient, omnipotent, supremely merciful; from whom the
creation, subsistence, and re-absorption of this world -- with its
manifold wonderful arrangements, not to be comprehended by thought,
and comprising within itself the aggregate of souls from Brahma down
to blades of grass, all of which experience the fruits (of their
previous deeds) in definite points of space and time -- proceed is
Brahman: such is the meaning of the Sutra.
The third aphorism concerns itself with the source of our
knowledge of Brahman. It declares the 'shastra' as our only source
of knowledge. This involves the entire epistemology of
Visistadvaita. The school recognizes the validity of perception and
inference in their respective spheres. It does not subscribe to the
thesis that they are infected with an error or nescience at their
very root. In the matter of proving the existence of the supreme
Being, it does not accept the efficacy of inference, as was done in
the Nyaya-Vaisesika system. It discovers flaws in that theistic
argument somewhat on the lines of Purva-Mimamsa writers. But it does
not agree with the latter in interpreting the Vedic scriptures as
bereft of metaphysical import. Nor does it question the veridical
character of the shastra which is our only source of knowledge
concerning the transcendent ultimate, Brahman.
The supreme shastra in the context is the concluding portion of
the Vedas, the Upanisads. Sri Ramanuja describes Brahman as
'Sruti-Sirasi vidIpte', meaning that, that supreme Reality is
specifically and pre-eminently revealed in the Upanisads. In the
interpretation of these texts and in the defence of their
philosophy, reason is to be fully utilized. Hence Vedanta is no mere
cult based on mere faith, but a philosophical inquiry employing
methods of logical investigation. Reason is also of value in the
examination of schools of thought opposed to the philosophy of the
Upanisads. The primary scripture of Vedanta is to be supplemented
and augmented by the secondary scriptures such as the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata, the Puranas such as the Visnupurana, the Agamas
such as the Pancaratra, and Smrti texts such as that of Manu.
The principle of this supplementation is stated by Sri Ramanuja
clearly:
By this "supplementation" we have to understand the elucidation
of the sense of the Vedic texts studied by us through the words of
men who had mastered the entire Veda and its contents, and by the
strength of their devotion had gained full realization of Vedic
truth. This needs to be done, since the import of the entire Veda
with all its sakhas cannot be fathomed by one who has studied a
small part only, and since with out knowing that purport we cannot
arrive at certitude.
It is to be understood that Sri Ramanuja included in the category
of secondary scriptures, the body of inspired mystical poetry,
collectively named Divya Prabandha, composed and sung by the Alvars,
but he does not use this source in the Sri-Bhashya by direct
statement for the understandable reason that it was not acknowledged
as authoritative by the other schools of Vedanta. This was a case of
personal inspiration and not probative evidence.
The fourth aphorism attempts to demonstrate the supreme value of
the knowledge of Brahman. The ignorance of Brahman is the very
essence of human bondage and to know Brahman even mediately is a
source of joy. Impelled by this joy, the seeker pursues further
knowledge by way of direct apprehension through the comprehensive
discipline of bhakti. In the end his effort is crowned through the
grace of God with the joyous triumph of the full attainment.
Thus the four Sutras establish the necessity and possibility of
the inquiry into Brahman, the definition of It, the sources of
knowledge concerning It, and the supreme value of the pursuit of the
knowledge in question. An old verse sums up the work of the four
Sutras:
The four Sutras eliminate any objection to the commencement of
the inquiry into Brahman on four prima facie suppositions:
(a) the Vedic words cannot signify Brahman (an accomplished
reality),
(b) the Brahman cannot be defined,
(c) It is revealed by other means of knowledge, and
(d) the inquiry is of no value.
7. Tattva
Brahman is the supreme Tattva or Reality. The function of Vedanta
is the discernment of its nature. It does it in hundreds of ways but
there is a fundamental concord run ning through all of them. The
Sutras review almost all the central Upanisads and discuss their
import. The one persistent misunderstanding they succeed in removing
is, that the Upanisads, in their major metaphysical dialogues, raise
to ultimacy either the category of Prakrti (nature) or the
individual self. They all affirm the transcendent Brahman, of the
nature of absoluteness of Being, Consciousness, and Bliss, and that
nature and the finite sell come in as its vehicles of
self-manifestation.
The Sri-Bhashya regards the Sutras as a single document with no
internal stratification in terms of authenticity. There is no lower
and higher Brahman, and there is no lower and higher knowledge. It
is the same logic of indivisible truth that is discerned in the
Upanisads. When Brahman is spoken of as attributeless, the motive is
to deny of It imperfections characteristic of the finite existents.
When attributes like omniscience are ascribed, they are to be taken
in metaphysical seriousness. When Brahman is exhibited as other than
matter and finite spirits, the truth of transcendence is being
proclaimed. When Brahman is spoken of as one without a second, the
significance is that Brahman is the central substantive reality to
which the finite realities belong in the relation of predicates or
subsidiary associates. The full truth is conveyed without any chance
of misconception when Brahman is described as the Atman, and the
world of matter and individual selves are said to constitute its
'Body'. This is a monism that does not involve any illusionism.
Sri Ramanuja opposes illusionistic monism, the grosser forms of
Bheda-abheda and also dualism. He says:
Apart from the consideration of Brahman as the Soul of all, the
meditation of Brahman as the jiva or the jiva as Brahman cannot be
true. On the theory of difference-cum-identity, as the limiting
adjuncts condition Brahman itself, all the consequent flaws will
contaminate It itself. On the theory of absolute difference between
Brahman and the jiva, the teaching of Brahman as the Atman of all
would be impossible and thus the entire Vedanta gets rejected.
The external world of insentient existence and the finite selves
is real, however much they may be subject to mutation. They have
existence in all their states as permeated and sustained by the
supreme Spirit.
In this concept of the totality of existences as constituted of
Brahman and the realm of finites, we have the justification of the
designation of Visistadvaita that has come to be applied to Sri
Ramanuja's school of Vedanta. He himself does not use the term but
his authoritative commentators, Sudarsana Suri and Vedanta Desika
employ it. (Vide Tatparya-dipika, p. 48, Tirupati edition; and
Pancaratra-raksa, p. 121, Kanchi edition). It signifies that Reality
is one, in so far as there the one central substantive principle,
Brahman, and the totality of finites characterizes It as inseparable
qualifications.
8. Hita or Means
The question of sadhana naturally pertains to the individual soul
or jiva. The Sri-Bhashya expounds the nature of the jiva in the
course of the second chapter. It is uncreated, is of the nature of a
conscious principle, and enjoys powers of free volition conferred by
God. The plurality of the individuals is real and eternal.
Uniqueness and self-consciousness are fundamental in its nature. The
jiva is neither separate from God nor wholly identical with Him. It
is an 'Amsa' or part in the sense of forming an adjectival mode.
The third chapter reviews the life of the jiva and comes to the
conclusion that in all its mundane states it is infected with evil
of the nature of suffering brought about by ignorance and
evil-doing. Hence a spirit of renunciation is called for. When it
looks to its inward Soul, the Paramatman, it sees in Him infinite
perfections in spite of His immanence. Seeking Him is the road to
its own perfection. He is its final goal and also the power that
could effectuate its final blessedness. The third quarter of the
third chapter determines the exact nature of the various types of
'Vidya' or meditation to be practised in order to win the grace of
the supreme Being. The fourth quarter elucidates the supremacy of
know ledgeand the pathway to perfection and determines the
accessories of this knowledge. This knowledge is of the nature of
bhakti or loving meditation, cultivated in ever-increasing
intensity.
9. Purusartha
The fourth chapter is devoted to working out the notion of
moksha. The Sri-Bhashya states the nature of moksha in the first
chapter itself and the final chapter is an elaboration thereof:
But those who are established in the Vedanta -- holding (as they
do) that the supreme Brahman is the sole cause of the entire
universe, and of the nature of infinite bliss antagonistic to all
evil, an ocean of count less auspicious qualities of natural and
unsurpassed excellence, transcending all else and constituting the
Self of all; and also that the jiva, of the nature of boundless
knowledge, is of the nature of a mode of Brahman, being Its body,
and of such a nature that it can get joy in the experience of
Brahman, this nature, however, being concealed by beginningless
ignorance of the nature of karma -- affirm that moksha is the direct
experience of Brahman, in accordance with its fundamental nature
after the destruction of its ignorance.
The three implications of moksha are that it is a release from
all the binding karma of the past, it is a release of the soul into
the abundance of its innate nature, and the fulfilment of this
nature in the blissful experience of Brahman, its own inmost soul.
This unimpeded joy of existence is the eternal destiny of the jiva.
10. Conclusion
The substance of the Sri-Bhashya may be stated in four synoptic
propositions.
- It is a reasoned and critical reconstruction of the
philosophy of the Upanisads with due appropriation of other
sources of knowledge such as perception and inference and the
supplementary scriptures.
- The reconstruction presents ultimate Reality, Brahman, the
supreme Spirit, as the transcendent repository of all
perfections and as holding as it's own embodiment the totality
of finite existence, sentient and insentient.
- The pathway to the final good of life is the blissful
communion with Brahman by way of devout and loving contemplation
named bhakti, facilitated by a life of virtue and founded on
assured philosophical understanding.
- The end attained through that means is the eternal
experience of Brahman, with all the plenitude and eternity which
only that experience can bring to the individual per sonality.
It is the supreme ecstasy of life in God.
The importance of the Sri-Bhashya lies in the amplitude of its
substantiation of these fundamentals.
S.S. RAGHAVACHAR
Mysore
14 July 1977
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