VISISTADVAITA VEDANTA

Ramanuja c. 1100

With commentaries on the Gita and the Brahmasutra (Sri Bhasya) and at least two other works

Central positions:

1. Brahman is the cause of the world, both the material and the efficient cause (or at least an efficient cause of every event and finite thing).

2. Brahman is Sat (Being), Cit (Consciousness), and Ananda (Bliss)—sacchidananda.

3. Brahman has infinite properties, some essential, some not.

4. The self is self-illumining (svaprakasa), but not cognition.

5. The individual self is in one sense distinct from Brahman and in one sense not; spiritual ignorance (a-vidya) prevents right knowledge of both Brahman and self.

6. Visistadvaita Vedanta is taught in the Upanishads, Brahmasutra, the Gita, the Visnu Purana, and so on.

7. It is possible to explain the world; this is what the Upanishads and Vedanta philosophy try to do--to fulfill an intellectual prerequisite for spiritual knowledge (brahma-vidya).

8. Right knowledge (mukti) is of a meditative nature (not testimonial or verbal) and is achieved through a person’s meeting prerequisites (adhikara) to include studying and practicing dharma as taught by the Exegetes (Purva Mimamsakas).