SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
sUthram 49
சிலர், ‘ஆத்மபே4த3மில்லை; ஏகாத்மாவேயுள்ளது என்றார்கள்.
silar, AthmabEdham illai; EkAthmAvE uLLadhu enRArgaL.
Meaning
Some people say that there is no distinction among individual souls and that only one AthmA alone exists.
Explanation
The view being refuted
After establishing that the three classes of jIvas – badhdha, muktha, and nithya – exist in infinite numbers, piLLai lOkAchAryar now refutes the doctrine opposed to this truth, namely EkAthmavAdha, the view that there is only one individual soul.
The word “சிலர்” (silar – “some people”) is deliberately used as an expression of disregard (anAdharOkthi) towards those who advocate this erroneous doctrine.
Who are These “Some People”?
They are those who, owing to a mistaken understanding (kudhrushti) of the scriptural teaching on adhvaitha, conclude that there is only one jIva.
The scriptures teach adhvaitha in two distinct senses:
- brahmAdhvaitham – prakAri adhvaitham
- jIvAdhvaitham – prakAra adhvaitham
Failure to distinguish between these two gives rise to the erroneous doctrine of EkAthmavAdha.
brahmAdhvaitham
brahmAdhvaitham is prakAri-adhvaitham (the non-duality of brahman, the substantive).
This is established in the brahman portions of the chAndhOgya upanishadh through statements such as –
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म
(sarvam khalvidham brahma)
ऐतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वम्
(aithadhAthmyam idham sarvam)
पुरुष एवेदं सर्वम् [purusha sUktham]
(purusha EvEdham sarvam)
These statements establish the non-duality of brahman through sAmAnAdhikaraNya.
Since sAmAnAdhikaraNya teaches the unity of a substantive qualified by its modes (prakAra-bhEdha-viSishta-prakAri-Ekathva), these passages establish brahman’s oneness without denying the reality of its attributes and modes.
This is further confirmed by:
एकः सन् बहुधा विचारः [yajur vEdham]
(Eka: san bahudhA vichAra:)
which teaches the plurality of modes (prakAra-bahuthva).
Similarly, the statements –
नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन [katavalli]
(nEha nAnAsthi kinchana)
deny only those distinctions that contradict the unity already established. Since a general negation applies only to what is opposed to the injunction, this denial concerns the plurality of independent realities and not the plurality of modes.
Likewise,
न तत्समश्चाभ्यधिकश्च दृश्यते [SvEthASvathara upanishadh]
(na thath samaSchAbhyadhikaScha dhruSyathE)
denies the existence of any other substantive equal or superior to brahman.
Therefore, brahmAdhvaitham is the non-duality of the substantive (prakAri-adhvaitham).
jIvAdhvaitham
The plurality of individual souls (jIva-bahuthvam) is firmly established by the scriptures.
Otherwise:
- the distinction between badhdha and muktha souls would become impossible,
- scriptural instruction (upadhESa) would become meaningless,
- and the diversity of experiences such as pleasure and pain could not be explained.
Scripture [vishNu purANam] declares:
पुमान् न देवो न नरो न पशुर्न च पादपः ।
चतुर्विधो विभेदोऽयं मिथ्याज्ञाननिबन्धनः ॥
pumAn na dhEvO na narO na paSur na cha pAdhapa: |
chathurvidhO vibhEdhO’yam mithyAgyAna nibandhana: ||
This verse does not deny the plurality of jIvas.
Rather, it denies the distinctions arising from identification with bodies such as those of dhEvas, humans, animals, and plants, since these distinctions are based upon false knowledge (mithyAgyAna).
Likewise, the scriptures declare sAmya (equality) for liberated souls.
Therefore, the adhvaitha taught with respect to the jIvas is prakAra-adhvaitham [everything being a prakAra of bhagavAn], not the denial of the plurality of individual souls.
Support from earlier AchAryas
This subject is explained in detail in the introduction to the Adhi bharatha chatushlOkI vyAkhyAna, where SrI vEdha vyAsa bhattar begins with the statement:
ब्रह्माद्वैतं जीवाद्वैतं चेत्यद्वैतं द्विविधं शास्त्रप्रतिपाद्यम्
brahmAdhvaitham jIvAdhvaitham chEthyadhvaitham dhvividham SAsthra prathipAdhyam
“There are two kinds of adhvaitha taught by the scriptures – brahmAdhvaitha and jIvAdhvaitha.”
The error of EkAthmavAdha
Without understanding the true intent of the scriptures regarding jIvadhvaitham, some people wrongly conclude:
“There is no distinction among souls; only one AthmA exists.”
It is this erroneous conclusion that piLLai lOkAchAryar proceeds to refute in the following sUthrams.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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