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THE BRAHMANICAL DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION
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brahman but not identical with brahman as śamkara has held. Rāmānuja quotes the Upanișadic passages to prove that liberated soul only becomes similar to brahman and not identical with brahman. “He attains all the auspicious qualities with brahman.”
- Taittirīya Upanişad, II. 1. 1. "The knower of the Lord, having shaken off merits and demerits
and being absolutely pure, attains the highest degree of equality with brahman."
- Mundaka Upanişad, III. 1. 3. "The brahmavit moves singing säman in all the world, enjoys whatever things he likes, assumes whatever forms he likes."
---Taittiriya Upanişad, III. 10. 5-6. The Bhagavadgita also supports the view of Rāmānuja that those who have acquired the wisdom, become similar to brahman.9%
Unlike Šamkara, Rāmānuja believes that the liberated soul does not lose its individuality but anyhow retains it. It is only egoity and not the individuality that is annihilated in the state of liberation; even in the highest state the soul does not lose its individuality, According to S. Radhakrishnan, "what is annihilated in mokşa is only egoity and not individuality.” Further he says that “it is not the disappearance of the self, but its release from the limiting barriers."93
According to Rāmānuja, karma-yogi (self-purification), jñānayoga (self-realisation) and bhakti-yoga (knowing and seeing God everywhere) are three different stages in the process of a man's liberation. Karma-yoga leads to jñāna-yoga. Jñāna-yoga is the path of self-realization to know one's own real self. Rāmānuja believes in jñāna-karma-samuccaya. He recognises the importance of karma, jñāna and bhakti, as the Gita too has recognised. But Rāmānuja stresses bhakit or devotion as the chief means to attain liberation. Along with the three paths, karma, jñāna and bhakti, he adds the doctrinc of prapatti, the way of self-surrender to God. We may recall that it is said in the Katha Upanişad (1.2.23) that the self cannot be gained by the study of Veda (reflection), nor by thought (meditation) nor by much learning. It may be gained only by him whom God chooses. Thus the gift or prasāda or krpå of God plays an important role in the Rāmānuja scheme of liberation. God gives all that is necessary for liberation to one who surrenders oneself to God. Accord
92. Bhagavadgīta, XIV.2. 93. S. Radhakrishnan, In lian Phi.osopky, vol. II, pp. 709-710.
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