Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: B J Institute

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Jainism from the view point of Vedāntic Acāryas
Nimbārka is not certainly post Rāmānuja also, because, there is no reference in Vedāntapārijātasaurabha (V.P.S.) of Nimbārka (=Brahmasūtrabhāsya), of Visiştādvaita doctrine of Rāmānuja nor reference to Srisampradaya. There is no influence of lengthy, logical and polemical style of Rāmānuja on Nimbārkabhāsya. His commentary on Brahmasūtra is very brief, free from all dialectical controversies. It does not refute any other Vedāntic School. Another important thing is that, Rāmānuja in his Srībhāsya as well as in Vedārthasangraha refutes the doctrine of difference and non-difference (bhedābheda), which is certainly refutation of view of Nimbārka not aupādhikabhedabheda of Bhāskara (Śrībhāsya, I.I.1). Again, though Nimbārka recognises grace of God (bhagavatprasāda) and importance of guru, the doctrine of prapatti (selfsurrender to God) and gurūpasatti (self-surrender to spiritual teacher), which are found in Rāmānuja and post-Rāmānuja Vaisnava Vedāntins, are not found in Brahmasutrabhāsya of Nimbārka. Nimbārka is not follower of Pañcarātra Agamas like Rāmānuja and Madhva. Nimbārka does not make any defence of Pañcarātra like Rāmānuja has done against the attacks of Advaitins nor defend Pañcarātra Agamas as authoritative texts as Madhva has done (Madhvabhāsya, I.I.3). There is neither mention of Vyühavāda nor Nārāyaṇa cult of Pañcarātra in Nimbārkabhāsya. For Rāmānuja, Nārāyaṇa. is the ultimate reality. Nimbārka avoids even the reference of Nārāyaṇa while quoting from Mahābhārata (V.P.S., II. III. 46). It seems, Nimbārka is a follower of