Misplaced Pages

#803196

81-513: This hymn is commonly recited at temples that adhere to the Sri Vaishnava tradition during the morning. Tiru is a Tamil word that denotes sacredness, while paḷḷāṇṭu translates to 'many years.' There exists a Sri Vaishnava legend regarding the composition of this hymn. Periyalvar was once invited by the Pandya king to participate in a religious debate. The poet-saint was able to defeat

162-427: A Vedic perspective. The name Sri Vaishnavism ( IAST : Śrīvaiṣṇavism) is derived from two words, Sri and Vaishnavism . In Sanskrit , the word Sri refers to goddess Lakshmi as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and god Vishnu who are together revered in this tradition. The word Vaishnavism refers to a tradition that reveres god Vishnu as the supreme god. The followers of Sri Vaishnavism are known as

243-460: A historic momentum, and the liturgical and meditational songs continue to be sung in the modern era temples of Sri Vaishnavism, which is part of the service called cevai (Sanskrit: Seva ). Nathamuni is also attributed with three texts, all in Sanskrit. These are Nyaya Tattva , Purusha Nirnaya and Yogarahasya . The Yogarahasya text, states Govindacharya, is a meditational text, includes

324-399: A homa tends to be a private ritual around a symbolic fire, such as those observed at a wedding. The Sanskrit word homa (होम) is from the root hu , which refers to "pouring into fire, offer, sacrifice". Homa traditions are found across Asia, from Samarkand to Japan , over a 3000-year history. A homa , in all its Asian variations, is a ceremonial ritual that offers food to fire and

405-463: A home, among other uses; therefore, a Yajna offering is made directly into the fire. A homa is sometimes called a "sacrifice ritual" because the fire destroys the offering, but a homa is more accurately a " votive ritual". The fire is the agent, and the offerings include those that are material and symbolic such as grains, ghee , milk, incense, and seeds. It is rooted in the Vedic religion , and

486-429: A number of Jain scholars in this event, which won him the praise of the king. He was honoured by the monarch with a procession, where he was taken around the capital while seated upon an elephant. Pleased by his devotee, Vishnu himself descended upon the earth to meet him, upon his mount Garuda . Witnessing the deity's presence, and worrying that he was precariously seated upon his mount, Periyalvar glorified him with

567-486: A prose translation of the hymn in his translation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham , named The Sacred Book Of Four Thousand . Kamil Zvelebil features a poetic translation of the hymn by J.S.M Hooper in his book entitled Tamil Literature. Sri Vaishnavism Traditional Sri Vaishnavism ( Sanskrit : श्रीवैष्णवसम्प्रदाय , romanized :  Śrīvaiṣṇavasampradāya )

648-701: A result of philosophical and traditional divergences in the post-Ramanuja period. The Vadakalai placed emphasis on Sanskrit scriptures such as the Vedas and Pancharatra texts, while the Tenkalai highlighted Tamil texts such as the Naalayira Divya Prabandham of the Alvars . The philosophies of Pillai Lokacharya and Vedanta Desika, which evolved consequently, were stabilized by Manavala Mamunigal and Brahmatantra Svatantra Jiyar respectively. When

729-487: A tradition led by Alvars in the 7th and the 8th centuries. Ramanuja philosophy negated caste, states Ramaswamy. Ramanuja, who led from the Srirangam temple, welcomed outcastes into temples and gave them important roles in temple duties. Medieval temple records and inscriptions suggest that the payments and offerings collected by the temple were shared regardless of caste distinctions. Scholars offer differing views on

810-563: Is Sanskrit traditions found in ancient texts such as the Vedas and the Agama (Pancaratra), and the second is the Tamil traditions found in early medieval texts ( Tamil Prabandham ) and practices such as the emotional songs and music of Alvars that expressed spiritual ideas, ethics and loving devotion to god Vishnu. The Sanskrit traditions likely represent the ideas shared in ancient times, from

891-530: Is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism , predominantly practiced in South India . The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu , who are together revered in this tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pancharatra texts, popularised by the Alvars and their canon,

SECTION 10

#1732781138804

972-461: Is also at the heart of temples and mandapas in Indian religions. The sequence of homa ritual events similarly, from beginning to end, are structured around the principles of symmetry. ). The fire-altar ( vedi or homa/havan kunda) is generally made of brick or stone or a copper vessel, and is almost always built specifically for the occasion, being dismantled immediately afterward. This fire-altar

1053-485: Is also real. Ramanuja accepted that the Vedas are a reliable source of knowledge, then critiqued other schools of Hindu philosophy, including Advaita Vedanta , as having failed in interpreting all of the Vedic texts. He asserted, in his Sri Bhashya , that purvapaksin (previous schools) selectively interpret those Upanishadic passages that support their monistic interpretation, and ignore those passages that support

1134-572: Is at the foundation of Hindu spirituality. John Carman, a professor at the Harvard Divinity School , states that some of the similarities in salvation ideas in Sri Vaishnavism and Protestant Christian doctrines of divine grace are striking. Both accept God as a personal concept, accept devotee's ability to relate to this God without human intermediaries, and accept the idea of sola gratia – salvation through faith by

1215-467: Is classified into two major denominations called the Vadakalai ("northern art") and Tenkalai ("southern art"). The northern and southern denominations of Sri Vaishnavism refer respectively to Kanchipuram (the northern part of Tamil country) and Srirangam (the southern part of Tamil country and Kaveri river delta area where Ramanuja wrote his Vedanta treatises from). These denominations arose as

1296-609: Is consecrated by a priest, creating a sacred space for the ritual ceremony, with recitation of mantras . With hymns sung, the fire is started, offerings collected. The sacrificer enters, symbolically cleanses himself or herself, with water, joins the homa ritual, gods invited, prayers recited, conch shell blown. The sacrificers pour offerings and libations into the fire, with hymns sung, to the sounds of svaha . The oblations and offerings typically consist of clarified butter ( ghee ), milk, curd, sugar, saffron, grains, coconut, perfumed water, incense, seeds, petals, and herbs. The altar and

1377-415: Is found in some Buddhist traditions of Tibet, China, and Japan. Its roots are the Vedic ritual, it evokes Buddhist deities, and is performed by qualified Buddhist priests. In Chinese translations of Buddhist texts such as Kutadanta Sutta , Dighanikaya , and Suttanipata , dated to be from the 6th to 8th century, the Vedic homa practice is attributed to Buddha's endorsement along with the claim that Buddha

1458-414: Is invariably built in square shape. While very large vedis are occasionally built for major public homas , the usual altar may be as small as one foot square and rarely exceeds three feet square. A ritual space of homa, the altar is temporary and movable. The first step in a homa ritual is the construction of the ritual enclosure (mandapa), and the last step is its deconstruction. The altar and mandapa

1539-528: Is performed daily in the morning or the afternoon, and is a requirement for all acharyas to learn this ritual upon entering the priesthood. The original medieval era texts of the goma rituals are in Siddham Sanskrit seed words and Chinese, with added Japanese katakana to assist the priests in proper pronunciation. Larger scale ceremonies often include multiple priests, chanting, the beating of Taiko drums and blowing of conch shell ( horagai ) around

1620-839: Is primarily based on interpreting Vedanta , particularly the Upanishads , the Bhagavad Gita , the Brahma Sutras and the Narayaniya section of the Mahabharata . The Vaishnava Agama texts, also called the Pancaratra, has been an important part of Sri Vaishnava tradition. Another theological textual foundation of the tradition are the Tamil bhakti songs of the Alvars (7th to 10th century). The syncretic fusion of

1701-419: Is satisfied. If Prana is satisfied, the eye is satisfied. If eye is satisfied, the sun is satisfied. If sun is satisfied, heaven is satisfied. — Chandogya Upanishad 5.19.1–2 Transl: Max Muller The yajñā or fire sacrifice became a distinct feature of the early śruti rituals. A śrauta ritual is a form of quid pro quo where through the fire ritual, a sacrificer offered something to

SECTION 20

#1732781138804

1782-478: Is someone who is a "teacher, guide or master" of certain knowledge. Traditionally a reverential figure to the student in Hinduism, the guru serves as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student." An Acharya refers to either a Guru of high rank, or more often to

1863-585: Is stated by the author to be his goal, what he repeats in his explanation, then what he states as conclusion and whether it can be epistemically verified. Not everything in any text, states Shankara, has equal weight and some ideas are the essence of any expert's textual testimony. This philosophical difference in scriptural studies, helped Shankara conclude that the Principal Upanishads primarily teach monism with teachings such as Tat tvam asi , while helping Ramanuja conclude that qualified monism

1944-631: Is the "body of Brahman ", everything observed is God, one lives in this body of God, and the purpose of this body and all of creation is to empower soul in its journey to liberating salvation. After Ramanuja several authors composed important theological and exegetical works on Sri Vaishnavism. Such authors include Parsara Bhattar , Nadadoor Ammal, Sudarshan Suri, Pillai Lokacharya , Vedanta Desika , Manavala Mamunigal , Periyavachan Pillai and Rangaramanuja Muni. The Sri Vaishnavism tradition has nurtured an institutional organization of mathas (monasteries) since its earliest days, particularly from

2025-673: Is the energy and power of Shiva and she is the equal with different roles, supreme in the role of creator and destroyer. The prefix Sri is used for this sect because they give special importance to the worship of the Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who they believe to act as a mediator between God Vishnu and man. Sri Vaishnavism's philosophical foundation was established by Ramanuja, who started his Vedic studies with Yadava Prakaasa in an Advaita Vedanta monastery. He brought Upanishadic ideas to this tradition, and wrote texts on qualified monism , called Vishishtadvaita in

2106-576: Is ultimately linked to the traditions contained in the Vedic religion. The tradition reflects a reverence for fire and cooked food ( pākayajña ) that developed in Asia, and the Brahmana layers of the Vedas are the earliest records of this ritual reverence. Inner Homa, body as temple Therefore the first food which a man may take, is in the place of Homa. And he who offers that first oblation, should offer it to Prana , saying svaha ! Then Prana

2187-462: Is unsurpassed" and through "love that is an erotic union". But Sri Vaishnavism differs from Shaivism, in that Vishnu is ultimately the sole creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe while Sri Lakshmi is the medium for salvation, the kind mother who recommends to Vishnu and thereby helps living beings in their desire for redemption and salvation. In contrast, in Shaivism, the goddess ( Shakti )

2268-481: The Bhagavad Gita Bhashya . Ramanuja's scholarship is predominantly founded on Vedanta, Upanishads in particular. He never claims that his ideas were original, but his method of synthesis that combined the Vedic ideas with popular spirituality, states Anne Overzee, is original. Ramanuja, wrote his biographer Ramakrishnananda, was "the culmination of the movement started from the Vedas, nourished by

2349-667: The Bhakti movement in north, west and east India, bringing in Bhakti poet saints from "entire cross-section of class, caste and society". The Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam belongs to the Tenkalai/Thennacharya tradition and is considered as one of the important sites of Sri Vaishnava tradition. The temple follows the tenkalai tradition but the priests are mostly vadakalai . The Tenkalai place higher importance to Tamil slokas than Sanskrit, and lay more emphasis on

2430-526: The Ganges river plains of the northern Indian subcontinent, while the Tamil traditions likely have roots in the Kaveri river plains of southern India, particularly what in modern times are the coastal Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Tamil Nadu region. The tradition was founded by Nathamuni (10th century), who combined the two traditions, by drawing on Sanskrit philosophical tradition and combining it with

2511-469: The Naalayira Divya Prabandham . The founding of Sri Vaishnavism is traditionally attributed to Nathamuni of the 10th century CE; its central philosopher has been Ramanuja of the 11th century, who developed the Vishishtadvaita ("qualified non-dualism") Vedanta sub-school of Hindu philosophy . The tradition split into two denominations around the 16th century. The Vadakalai who follow

Tirupallantu - Misplaced Pages Continue

2592-631: The Tirupallantu , wishing him protection and longevity. The Tirupallantu comprises twelve verses. The poet extols the attributes of Vishnu in this work, such as his Sudarshana Chakra and his Panchajanya : Pallāṇṭu pallāṇṭu pallāyirattāṇṭu palakōṭi nūṟāyiram Mallāṇṭa tiṇtōḻ maṇivaṇṇā! Un ćēvaḍi ćevvi tirukkāppu Aṭiyōmōṭum ninnōṭum pirivinṟi āyiram pallāṇṭu Vaṭivāy ninvala mārṗinil vāḻkinṟa maṅkaiyum pallāṇṭu Vaṭivārćōdi valattuṟaiyum ćuṭar āḻiyum pallāṇṭu Paṭaipōr pukku muḻaṅkum appāñca ćanniyamum pallāṇṭē Srirama Bharati features

2673-503: The "ritual eclecticism" of Hindu traditions, albeit with variations that evolved through medieval times. The homa-style Vedic sacrifice ritual, states Musashi Tachikawa, was absorbed into Mahayana Buddhism and homa rituals continue to be performed in some Buddhist traditions in Tibet, China, and Japan. The homa ritual grammar is common to many samskara (rite of passage) ceremonies in various Hindu traditions. The Vedic fire ritual, at

2754-493: The 9th century CE, or the 10th century. One of his lasting contributions was to apply the Vedic theory of music on all the Alvar songs using Sanskrit prosody , calling the resulting choreography as divine music, and teaching his nephews the art of resonant bhakti singing of the Alvar songs. This precedence set the guru -sisya-parampara (teacher-student-tradition) in Sri Vaishnavism. This style of education from one generation to

2835-478: The Alvars, Nathamuni and Yamuncharya". Ramunaja himself credits the theories he presents, in Vedarthasamgraha , to the ideas of ancient Hindu scholars such as "Bodhyana, Tanka (Brahmanandin), Dramida (Dravidacarya), Guhadeva, Kapardin and Bharuci". The 11th-century scholarship of Ramanuja emphasized the concept of Sarira-Saririn , that is the world of matter and the empirical reality of living beings

2916-633: The Hindu tradition. His ideas are one of three subschools in Vedanta , the other two are known as Adi Shankara 's Advaita (absolute monism) and Madhvacharya 's Dvaita (dualism). Ramanuja 's Vishishtadvaita asserts that Atman (souls) and Brahman are different, a difference that is never transcended. God Vishnu alone is independent, all other gods and beings are dependent on him. However, in contrast to Dvaita Vedanta philosophy of Madhvacharya, Ramanuja asserts "qualified non-dualism", that souls share

2997-511: The Lord and detachment from the world. When moksha is reached, the cycle of reincarnation is broken and the soul is united with Vishnu, though maintaining their distinctions, in Vaikuntha , Vishnu's heaven. Moksha can also be reached by total surrender ( saranagati ), an act of grace by the Lord. God, according to Ramanuja's Sri Vaishnavism philosophy, has both soul and body; all of life and

3078-545: The Parashara Smriti. while Vadakalais support the tonsure quoting the Manusmriti, Homas Traditional In Indian religions , a homa ( Sanskrit : होम), also known as havan , is a fire ritual performed on special occasions. In Hinduism , by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner (" grihastha ": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different kinds of fire including one to cook food, heat

3159-408: The Sanskrit traditions, while the Tenkalai relied more on the Tamil traditions. Although this difference is very superficial and basically non-existent in practical reality. This theological dispute between the Vedic and Bhakti traditions traces it roots to the debate between Srirangam and Kanchipuram monasteries between the 13th and 15th century. The debate then was on the nature of salvation and

3240-529: The Sri Vaishnava(s) (IAST: Śrīvaiṣṇava, श्रीवैष्णव). The tradition traces its roots to the primordial start of the world through Vishnu, and to the texts of Vedic era with both Sri and Vishnu found in ancient texts of the 1st millennium BCE particularly to the Puranas , Upanishads , and the Bhagavad Gita . The historical basis of Sri Vaishnavism is in the syncretism of two developments. The first

3321-748: The Tenkalai represented the anti-caste tendencies while the Vadakalai school championed the cause of purity of the Vedic tenets." The Tenkalai held, adds Raman, that anyone can be a spiritual teacher regardless of caste. The Vadakalai tradition states Sadarangani in contrast to Raman's views, were the liberal cousin of Tenkalai and therefore more successful in gaining devotees, while in southern Tamil lands Shaivism prospered possibly because of "Tenkalai school of Vaishnavism being narrow and orthodox in approach". The Vadakalai school not only succeeded in northern Tamil lands, she adds, but spread widely as it inspired

Tirupallantu - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-479: The Vedas), Maha Purushanirnayam (extension of Nathamuni's treatise), Stotraratnam and Chathuh shloki (bhakti strota texts). Yamunacharya is also credited with Nitya Grantha and Mayavada Khandana . The Nitya Grantha is a ritual text and suggests methods of daily worship of Narayana (Vishnu). The 10th century Mayavada Khandana text, together with Siddhitrayam of Yamunacharya predominantly critiques

3483-526: The Vedas. While other Vaishnava groups interpret Vedic deities like Indra , Savitar , Bhaga , Rudra , etc., to be the same as their Puranic counterparts, Sri Vaishnavas consider these to be different names/roles/forms of Narayana , thus claiming that the entirety of the Vedas is dedicated to Vishnu reverence alone. Sri Vaishnavas have remodelled the Pancharatra homas (rituals) to include Vedic suktas (hymns) in them, thus integrating them with

3564-504: The aesthetic and emotional appeal of the Bhakti movement pioneers called the Alvars . Sri Vaishnavism developed in Tamil Nadu in the 10th century, after Nathamuni returned from a pilgrimage to Vrindavan in north India (modern Uttar Pradesh ). Nathamuni's ideas were continued by Yamunacharya , who maintained that the Vedas and Pancaratras are equal, devotional rituals and bhakti are important practices. The legacy of Yamunacharya

3645-416: The core of various homa ritual variations in Hinduism, is a "bilaterally symmetrical" structure of a rite. It often combines fire and water, burnt offerings, and soma; fire as masculine, earth and water as feminine, the fire vertical and reaching upward while the altar, offerings, and liquids being horizontal. The homa ritual's altar (fire pit) is itself a symmetry, most often a square, a design principle that

3726-517: The destruction of the individual, he would run away as soon as the subject of liberation was suggested... The "I", the knowing subject, is the inner self. — Nyayatattva , Nathamuni, ~9th-10th century, Translator: Christopher Bartley Yamunacharya was the grandson of Nathamuni , also known in Sri Vaishnava tradition as Alavandar, whose scholarship is remembered for correlating Alvar bhakti theology and Pancaratra Agama texts to Vedic ideas. He

3807-563: The doctrine of Vedanta Desika , whereas the Tenkalai who follow the principles of Manavala Mamunigal . The Telugu Brahmins of the Sri Vaishnava tradition form a single distinct sect called the Andhra Vaishnavas , and are not divided into the Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations, unlike the Tamil Iyengars . The most striking difference between Sri Vaishnavas and other Vaishnava groups lies in their interpretation of

3888-662: The egalitarian Virashaiva Hindus (Lingayatism) of Karnataka. Both sects believe in initiation through Pancha Samskara . This ceremony or rite of passage is necessary for one to become a Vaishnava. It is performed by both Brahmins and non-Brahmins in order to become Vaishnavas. Some non-Brahmin Vaishnavas include Telugu Naidu , Tamil Vanniyar and Namadhari . Only those Vaishnavas who are of brahmin caste call themselves as Sri Vaishnavas. The Tenkalai tradition brought into their fold artisanal castes into community-based devotional movements. Raman states, "it can almost be said that

3969-418: The eight limb yoga similar to that of Patanjali, but emphasizes yoga as "the art of communion with God". The Nyaya Tattva text survives only in quotes and references cited in other texts, and these suggest that it presented epistemic foundations ( Nyaya ) including the philosophical basis for the Hindu belief on the existence of "soul" ( Atman ), in contrast to Indian philosophies such as Buddhism that denied

4050-422: The existence of soul. Nathamuni, for example asserts, If "I" did not refer to the true self, there would be no interiority belonging to the soul. The interior is distinguished from the exterior by the concept "I". The aspiration, "May I, having abandoned all suffering, participate freely in infinite bliss", actuates a person whose goal is liberation to study scriptures etc. Were it thought that liberation involved

4131-495: The feminine and the masculine, the goddess and the god. Sri ( Lakshmi ) is regarded as the preceptor of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya. Goddess Sri has been considered inseparable from god Vishnu , and essential to each other, and to the act of mutual loving devotion. Sri and Vishnu act and cooperate in the creation of everything that exists, and redemption. According to some medieval scholars of Sri Vaishnava theology, states John Carman, Sri and Vishnu do so using "divine knowledge that

SECTION 50

#1732781138804

4212-534: The function of mathas to include feeding the poor and devotees who visit, hosting marriages and community festivals, farming temple lands and flower gardens as a source for food and worship ingredients, being open to pilgrims as rest houses, and this philanthropic role of these Hindu monasteries continues. In the 15th-century, these monasteries expanded by establishing Ramanuja-kuta in major South Indian Sri Vaishnavism locations. The organizationally important Sri Vaishnavism matha are: The Sri Vaishnava tradition

4293-535: The gods and goddesses, and the sacrificer expected something in return. The Vedic ritual consisted of sacrificial offerings of something edible or drinkable, such as milk, clarified butter , yoghurt, rice, barley, an animal, or anything of value, offered to the gods with the assistance of fire priests. This Vedic tradition split into śrauta (śruti-based) and Smarta ( Smṛti -based). The homa ritual practices were observed by different Buddhist and Jaina traditions, states Phyllis Granoff, with their texts appropriating

4374-580: The grace of God alone, such as those found in Martin Luther 's teachings. While both Sri Vaishnavism and Protestant Christianity accept a supreme God and shares ideas on the nature of salvation, they differ in their specifics about incarnation such as Jesus Christ being the only incarnation in Christianity, while Sri Vaishnavism accepts many incarnations ( avatar ) of Vishnu. Christian missionaries in 19th century colonial British India, noted

4455-656: The idea of eternal damnation; Madhvacharya believed that some souls are eternally doomed and damned, while Ramanuja disagreed and accepted the Advaita Vedanta view that everyone can, with effort, achieve inner liberation and spiritual freedom ( moksha ). Theology Śrīvaiṣṇava theologians state that the poems of the Alvars contain the essential meaning of the Sanskrit Vedas . — John Carman and Vasudha Narayanan According to Sri Vaishnavism theology, moksha can be reached by devotion and service to

4536-529: The ideas of Advaita, became the most influential leader of Sri Vaishnavism. He developed the Visistadvaita ("qualified non-dualism") philosophy. Around 14th century, Ramanandi Sampradaya split from it. Around the 18th century, the Sri Vaishnava tradition split into the Vadakalai ("northern culture", Vedic) and Tenkalai ("southern culture", Bhakti). The Vadakalai placed more emphasis on

4617-726: The leader of a regional monastery. This position typically involves a ceremonial initiation called diksha by the monastery, where the earlier leader anoints the successor as Acharya . A Swami is usually those who interact with community on the behalf of the matha . The chief and most revered of all Vaishnava monasteries, are titled as Jeer , Jiyar , Jeeyar , or Ciyar . The Sri Vaishnavism mathas, over time, divided into two, those with Tenkalai (southern) tradition and Vadakalai (northern) tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. The Tenkalai-associated mathas are headquartered at Srirangam, while Vadakalai mathas are associated with Kanchipuram. Both these traditions have from 10th-century onwards considered

4698-755: The mandala with fire as the ceremonial focus. Homa rituals ( sbyin sreg ) widely feature in Tibetan Buddhism and Bön and are linked to a variety of Mahayana Buddhas and tantric deities. Homa rituals are also found in Jainism . For example, the Ghantakarn ritual is a homa sacrifice, which has evolved over the centuries, and where ritual offerings are made into fire, with pancamrit (milk, curd, sugar, saffron, and clarified butter) and other symbolic items such as coconut, incense, seeds, and herbs. The mantra recited by Jains include those in Sanskrit, and

4779-564: The many similarities and attempted to express the theology of Christianity as a bhakti marga to Hindus, along the lines of Sri Vaishnavism, in their mission to convert them from Hinduism to Christianity. Similar teachings on the nature of salvation through grace and compassion, adds Carman, are found in the Japanese scholar Shinran's text on Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, even though non-theistic Buddhism and theistic Sri Vaishnavism do differ in their views on God. Sri Vaishnavism philosophy

4860-583: The minor works titled Vedantadipa , Vedantasara , Gadya Traya (which is a compilation of three texts called the Sharanagati Gadyam , Sriranga Gadyam and the Vaikuntha Gadyam ), and Nitya Grantham . Some modern scholars have questioned the authenticity of all but the three of the largest works credited to Ramanuja; the following texts are considered as authentically traceable to Ramanuja – Shri Bhashya , Vedarthasamgraha, and

4941-405: The mother carries. This metaphorical description of the disagreement between the two sub-traditions, first appears in the 18th-century Tamil texts, but historically refers to the foundational ideas behind the karma -marga versus bhakti -marga traditions of Hinduism. Along with Vishnu, and like Shaivism , the ultimate reality and truth is considered in Sri Vaishnavism to be the divine sharing of

SECTION 60

#1732781138804

5022-522: The next, is a tradition called Araiyars , states Guy Beck, which preserved "the art of singing and dancing the verses of the Divya Prabandham" set in the sacred melodies and rhythms described in the Vedic texts. Nathamuni's efforts to syncretically combine the Vedic knowledge and Alvar compositions, also set the precedence of reverence for both the Vedas and the Alvar bhakti ideas. Nathamuni's scholarship that set Alvar songs in Vedic meter set

5103-686: The one in Melukote . The Sri Vaishnavism tradition believes that Ramanuja started 700 mathas, but historical evidence suggests several of these were started later. The matha , or a monastery, hosted numerous students, many teachers and an institutionalized structure to help sustain and maintain its daily operations. A matha in Vaishnvaism and other Hindu traditions, like a college, designates teaching, administrative and community interaction functions, with prefix or suffix to names, with titles such as Guru , Acharya , Swami, and Jiyar . A Guru

5184-465: The outer most regions of Vaikuntha. They further say that God's seemingly contradictory nature as both minuscule and immense are examples of God's special powers that enable Him to accomplish the impossible. According to the Tenkalai, exalted persons need not perform duties such as Sandhyavandanam ; they do so only to set a good example. They don't allow the ringing of bells during worship. The Tenkalai forbid widows to shave (tonsure) their head, quoting

5265-475: The philosophy of the traditionally dominant school of Advaita Vedanta in Hindu philosophy , but also critiques non-Vedic traditions. The Sri Vaishnava tradition attributes nine Sanskrit texts to Ramanuja – Vedarthasamgraha (literally, "Summary of the Vedas meaning" ) Sri Bhasya (a review and commentary on the Brahma Sutras ), Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (a review and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita ), and

5346-464: The pluralism interpretation. There is no reason, stated Ramanuja, to prefer one part of a scripture and not other, the whole of the scripture must be considered on par. One cannot, according to Ramanuja, attempt to give interpretations of isolated portions of any scripture. Rather, the scripture must be considered one integrated corpus, expressing a consistent doctrine. The Vedic literature, asserted Ramanuja, mention both plurality and oneness, therefore

5427-451: The relative approach of the two denominations on caste and gender. Raman states that Tenkalai did not recognise caste barriers and were more liberal in assimilating people from all castes, possibly because this had been the tradition at Srirangam from the earliest days of Sri Vaishnavism. In contrast, Sadarangani states that it was Vadakalai who were more liberal and who did not recognise caste barriers, possibly because they were competing with

5508-427: The ritual is a symbolic representation of the Hindu cosmology, a link between reality and the worlds of gods and living beings. The ritual is also a symmetric exchange, a "quid pro quo", wherein humans offer something to the gods through the medium of fire, and in return expect that the gods will reciprocate with strength and that which they have power to influence. The homa ( 護 摩 , goma ) ritual of consecrated fire

5589-499: The role of grace. The Bhakti-favouring Tenkalai tradition asserted, states Patricia Mumme, that Vishnu saves the soul like "a mother cat carries her kitten", where the kitten just accepts the mother while she picks her up and carries. In contrast the Vedic-favouring Vadakalai tradition asserted that Vishnu saves the soul like "a mother monkey carries her baby", where the baby has to make an effort and hold on while

5670-571: The same Vedic protocols found in Hinduism, with offerings into the fire by priests who recite mantras being the main part of the ritual and the devotees clap hands as different rounds of hymns have been recited. Other versions of the Vedic homa ( goma ) rituals are found in the Tendai and Shingon Buddhist traditions as well as in Shugendō and Shinto in Japan. In most Shingon temples, this ritual

5751-532: The same essential nature of Brahman, and that there is a universal sameness in the quality and degree of bliss possible for human souls, and every soul can reach the bliss state of God himself. While the 13th- to 14th-century Madhvacharya asserted both "qualitative and quantitative pluralism of souls", Ramanuja asserted "qualitative monism and quantitative pluralism of souls", states Sharma. The other philosophical difference between Madhvacharya's Vaishnavism Sampradaya and Ramanuja's Vaishnavism Sampradaya, has been on

5832-471: The schism weakened, Vadakalai tradition split into Munitreyam, Ahobila Matha , and Parakala matha . Similarly, Tenkalai tradition split into Kandadais, Telugu Sri Vaishnavas , Soliyar, and Sikkiliyar. From the ancient period, the Sri Vaishnavism movement flourished in Tamilakam owing to its social inclusiveness, where devotion to the supreme deity (Vishnu) was open without limitation to gender or caste,

5913-532: The time of Ramanuja. After the death of Yamunacharya, Ramanuja was nominated as the leader of the Srirangam matha, though Yamunacharya and Ramanuja never met. Amongst other things, Ramanuja is remembered in the Sri Vaishnavism tradition for his organizational skills and the lasting institutional reforms he introduced at Srirangam, a system paralleling those at Advaita monasteries of his time and where he studied before joining Srirangam matha. Ramanuja travelled and founded many Sri Vaishnavism mathas across India, such as

5994-409: The truth must incorporate pluralism and monism, or qualified monism. This method of scripture interpretation distinguishes Ramanuja from Adi Shankara. Shankara's exegetical approach Samanvayat Tatparya Linga with Anvaya-Vyatireka , states that for proper understanding all texts must be examined in their entirety and then their intent established by six characteristics, which includes studying what

6075-520: The two textual traditions is sometimes referred to as the Ubhaya Vedanta , or dual Vedanta. The relative emphasis between the two has been a historic debate within the Sri Vaishnavism tradition, which ultimately led to the schism into the Vatakalai and Tenkalai sub-traditions around the 18th century. Nathamuni collected the poems of Nammalvar , in the form of Divya Prabandham , likely in

6156-402: The world of matter is the glory of God's body. The path to Brahman (Vishnu), asserted Ramanuja, is devotion to godliness and constant remembrance of the beauty and love of personal god ( saguna Brahman, Vishnu). Ramanuja's theory posits both Brahman and the world of matter are two different absolutes, both metaphysically real, neither one false or illusive, and saguna Brahman with attributes

6237-530: The worship of Vishnu. The Tenkalai accept prapatti as the only means to attain salvation. They consider Prapatti as an unconditional surrender. The Thenkalais follow the Tamil Prabandham , and assert primacy to rituals in Tamil language . They regard kaivalya (detachment, isolation) as an eternal position within the realm of Vaikuntha (Vishnu's 'eternal abode' or heaven), though it only exists at

6318-572: Was also adopted in ancient times by Buddhism and Jainism . The practice spread from India to Central Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Homa rituals remain an important part of many Hindu ceremonies, and variations of homa continue to be practiced in current-day Buddhism , particularly in parts of Tibet and Japan. It is also found in modern Jainism . A homa is also called yajna in Hinduism, sometimes for larger public fire rituals, or jajnavidhana or goma in Buddhism. In modern times,

6399-494: Was continued by Ramanuja (1017-1137), but they never met. Legend goes that Ramanuja saw Yamunacharya's corpse, which had three fingers curled. Ramanuja was told that they represented the three wishes that Yamunacharya had revealed before he passed. One of the wishes was that Ramanuja should write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras. Ramanuja, a scholar who studied in an Advaita Vedanta monastery and disagreed with some of

6480-399: Was the acharya (chief teacher) of Sri Vaishnavism monastery at Srirangam, and was followed by Ramanuja , even though they never met. Yamunacharya composed a number of works important in Sri Vaishnavism, particularly Siddhitrayam (about the nature of Atman, God, universe), Gitarthasangraha (analysis of the Bhagavad Gita ), Agamapramanya (epistemological basis of Agamas, mapping them to

6561-543: Was the original teacher of the Vedas in his previous lives. In some Buddhist homa traditions, such as in Japan, the central deity invoked in this ritual is usually Acalanātha ( Fudō Myōō , 不動明王, lit. "Immovable Wisdom King"). Acalanātha is another name for the god Rudra in the Vedic tradition, for Vajrapani or Chakdor in Tibetan traditions, and of Sotshirvani in Siberia. The Acala Homa ritual procedure follows

#803196