Jivanmukta

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A jivan mukta or mukta [1] is someone who, in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, has gained and assimilated self-knowledge, thus is liberated with an inner sense of freedom while living. [2] [3] The state is the aim of moksha in Advaita Vedanta, Yoga and other schools of Hinduism, and it is referred to as jivanmukti (Self-realization). [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Jivanmukti contrasts with the concept of videhamukti ; the latter means "liberation or emancipation after death, in afterlife". [7] [8]

Etymology

Jīvanmukta (Sanskrit : जीवन्मुक्त) is an adjective derived from a combination of Sanskrit noun जीव jīva , "life", and the past participle of the verb मुच् (much, or IAST muc), "to liberate". Monier-Williams gives the meaning "emancipated while still alive".

Jīvanmukti (Sanskrit : जीवन्मुक्ति:), the corresponding abstract noun means, "liberation during life, liberation before death", [9] [10] or "emancipation while still alive". [11] [6] Other translations include "self realization", [12] [13] [14] "living liberation", "enlightenment", "liberated soul", or "self liberation". [15] [16] [17]

Description

The various texts and schools of Hinduism describe the jīvanmukti state of existence as one of liberation and freedom reached within one's life. [18] [19] Some contrast jīvanmukti with videhamukti (moksha from samsāra after death). [20] Jīvanmukti is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual, claim these ancient texts of Hindu philosophy. For example, according to Nāradaparivrājaka Upanishad, the enlightened individual shows attributes such as: [21]

Advaita view

Ādi Śankara explains that nothing can induce one to act who has no desire of his own to satisfy. The supreme limit of vairāgya ("non-attachment"), is the non-springing of vāsanās in respect of enjoyable objects; the non-springing of the sense of the "I" (in things which are the ānatman ) is the extreme limit of bodhā ("awakening"), and the non-springing again of the modifications which have ceased is the extreme limit of Uparati ("abstinence"). The jīvanmukta, by reason of his ever being Brahman, is freed from awareness of external objects and is no longer aware of any difference between the inner ātman and Brahman, or between Brahman and the world. He knows that he is Brahman. "Vijnātabrahmatattvasya yathāpūrvam na samsrtih" – "there is no saṃsāra as before for one who has known Brahman". [23]

There are three kinds of prārabdha karma : Ichha ("personally desired"), anichhā ("without desire") and parechhā ("due to others' desire"). For a self-realized person, a jīvanmukta, there is no ichhā-prārabdha but the two others, anichhāa and parechhā, remain, [24] which even a jīvanmukta has to undergo. [24] [25] According to the Advaita school, for those of wisdom, prārabdha is liquidated only by experience of its effects; sancita ("accumulated karmas") and āgami ("future karmas") are destroyed in the fire of jñāna ("knowledge"). [23]

In the śramaṇic traditions, the jīvanmukta is called an arhat in Buddhism [26] and arihant in Jainism.[ citation needed ]

Implication

The Advaita school holds the view that the world appearance is owing to avidyā (ignorance) that has the power to project i.e. to superimpose the unreal on the real (adhyāsa), and also the power to conceal the real resulting in the delusion of the jīva who experiences objects created by his mind and sees difference in this world, he sees difference between the ātman ("the individual self") and Brahman ("the supreme Self"). This delusion caused by ignorance is destroyed when ignorance itself is destroyed by knowledge. When all delusion is removed there remains no awareness of difference. He who sees no difference between Self and Brahman is said to be a jīvanmukta. [27]

Significance

The Advaita philosophy rests on the premise that noumenally the Absolute alone exists, Nature, Souls and God are all merged in the Absolute; the Universe is one, that there is no difference within it, or without it; Brahman is alike throughout its structure, and the knowledge of any part of it is the knowledge of the whole (Brihadarānyaka Upanishad II.4.6-14), and, since all causation is ultimately due to Brahman, since everything beside Brahman is an appearance, the Atman is the only entity that exists and nothing else. All elements emanated from the Atman (Taittirīya Upanishad II.1) and all existence is based on Intellect (Aitareya Upanishad III.3). The universe created by Brahman from a part of itself is thrown out and re-absorbed by the Immutable Brahman (Mundaka Upanishad I.1.7). Therefore, the jīva (the individual self) is non-different from Brahman (the supreme Self), and the jīva, never bound, is ever liberated. Through Self-consciousness one gains the knowledge of existence and realizes Brahman. [28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śaṅkarācārya Bhagavatpāda: An Introduction and Translation edited by John Grimes "A mukta is a mukta, with or without a body.110 It may be said that a knower of the Self with a body is a jivanmukta and when that person sheds the body, he attains videhamukti. But this difference exists only for the onlooker, not the mukta."
  2. ↑ Gavin Flood (1998), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN   978-0521438780, page 92-93
  3. ↑ Klaus Klostermaier, Mokṣa and Critical Theory, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan., 1985), pages 61-71
  4. ↑ Andrew Fort and Patricia Mumme (1996), Living Liberation in Hindu Thought, ISBN   978-0-7914-2706-4
  5. ↑ Norman E. Thomas (April 1988), Liberation for Life: A Hindu Liberation Philosophy, Missiology, Volume 16, Number 2, pp 149-160
  6. 1 2 Gerhard Oberhammer (1994), La Délivrance dès cette vie: Jivanmukti, Collège de France, Publications de l'Institut de Civilisation Indienne. Série in-8°, Fasc. 61, Édition-Diffusion de Boccard (Paris), ISBN   978-2868030610, pages 1-9
  7. ↑ M. von Brück (1986), Imitation or Identification?, Indian Theological Studies, Vol. 23, Issue 2, pages 95-105
  8. ↑ Paul Deussen, The philosophy of the Upanishads , p. 356, at Google Books, pages 356-357
  9. ↑ Gonda, Jan (1977). Medieval Religious Literature in Sanskrit. Harrassowitz. p. 71. ISBN   978-3-447-01743-5.
  10. ↑ Geoffrey A. Barborka (1968). The pearl of the Orient: the message of the Bhagavad-Gītā for the Western World. Theosophical Pub. House. p. 155. ISBN   9780835600255.
  11. ↑ Jivanmukti, Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
  12. ↑ Andrew O. Fort (1998). Jivanmukti in Transformation: Embodied Liberation in Advaita and Neo-Vedanta. State University of New York Press. pp. 32–35. ISBN   978-0-7914-3904-3.
  13. ↑ Cousens, Gabriel (2009). Spiritual Nutrition. North Atlantic. pp. 7, 35, 41. ISBN   978-1-55643-859-2.
  14. ↑ P S Roodurmum (2002). Bhāmatī and Vivaraṇa Schools of Advaita Vedānta: A Critical Approach. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 231. ISBN   978-81-208-1890-3.
  15. ↑ Richards, Glyn (2016). Studies in Religion: A Comparative Approach to Theological and Philosophical Themes. Springer. p. 76. ISBN   978-1-349-24147-7.
  16. ↑ Rosen, Richard (2002). Yoga Journal. Active Interest. p. 159.
  17. ↑ Richards, Glyn (2005). The Philosophy of Gandhi: A Study of His Basic Ideas. Routledge. p. 166. ISBN   978-1-135-79935-9.
  18. ↑ See for example Muktika Upanishad, Varaha Upanishad, Adhyatma Upanishad, Sandilya Upanishad, Tejobindu Upanishad, etc.; in K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada
  19. ↑ Paul Deussen, The philosophy of the Upanishads, Translated by A.S. Geden (1906), T&T Clark, Edinburgh
  20. ↑ Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Vol 1 & 2, ISBN   978-81-208-1467-7
  21. ↑ see: K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada, pp 140-147
    • S. Nikhilananda (1958), Hinduism: Its meaning for the liberation of the spirit, Harper, ISBN   978-0911206265, pp. 53–79;
    • Andrew Fort (1998), Jivanmukti in Transformation, State University of New York Press, ISBN   0-7914-3904-6
  22. ↑ see also Sandilya Upanishad for ahimsa and other virtues; Quote: "तत्र हिंसा नाम मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा क्लेशजननम्"; Aiyar translates this as: He practices Ahimsa - no injury or harm to any living being at any time through actions of his body, his speech or in his mind; K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada, pp 173-174
  23. 1 2 Śaṅkarācārya (1973). Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śrī Samkara Bhagavatpāda. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. 403–423.
  24. 1 2 Maharshi, Ramana. "Karma and Destiny". Hinduism.co.za. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  25. ↑ Shah-Kazem, Reza (2006). Paths to Transcendence: According to Shankara, Ibn Arabi, and Meister Eckhart. World Wisdom, Inc. pp. 59–60. ISBN   0-941532-97-6.
  26. ↑ "Arhat | Buddhism". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  27. ↑ Ranade, R. D. (1986) [1926]. A Constructive Survey Of Upanishadic Philosophy: Being An Introduction To The Thought Of The Upanishads. Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 157.
  28. ↑ A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1972). Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. Mumbai: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. p. 621. Archived from the original on 2013-01-09. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
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