Table Of Content/
RENUNCIATION IN ADVAITA VEDANTA
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PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS
OF
'RENUNCIATION IN"ADVAITA VEDANTA
By
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KAPIL NATH TIWARI, B.A., M.A.:' PH.D.
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A Thesis
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
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in Partial Fulfilment of the' Requiremen\:s
for the Degree
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Doctor of Philosophy
McMaster University
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(January) 1975
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KAPIL HATH TIWARI ',,",
1977
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DOC'l'OR OF PHILOSOPHY (1975) McMaster University,
(Religious Sciences) Hamilton, Ontario
TITLE: Personal and Social Dimensions of Renunciation in
Advaita Vedanta
AUTHOR: Kapil Nath Tiwari, B.A. (Allahabad University)
M.A. (~lahabad University)
Ph.D. (Banares Hindu University)
SUPERVISOR: Professor J .G. Arapura
NUMBER OF PAGES: viii, 211
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5cppe and Contents
The aim of this dissertatiop is to present a systematic exposition of
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~unciation (Samnyasa) as a philosophico-religious category within Indian
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tradition with special,reference to Advaita Vedanta bf Sarnkaracarya.
This study dealing with the implications of renunciation in its personal and
social dimensions is so all-embracing as to touch a1most every popular
spiritual conviction of the Indian mind and it overlaps almost every province
of Indian philosophy. I have tried to justify this category as a spiritual
technique systematically worked out and developed by Advaitins particularly
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Samkara with a view to classifying and.systematizing values in terms of the
different forms which renunciation and its object may ~e found to assume.
This dissertation also highlights ~ot only lives of the enlightened persons
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but also principles of human behaviour in the Indian tradition ~plicitly
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clarifying therby such conceF~as dharma (socio-religious duties), the
good life, obligation and responsibility etc.
In elucidating these concepts within the Advaitic ideal of renunciation,
we are driven to conclude that this theory is not confined to the spiritual
dimension of iife representing the concept of MoJcsa (Release or Freedom)
but is also the ground upon Which a coherent and positive social philosophy
can be raised. The attempt seems worth making in view of profound
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misunderstandings pertaining to the spirit of Indian philosophy in this.. respect
especially Advaita VedAnta: The AuthOr believes that Advaita vedan,ta, seemingly
the most unworldly, is itself capable of generating social thought of a
positive kind. The principle of renuncia.t.ion is central to providin'1 social
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investi~tion
order not irrelevant to such a task. This seemed to
me to be of special significance especially in the context of the present
situation when renunciation has acquired an Dnage of moral irresponsibility
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and henc~as fallen into disrepute. To such critics I humbly give a
Berkeleyian reply: "in such things we ought to think with the learned
and speak witil the vulgar.", and contrariwise -- not quoting Berkeley
we must avoid thinking with the vulgar but speak with the learned.
This effort is to think with the great acarya (samkara) and some of
his eminent followers with a view to clearing up misunderstandings about
the matter prevailing among those who have not had the opportunity or
even patience to examine ~e renunciation questio~~. from the holistic
perspective which those learned teachers have sought to incul\ate.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For the debts I have incurred in completing this dissertation,
I acknowledge my respectful gratitude to my supervisor, ~rofessor J.G. Arapura
who made me aware of the importance and positive aspect of this work. Despite
his extremely busy time, he read through the chapters of my dissertation
submitted to him from time to time and helped me with his valuable
suggestions.and comments. It is impossible for me to adequately express
my indebtedness to him whose judgments and encouragements will always
remain a source of inspiratiull to this author.
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GratefuJ acknowledgement is made to Professor T.R.V. Murti, ex-
Professor of Indian Philosophy at McMaster University, for his valuable
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comments on some of the issues of this dissertation. ~-,. Sivaraman
read some of th~ chapters of my thesis and always encouraged me ~roughout
the preparation of this manuscript. I gratefully acknowledge his help.
Thanks are also due to Professor A. Shalom of the Philosophy Department for
some of hi~ critical reactions to an early draf~of the present thesis.
I am thankful to McMaster University for offering me fellowship
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to conduct my research in the Department of Religious Sciences. My studies
under Professor George Grant and Professor H. Mol were very stimulating and
Iishould record my thanks to them. In the midst of preparing this manuscript,
the author was given the opportunity to spend a year (1971-72) doing research
in India where ~e came ip contact with several Professors who helpetl him
directly or indirectly. While it is Unpossible to list the names of all,
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he cannot fail to mention Professors N.K. Devaraja, A.L. Basham, D.O. Vadekar
and R.K. Tripathi.
A more recent debt is to my distinquished colleague Professor
Lloyd G. Geering, Head of the Department of Religious Studies at the
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His help, advice and
encouragement have always been a source of inspiration to this author.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION
Nature, Scope and Limitation••....•.•..............•.....•..•.... l
The Method......• :;-..•..............•.........•..•.......... ',' ....8
Life and Work of Samkara...................•....•........•......10
Later Work on Advaita Vedanta..•........•..•........••..........13
The Central Theme of Advaita Vedanta......•.•.......•.•.••...... 14
CHAPTER o:m: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Introduction.......•.......•...•....•........•..................16
Nature of Renunciation...................•..••......... , 18
The Vedas..... , ...•.•.•••..•......••.....••.••.....•............24
T"le\ Upani ~ads ..........•...•.......•....•...•................... 31
Renunciation in its Institutional Setting...•...•..•............ 37
The Various Motifs of Renunciation.•........•...•....•..........41
CHAPTER TWO: TYPOLOGY OF RENUNCIATION
Nature and Importance of the smrti in the context of
Renunciation•...•....•..................•................ 58
Renunciation in the Manabharata ; 67
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Renunciation in Jain~sIE"""""""""""'" 73
Renunciation in the Ajivakas......•............................80
Renunciation Among the Theistic Sects.•...•.•.•..............•.•85
Renunciation in Buddhism...•...••........•..•••.......... , 90
CHAPTER THREE: METAPHYSICAL FOUNDATION OF RENUNCIATION
Problem of Self-Knowledge..•...•.•.•.....•.•.•...'............•..96
xaya, Brahman and samnyasa............•.••...•.................lOS
lCarma, J'nana and Samnyasa............•••...•...••.............. 122
CHAPTER FOUR: PERSONAL DIMENSION OF RENUNCIATION
Meaning and Significance•.•.....•.....•.•.....•.. 129
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Personal and Devotional Contrasted•...•..••.•..•..•.•..........134
The Dissolution of the Mind (Manona~a)•....•.......•...........138
The Obliteration of Latent Desires (Vasanaxsaya) ..........•....141
Jlvan-mukti or Deliverance in this Life:••• : ..•.•..•...........145
Status of Ethics in the Life of JIvan-mukta•..••.•••••.••.•••..154
Authority Bearing TestLmony to JTvan:mukti
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(Svarupasiddhip:ttayojanam) .•..••.•••••.•••••••..•••.....1
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CHAPTER FIVE: SOCIAL DIMENSION OF RENUNCIATION "
Problems and Controversies••......•..........••..•.......160 ; j
Reality, Renunciation and Commitment..•.....••••••.•...••163
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Institutionalization of Renunciation......•..............169
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Rm1unciat~on 3S the Basis of Hindu Society: A ~
• Study of Four As'rarnas \71 1
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SaIDkara and the Foundlnq of the Mathas.....•......•....••180
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CONCLUSION•..•.....•....••..•••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••191
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BI~CX:;RAPHY -I
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Major Sources................•....•.•••..••.••.••..••...•202 ~ "
Some MaJor Secondary Sources..•..•..•..•..•........••...•203 " 0
Some Secondary Sources......••....•....••.•.....•.......•207 " .<;J
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Periodica1s ..................•.....••.••..••••••.........209 ;,\~
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IN1RODUCTION
Naturf', Scopp and L1mlt,at lon
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This study on the phllosophico-rellgious cateqory of Renunc1atlon
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(in ~krit S~asa) 1n lts personal and social d~enslons grew out
of my keen desire to dwell u~0n the essentials of Indian spirit and culture
after previou~ly studying some fundamental features of contemporary Western
philosophy, lyinq largely and perhaps significantly in the interested
behavloural patterns of the individual and society. What I have in mind
in the preaent d1ssertation 15 not "another" interpretation of Indian
philosophical sys~ems particularly the Advaita Vedanta but first and
foremost a kind of reco~struction, the centrallty and significance of
which cent~~ around L~e prlnciple of Renunciation, giving rise to the personal
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dimension of llfe representing the concept of Freedom (moKsa) but at the
same time containing a background for a social philosophy, which we have called
the social dimension of Renunciation. The attempt seem! worth maKlng in
view of the divergencies that have marked the interpretations of the Vedantic
thought in this respect in our time.
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Much has been written about the Advaita Vedanta of S~kara but vast
controversies still remain concerning the significance of Renunciation
especially in its social sphere, for which we can hoLd n~responsibleexcept
the subtle metaphysical structure of the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta itself
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Description:'RENUNCIATION IN"ADVAITA VEDANTA. By . KAPIL NATH TIWARI, B.A., M.A.:' PH.D. A Thesis. Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial
