Dimensions of Renunciation in Advaita Vedanta

THE AIM of this dissertation is to present a systematic exposition of renunciation (Samnyasa) as a philosophico-religious category within Indian tradition with special reference to Advaita Vedanta of Samkaracarya. This study dealing with the implications of renunciation in its personal and social dimensions is so all-embracing as to touch almost 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 Samkara with a view to classifying and systematizing values in terms of the different forms which renunciation and its object may be found to assume. This dissertation also highlights not only lives of the enlightened persons but also principles of human behaviour in the Indian tradition implicitly clarifying thereby such concepts 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 life representing the concept of Moksa (Release or Freedom) but is also the ground upon which a coherent and positive social philosophy can be raised. The attempt seems worth malting in view of profound misunderstandings pertaining to the spirit of Indian philosophy in this respect especially Advaita Vedanta. The author believes that Advaita Vedanta, seemingly the most unworldly, is itself capable of generating social thought of a positive kind. The principle of renunciation is central to providing social order not irrelevant to such a task. This investigation seemed to me to be of special significance especially in the context of the present situation when renunciation has acquired an image of moral irresponsibility and hence has fallen into disrepute. To such critics I humbly give a Berkeleyian reply: "in such things we ought to think with the learned and speak with 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 the renunciation questions from the holistic perspective which those learned teachers have sought to inculcate.

For the debts I have incurred in completing this dissertation. I acknowledge my respectful gratitude to my supervisor, Professor J. G. Arapura who made me aware of the importance and positive aspect of this work. In spite of 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 inspiration to this author.

Grateful acknowledgment is made to Professor T.R.V. Murti, ex-Professor of Indian Philosophy at McMaster University,, for his valuable comments on some of the issues of this dissertation. Dr. K. Sivaraman read some of the chapters of my thesis and always encouraged me throughout 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 his critical reactions to an early draft of the present thesis.

I am thankful to McMaster University for offering me fellowship to conduct my research in the Department of Religious Sciences. My studies under Professor George Grant and Professor H. Mol were very stimulating and I should 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 he came in contact with several Professors who helped him directly or indirectly. While it is impossible to list the names of all, he cannot fail to mention Professors N.K. Devaraja, A.L. Basham, D.D. Vadekar and R.K. Tripathi.

A more recent debt is to my distinguished 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.

THIS STUDY on the philosophico-religious category of Renunciation (in Sanskrit-Samnyasa) in its personal and social dimensions grew out of my keen desire to dwell upon the essentials of Indian spirit and culture after previously studying some fundamental features of contemporary western philosophy, lying largely and perhaps significantly in the interested behavioural patterns of the individual and society. What I have in mind in the present dissertation is not "another" interpretation of Indian philosophical systems particularly the Advaita Vedanta but first and foremost a kind of reconstruction, the centrality and significance of which centre around the principle of Renunciation, giving rise to the personal dimension of life 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 seems worth making in view of the divergencies that have marked the interpretations of the Vedantic thought in this respect in our time.

Much has been written about the Advaita Vedanta of Samkara but vast controversies still remain concerning the significance of Renunciation especially in its social sphere, for which we can hold none responsible except the subtle metaphysical structure of the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta itself as it is largely concerned with the problem of Ultimate Reality, i.e. Nirguna Brahman with its implied belief in the doctrines of maya and karma-samnyasa (action-renunciation) having its basis in Jnana (metaphysical knowledge) for the realization of Brahman. It is on this account that Samkara was criticized by a number of later thinkers for advocating the principle of samnyasa (Renunciation) at the cost of the Hindu social structure based on the karma yoga (action-theory) and Purusartha (ultimate ends of life), which have their roots in the ideal of lokasamgraha (world-solidarity) throughout the Indian religious tradition.

Whatever may be the central thrust of the Advaita Vedanta, an analysis and description of the religious trends of the society in which Samkara formulated his thesis on Vedantic lines and of his organization of the mathas (religious institutions) along with his extensive journeys throughout the country as the apostle of the Vedanta, preaching it not only among the elite but the masses, give strong indications of social relevance of his philosophy. In the present inquiry an effort is being made to show the possibilities of understanding not only the individual freedom but the meaning and function of society as well within the framework of Renunciation, fully taking into account the scepticism regarding its credibility. But here it must be borne in mind that a justification of the social dimension of the Advaita Vedanta has to proceed along the lines of its metaphysical conviction with regard to Ultimate Being which makes everything else significant.

It is unfortunate that not much work has been done to explore the social dimension of Samkara's Vedanta, although there is no dearth of writing on the metaphysical aspect of it. The nature and characteristics of Renunciation in DaVita Vedanta and the analysis of hypothesis involved in greater details, as brought out in the present inquiry, have made the author aware of its social aspect in harmony with Indian spiritual tradition.

The limitation of this study which it must be pointed out here, is that no attempt is made to present either a textual exposition or a systematic explanation of Samkara's doctrine as such, or any part of the Advaita philosophy, although the Advaita Vedanta has been directly or indirectly taken to be the ground of consideration throughout. Rather an effort is being made to perceive the meaning of Renunciation implied in Indian philosophical writings, in modern terms. The author is aware of the complexity of the problem and also of the danger he is exposed to in carrying the problem too far afield as that might result in some distortion of the teachings of the great acaryas. In such matters, however, one is always to be guided by the maxims "Let Understanding be the Law", and "Life be the Goal".

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