Achintya-Bheda-Abheda (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद, acintyabhedābheda in IAST) is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and difference.[1] In Sanskritachintya means 'inconceivable',[1]bheda translates as 'difference', and abheda translates as 'non-difference'.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE), the founder of Achintya Bheda Abheda school and Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Historically within Hinduism there are two conflicting philosophies regarding the relationship between living beings (jiva or atma) and God (Ishvara, Brahman or Bhagavan). Advaita schools assert the monistic view that the individual soul and God are one and the same,[7] whereas Dvaita schools give the dualistic argument that the individual soul and God are eternally separate.[8] The philosophy of Achintya-bheda-abheda includes elements of both viewpoints. The living soul is intrinsically linked with the Supreme Lord, and yet at the same time is not the same as God - the exact nature of this relationship being inconceivable to the human mind. The Soul is considered to be part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Same in quality but not in quantity. God having all opulence in fullness, the spirit soul however, having only a partial expression of His divine opulence. God in this context is compared to a fire and the souls as sparks coming off of the flame.
Philosophy
The theological tenet of achintya-bheda-abheda tattva reconciles the mystery that God is simultaneously "one with and different from His creation". In this sense Vaishnavatheology is panentheistic as in no way does it deny the separate existence of God (Vishnu) in His own personal form. However, at the same time, creation (or what is termed in Vaishnava theology as the 'cosmic manifestation') is never separated from God. He always exercises supreme control over his creation. Sometimes directly, but most of the time indirectly through his different potencies or energies (Prakrti). Examples are given of a spider and its web; earth and plants that come forth and hair on the body of human being.[9]
"One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda-and-abheda-tattva -- simultaneous oneness and difference." (A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)[4] The analogy often used as an explanation in this context in the relationship between the Sun and the Sunshine.[10] For example, both the sun and sunshine are part of the same reality, but there is a great difference between having a beam of sunshine in your room, and being in close proximity to the sun itself. Qualitatively the Sun and the Sunshine are not different, but as quantities they are very different. This analogy is applied to the living beings and God - the Jiva being of a similar quality to the Supreme being, but not sharing the qualities to an infinite extent, as would the Personality of Godhead himself.[11] Thus there is a difference between the souls and the Supreme Lord.
Difference in concept to Advaita Vedanta
It is clearly distinguished from the concept of anirvacaniya (inexpressible) of Advaita Vedanta. There is a clear difference between the two concepts as the two ideas arise for different reasons. Advaita concept is related to the ontological status of the world, whereas both Svayam bhagavan and his shaktis (in Lord himself and his powers) are empirically real, and they are different from each other, but at the same time they are the same. Yet, this does not negate the reality of both.[1][12]
Exceptions
While it applied to relations between Purusha (the Lord) and Prakriti (be it material, marginal, or spiritual powers), in the theology of the concept there are areas of exceptions. Jiva Goswami also accepts that any object and its energy are non-different, such as fire and power of burning. While some maintain that its only a secondary extension of the principle that it is primarily applied to Svayam bhagavan and His energies. It does not, however, apply to differences between Avatars of Svayam bhagavan and Lord Himself.
Miscellaneous
The phrase is used as the chorus line in Kula Shaker's 1996 hit song Tattva. "Achintya-bheda-abheda-tattva".
^ abcGupta, Ravi M. (2007). Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami's Catursutri tika. Routledge. ISBN978-0-415-40548-5.pp. 47-52
^Kaviraja, K.G. Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. Bengali text, translation, and commentary by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.Madhya 20.108-109 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine "It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire."
^Kṛṣṇa Upaniṣad 1.25: ...na bhinnam. nā bhinnamābhirbhinno na vai vibhuḥ
^ abPrabhupada, A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami (1972). Bhagavad-gita as it is. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Los Angeles, Calif. ISBN9780912776804.7.8 19 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine
^. Krishna.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2002. Retrieved 16 April 2008. "Lord Chaitanya taught that as spirit souls we are part of God and thus we are not different with Him in quality, and yet at the same time we are also different from Him in quantity. This is called acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva, inconceivable, simultaneous oneness and difference."
^"Additional information". Tatfoundation. from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008. "This interpretation of the Upanishads, that the individual soul and God are absolutely non-different, is what distinguishes advaita from other forms of Vedanta."
^"Additional information". dvaita.org. from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008. "Dvaita,... asserts that the difference between the individual soul or Jiva, and the Creator, or Ishvara, is eternal and real"
^Prabhupada, A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami (1988). Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. SB. 4.31.16 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine "One may be in the sunshine, but he is not on the sun itself."
^Kaviraja, K.G. Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. Bengali text, translation, and commentary by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Madhya 6.163 "Qualitatively the living entity and the Supreme Lord are one, but in quantity they are different"
^S. Devadas Pillai, ed. (1997). Indian Sociology Through Ghurye: A Dictionary. Columbia, Mo: South Asia Books. p. 403. ISBN81-7154-807-5.
External links
God Is Both Personal and Impersonal (stephen-knapp.com)
December 30, 2022
achintya, bheda, abheda, achintya, bheda, abheda, अच, यभ, acintyabhedābheda, iast, school, vedanta, representing, philosophy, inconceivable, ness, difference, sanskrit, achintya, means, inconceivable, bheda, translates, difference, abheda, translates, differen. Achintya Bheda Abheda अच न त यभ द भ द acintyabhedabheda in IAST is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one ness and difference 1 In Sanskrit achintya means inconceivable 1 bheda translates as difference and abheda translates as non difference Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 1486 1534 CE the founder of Achintya Bheda Abheda school and Gaudiya Vaishnavism The Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition employs the term in relation to the relationship of creation and creator Krishna Svayam Bhagavan 2 3 between God and his energies 4 It is believed that this philosophy was taught by the movement s theological founder Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 5 1486 1534 and differentiates the Gaudiya tradition from the other Vaishnava Sampradayas It can be understood as an integration of the strict dualist dvaita theology of Madhvacharya and the qualified monism vishishtadvaita of Ramanuja 6 Contents 1 Historical perspective 2 Philosophy 3 Difference in concept to Advaita Vedanta 4 Exceptions 5 Miscellaneous 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistorical perspective EditHistorically within Hinduism there are two conflicting philosophies regarding the relationship between living beings jiva or atma and God Ishvara Brahman or Bhagavan Advaita schools assert the monistic view that the individual soul and God are one and the same 7 whereas Dvaita schools give the dualistic argument that the individual soul and God are eternally separate 8 The philosophy of Achintya bheda abheda includes elements of both viewpoints The living soul is intrinsically linked with the Supreme Lord and yet at the same time is not the same as God the exact nature of this relationship being inconceivable to the human mind The Soul is considered to be part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Same in quality but not in quantity God having all opulence in fullness the spirit soul however having only a partial expression of His divine opulence God in this context is compared to a fire and the souls as sparks coming off of the flame Philosophy EditThe theological tenet of achintya bheda abheda tattva reconciles the mystery that God is simultaneously one with and different from His creation In this sense Vaishnava theology is panentheistic as in no way does it deny the separate existence of God Vishnu in His own personal form However at the same time creation or what is termed in Vaishnava theology as the cosmic manifestation is never separated from God He always exercises supreme control over his creation Sometimes directly but most of the time indirectly through his different potencies or energies Prakrti Examples are given of a spider and its web earth and plants that come forth and hair on the body of human being 9 One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine acintya bheda and abheda tattva simultaneous oneness and difference A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 4 The analogy often used as an explanation in this context in the relationship between the Sun and the Sunshine 10 For example both the sun and sunshine are part of the same reality but there is a great difference between having a beam of sunshine in your room and being in close proximity to the sun itself Qualitatively the Sun and the Sunshine are not different but as quantities they are very different This analogy is applied to the living beings and God the Jiva being of a similar quality to the Supreme being but not sharing the qualities to an infinite extent as would the Personality of Godhead himself 11 Thus there is a difference between the souls and the Supreme Lord Difference in concept to Advaita Vedanta EditIt is clearly distinguished from the concept of anirvacaniya inexpressible of Advaita Vedanta There is a clear difference between the two concepts as the two ideas arise for different reasons Advaita concept is related to the ontological status of the world whereas both Svayam bhagavan and his shaktis in Lord himself and his powers are empirically real and they are different from each other but at the same time they are the same Yet this does not negate the reality of both 1 12 Exceptions EditWhile it applied to relations between Purusha the Lord and Prakriti be it material marginal or spiritual powers in the theology of the concept there are areas of exceptions Jiva Goswami also accepts that any object and its energy are non different such as fire and power of burning While some maintain that its only a secondary extension of the principle that it is primarily applied to Svayam bhagavan and His energies It does not however apply to differences between Avatars of Svayam bhagavan and Lord Himself Miscellaneous EditThe phrase is used as the chorus line in Kula Shaker s 1996 hit song Tattva Achintya bheda abheda tattva See also EditDvaita Dvaitadvaita Gaudiya Vaishnavism International Society for Krishna Consciousness Panentheism Paramatma Shuddhadvaita Svayam Bhagavan Turiya VishishtadvaitaReferences Edit a b c Gupta Ravi M 2007 Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami s Catursutri tika Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 40548 5 pp 47 52 Kaviraja K G Sri Caitanya caritamrita Bengali text translation and commentary by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Madhya 20 108 109 Archived 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine It is the living entity s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire Kṛṣṇa Upaniṣad 1 25 na bhinnam na bhinnamabhirbhinno na vai vibhuḥ a b Prabhupada A C Bhaktivedanta Swami 1972 Bhagavad gita as it is Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Los Angeles Calif ISBN 9780912776804 7 8 Archived 19 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Additional information Krishna com Archived from the original on 7 June 2002 Retrieved 16 April 2008 Lord Chaitanya taught that as spirit souls we are part of God and thus we are not different with Him in quality and yet at the same time we are also different from Him in quantity This is called acintya bheda abheda tattva inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference Satsvarupa dasa Goswami 1976 Readings in Vedit Literature The Tradition Speaks for Itself pp 240 pages ISBN 0 912776 88 9 Additional information Tatfoundation Archived from the original on 12 May 2008 Retrieved 16 April 2008 This interpretation of the Upanishads that the individual soul and God are absolutely non different is what distinguishes advaita from other forms of Vedanta Additional information dvaita org Archived from the original on 12 April 2008 Retrieved 16 April 2008 Dvaita asserts that the difference between the individual soul or Jiva and the Creator or Ishvara is eternal and real yathorṇa nabhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca yatha pṛthivyam oṣadhayaḥ sambhavanti yatha sataḥ puruṣat kesa lomani tathakṣarat sambhavatiha visvam Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1 1 7 Prabhupada A C Bhaktivedanta Swami 1988 Srimad Bhagavatam Bhaktivedanta Book Trust SB 4 31 16 Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine One may be in the sunshine but he is not on the sun itself Kaviraja K G Sri Caitanya caritamrita Bengali text translation and commentary by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Madhya 6 163 Qualitatively the living entity and the Supreme Lord are one but in quantity they are different S Devadas Pillai ed 1997 Indian Sociology Through Ghurye A Dictionary Columbia Mo South Asia Books p 403 ISBN 81 7154 807 5 External links EditGod Is Both Personal and Impersonal stephen knapp com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Achintya Bheda Abheda amp oldid 1104608527, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
