Is Buddhism
(which is bereft of vedic rituals) against the grain of advaita?
Is Mimamsa
(consisting only of vedic rituals) against the grain of advaita?
Sancara's advaita, takes both in it's stride. It is all encompassing.
Sancara was wary
with Buddhist methods - even a novice had to begin, only with the tool of awareness - and
not with activity or ritual worship.
He felt that one must be free to begin, with activity and ritual worship. With flow of time and
refinement of consciousness, one can sail into
still waters of awareness and wisdom.
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Sancara condemned mimamsins, as they
did not grow beyond mere rituals, into realms of quietude, and consciousness. And his life's work was to address this stagnation, at the
karma kaanda banks of vedic flow.
So, he stood before Kumarila Bhatta
as personification of quietude, compassion and joy.
{ When one leaves all activity to become a renunciate, the Praisha Mantra is uttered.
"Let no being feel insecure in my presence. Let me be in love with all beings," says the mantra.
As long as one is into any activity, one is bound to face challenges and boundaries.
Anger and hate follow heel.
But a renunciate is not bound by outcomes of any activity.
And is fit to personify love and joy, always.
One can say in jest, that this becomes the activity or conditioning of a
renunciate. }
Bhatta saw in him, the value of activity and rituals, that were devoid of trappings of anxieties of outcomes.
And realized that dry rituals,
untempered with fire of love and devotion to the Supreme - were sheer folly. And bloomed into wisdom and gnana.
- Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati, Kanchi.
