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== Jiva in Various Texts ==

== Jiva in Various Texts ==

Veda

The concept of death and punarjanma (rebirth) is found to be expressed in the Rigveda (5.1.16). And the words which denote soul in the Rig Veda are manas, atman and asu according to Dr. S. N. Dasgupta. These are the foundational thoughts which developed later into siddhantas in the darshana shastras and came to represent the transcendental concept in the Upanishads. Earlier texts discussed consciousness as a unit of "collective selves" of the beings which later came to be attributed to the "individual self." In the Rigveda, the rudimentary tattvas corresponding to both Advaita and Dvaita siddhantas are described. Dyava-prthvi originated from the One Supreme Paramatma, yet the same one entity became many-fold in beings and matter as the reflection of Paramatma, applying the analogy of Bimba- pratibimba (reflection of one into many), owing to Maya. Thus, the Vedas propound both the unity of Ishvara and Jiva and the existence of difference between them.<ref>Raily, Payal. (2005) Ph.D Thesis: ''[http://hdl.handle.net/10603/134115 Vaidika Parampara evam Sankara Vedanta ke Sandarbh Mein Atma Ki Avadharana.]'' Chandigarh: Panjab University. (Chapter 1)</ref> The famous mantra in Rigveda poetically and esoterically depicts the relationship of Jivatma and Paramatma in a profound way.<blockquote>द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परि षस्वजाते । तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभि चाकशीति ॥२०॥ (1.164.20)</blockquote>Summary- Two birds of beautiful plumage, who are inseparable friends, reside on the same tree. Of these, one relishes and eats the fruits of the tree while the other looks on without eating.

 

=== Jiva and Advaita Siddhanta ===

=== Jiva and Advaita Siddhanta ===

=== Jiva in Visishtadvaita Siddhanta ===

=== Jiva in Visishtadvaita Siddhanta ===

Shri. Ramanujacharya's Visishtadvaita siddhanta, asserts that the ''self'' (Atman or conciousness-as-such) is different from the body-mind-sense complex and that it is real and eternal. While Advaita advocates the identity and unity of Atman and Brahman, Ramanujacharya emphasizes that the relationship between the ''self'' (Jivasakshin in Advaita) and Brahman is not that of identity. Any assertion of such absolute identity amounts to complete ignorance of the individual person according to him. Inasmuch as pain and pleasure afflict different persons differently, he asserts, there must be different ''selves'' among different individuals. Though the self is similar to Brahman, it is not the same because the latter comprises of all the ''selves'' collectively. The all encompassing Brahman, the one Supreme Reality, comprises of all the individual ''selves'' as well as the material objects in the universe, which are equally real. The ''selves'' and the material things are related to Brahman as attributes to a substance. Ramanujacharya agrees that the individual selves suffer limitations due to ignorance and lack of correct knowledge (Avidya). Brahman is identified with God. The self in the person is neither independent of nor identical with God. It is a manifestation and transformation of God. The self is the subject as well as the object of knowing. Consciousness, however, is not the same as the self. <ref name=":0" />

Shri. Ramanujacharya's Visishtadvaita siddhanta, asserts that the ''self'' (Atman or conciousness-as-such) is different from the body-mind-sense complex and that it is real and eternal. While Advaita advocates the identity and unity of Atman and Brahman, Ramanujacharya emphasizes that the relationship between the ''self'' (Jivasakshin in Advaita) and Brahman is not that of identity. Any assertion of such absolute identity amounts to complete ignorance of the individual person according to this siddhanta. Inasmuch as pain and pleasure afflict different persons differently, he asserts, there must be different ''selves'' among different individuals. Though the self is similar to Brahman, it is not the same because the latter comprises of all the ''selves'' collectively. The all encompassing Brahman, the one Supreme Reality, comprises of all the individual ''selves'' as well as the material objects in the universe, which are equally real. The ''selves'' and the material things are related to Brahman as attributes to a substance. Ramanujacharya agrees that the individual selves suffer limitations due to ignorance and lack of correct knowledge (Avidya). Brahman is identified with God. The self in the person is neither independent of nor identical with God. It is a manifestation and transformation of God. The self is the subject as well as the object of knowing. Consciousness, however, is not the same as the self. <ref name=":0" />

Visishtadvaitic psychology has a metaphysical basis, and refers to a plurality of eternal and immutable jivas having jnana as their essential attribute. The jiva is an atomic or infinitesimal entity, but its intelligence is infinite, though limited or circumscribed by karma. Selfhood is presupposed in the mental process consisting of cognitive, affective (moods, feelings and attitudes) and conative (pertaining to effort, endeavors or Karma) factors, and it alone gives meaning to the unity and continuity of the psychic complex in all its normal and abnormal states.<ref name=":7">Srinivasachari, P. N. (1943) ''The Philosophy of Visistadvaita''. Adyar: The Adyar Library (Pages 578 - 579)</ref>

Visishtadvaitic psychology has a metaphysical basis, and refers to a plurality of eternal and immutable jivas having jnana as their essential attribute. The jiva is an atomic or infinitesimal entity, but its intelligence is infinite, though limited or circumscribed by karma. Selfhood is presupposed in the mental process consisting of cognitive, affective (moods, feelings and attitudes) and conative (pertaining to effort, endeavors or Karma) factors, and it alone gives meaning to the unity and continuity of the psychic complex in all its normal and abnormal states.<ref name=":7">Srinivasachari, P. N. (1943) ''The Philosophy of Visistadvaita''. Adyar: The Adyar Library (Pages 578 - 579)</ref>