Achintya Bhedābheda

Achintya-Bheda-Abheda (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद, ' in IAST) is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of ''inconceivable one-ness and difference''.pp. 47-52 In Sanskrit ''achintya'' means 'inconceivable', ''bheda'' translates as 'difference', and ''abheda'' translates as 'non-difference'.
The Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition employs the term in relation to the relationship of creation and creator (Krishna, Svayam Bhagavan),''Madhya'' 20.108-109
"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." between God and his energies.7.8
It is believed that this philosophy was taught by the movement's theological founder Chaitanya Mahaprabhu "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." (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 monistic theology ('' Advaita'') of Adi Shankara.

Historical perspective

Advaita schools assert the monistic view that the individual soul and God are one and the same, "This interpretation of the Upanishads, that the individual soul and God are absolutely non-different, is what distinguishes advaita from other forms of Vedanta." whereas Dvaita schools give the dualistic argument that the individual soul and God are eternally separate. "Dvaita,... asserts that the difference between the individual soul or Jiva, and the Creator, or Ishvara, is eternal and real" The philosophy of Achintya-bheda-abheda includes elements of both viewpoints. The living soul is intrinsically linked with God, 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 God. Same in quality but not in quantity. God having all opulence in fullness, the 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.

Bhāskara's commentary on the Brahma Sutra is the earliest complete work of Bhedabheda to still exist.

The Bhedabheda philosophy became the foundation for the traditions of Nimbarka, Vallabha, and Caitanya.

Philosophy

The theological view of ''achintya-bheda-abheda tattva'' asserts that God is simultaneously "one with and different from His creation". God's separate existence in His own personal form is not denied, even as, creation (or what is termed in Vaishnava theology as the 'cosmic manifestation') is never separate from God. God always exercises supreme control over his creation. Sometimes this control is directly exercised, but most of the time it is indirect, through his different potencies or energies (Prakrti).

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada summarizes the ''achintya-bheda-abheda'' philosophy in the following way, "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."

The relationship between the Sun and sunshine analogizes the relationship between God and the ''jiva''.SB. 4.31.16
"One may be in the sunshine, but he is not on the sun itself." The Sun and sunshine are not different qualitatively, but different quantitively— there is great difference between proximity to a beam of sunshine and proximity to the Sun. Similarly, the ''jiva'' is qualitatively similar to God, but does not share God's qualities to an infinite extent, as would God himself.''Madhya'' 6.163
"Qualitatively the living entity and the Supreme Lord are one, but in quantity they are different"

Another conception of difference-in-nondifference is that ''jivas'' partake in the consciousness and bliss aspect of God, but not the being aspect. Thus, ''jivas'' are ontologically distinct from the absolute body of God.

The essence of Achintya Bheda Abheda is summarized as ten root principles called dasa mula.Thakura, B. (1993). Jaiva dharma: The universal religion (K. Das, Trans.). Los Angeles, CA: Krishna Institute.

# The statements of ''amnaya'' (scripture) are the chief proof. By these statements the following nine topics are taught.
# Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth.
# Krishna is endowed with all energies.
# Krishna is the source of all rasa- flavor, quality, or spiritual rapture/emotions.
# The jivas (individual souls) are all separated parts of the Lord.
# In the bound state (non-liberated) the ''jivas'' are under the influence of matter, due to their tatastha (marginal) nature.
# In the liberated state the ''jivas'' are free from the influence of matter.
# The ''jivas'' and the material world are both different from and identical to the Lord.
# Pure devotion is the only way to attain liberation.
# Pure love of Krishna is the ultimate goal.

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.

See also

* Dvaita
* Dvaitadvaita
* Gaudiya Vaishnavism
* Brahma Sampradaya
* International Society for Krishna Consciousness
* Panentheism
* Paramatma
* Shuddhadvaita
* Svayam Bhagavan
* Turiya
* Vishishtadvaita
* Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* Jiva Goswami
* Baladeva Vidyabhushana

References

{{VaisnavaSampradayas

Vaishnavism
Vedanta
Hindu philosophical concepts
Bhakti movement
Schools and traditions in ancient Indian philosophy
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu