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The treatise on liberation-in-life : critical edition and annotated translation of the Jīvanmuktiviveka of Vidyāraṇya
textThe Jivanmuktiviveka or "The Treatise on Liberation-in-Life," is the only work
in its period to specifically address one of the central issues in Hinduism: is
liberation reserved for the world-renouncing religious elite, or is it attainable by
everyone through devotion and organized ritual worship in the communal tradition?
The work was composed c. 1380 CE by the Brahmin scholar Vidyaranya when he
was the pontiff of the Srngeri monastery, which still endures today. This dissertation
is a new edition of the Sanskrit text based on previously unused manuscript evidence
and a new annotated English translation. The introduction is a study of some
historical and philosophical problems in the Jivanmuktiviveka. Historians of the
twentieth century long debated Vidyaranya's identity and his political activity in the
founding of the Vijayanagara kingdom in fourteenth century South India. The
position taken here minimizes his political role and explores his possible role in the
internal debates of medieval Vedanta philosophy between Advaita and
Visistadvaita, thus presenting a historical context for the Jivanmuktiviveka. In this
text, Vidyaranya takes the classical Advaita Vedanta position that internal
knowledge of the Self (Atman) as Brahman and renunciation of social and ritual
conventions lead to liberation, and that liberation can be achieved in an individual's
own lifetime (jivanmukti). Tension had existed between the individual renunciant
and the mainstream householder community in India for centuries. In medieval
India this tension became focused into philosophical positions which resulted in
lively debate. Vidyaranya attempted a novel solution to problems internal to
Advaita and resolved this tension. The knowledge of Self as equivalent to Brahman
in classical Advaita philosophy is considered insufficient to completely root out
operative action which causes future births. Liberation also requires a lifelong
commitment to the Yogic practices "eradication of latent tendencies" and
"elimination of the mind." Vidyaranya preserved the possibility of liberation in this
lifetime, while also not disturbing the conventional religious social order who could
see the virtues of the paramahamsa yogin following Vidyaranya's teaching. This
paramahamsa yogin does not compromise his position but remains an ascetic
outside of, while still recognized by, the householder society.Asian Studie