Question

Which of the following correctly describes the core view of Visistadvaita Vedanta as proposed by Ramanujacarya?

• A. The individual soul is an illusion and identical to Brahman without qualification.
• B. The individual soul is completely separate from Brahman and never merges with it.
• C. The individual soul is distinct yet inseparably related to Brahman, like a part to the whole.
• D. The individual soul creates Brahman through mental projection.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The individual soul is distinct yet inseparably related to Brahman, like a part to the whole.

Further Divisions of Vedanta Philosophy Three major schools of Vedānta emerged through the commentaries on the Brahma Sutra by renowned philosophers: Sankaracarya’s Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism), Ramanujacarya’s Visistadvaita Vedanta (qualified non-dualism), and Madhvacharya’s Dvaita Vedanta (dualism). Each of these thinkers offered distinct interpretations of the relationship between the individual soul (atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman), shaping the core philosophical branches within Vedanta.