Jivanmukti in Sankara and the Yogavasistha

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1986
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Abstract
This thesis investigates the ideal of liberation in life through I a comparison and contrast of the ideal in Sankara's Advaita Vedanta and in the Yogavas i stha. It is my contention that the ideal of liberation in life is metaphysically and ethically significant in Sankara's Advaita Vedanta and in the Yogavasistha. Furthermore, I argue that there are certain paradoxes associated with liberation in life in astika thought that the Yogavasistha treats more successfully than Sankara does because the Yogavasistha's treatment includes the possible reconciliation of the two traditional Hindu goals: the goal of moksa, liberation from bondage in samsara and the goal of establishing, maintaining, and improving order in the samsaric world, pursued by various means including the fulfillment of dharma, one's duty in society. Chapter one of this thesis describes and analyses classical astika views of salvation. Chapters two and three describe liberation in life according to Sankara and the Yogavasistha respectively. Both chapters analyse the position discussed in terms of the paradoxes associated with the ideal in classical astika thought. The concluding chapter compares and contrasts the two positions. The thesis shows that the Yogavasistha's treatment of liberation in life develops the possible ethical and metaphysical significance of the ideal more successfully than Sankara does. Simply stated, the contrast between the two positions as demonstrated in the thesis is that, according to Sankara, one realizes liberation in life in order to leave the samsaric world whereas according to the Yogavasistha, one realizes liberation in life in order to live in the samsaric world without suffering and also to bring peace, order, and prosperity to the world.
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Bibliography: p. 129-133.
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Citation
Dold, P. A. (1986). Jivanmukti in Sankara and the Yogavasistha (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/23964
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