Ramanuja 1017 – 1137
Ramanuja was an Indian theologian and the most important exponent of Vishishtadvaita, or qualified non-dualism, in the Vedanta tradition. Against Adi Shankara's Advaita, he taught that the world and the individual self are real and distinct from Brahman, while remaining inseparable from Brahman as body is from soul. His commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads developed a theistic philosophy of devotion centered on Vishnu. Ramanuja's reformist leadership of the Sri Vaishnava tradition gave devotional Hinduism a powerful intellectual foundation.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Indian
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Vedanta, Indian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Ramanuja:
“The world and the individual selves are real, and both are inseparable attributes of Brahman.”
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Attributed to Ramanuja:
“Devotion to the Lord is the highest form of liberation.”
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Attributed to Ramanuja:
“God is to be known by service rather than by knowledge alone.”
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Attributed to Ramanuja:
“All beings are the body of the Lord, and the Lord is their inner self.”
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Attributed to Ramanuja:
“Surrender is the surest path to the Supreme.”