Ramanuja Quotes
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. The quotes below are attributed to Ramanuja, organized by topic.
Browse Ramanuja by topic
Ramanuja on God
-
Attributed to Ramanuja:
“God is to be known by service rather than by knowledge alone.”
-
Attributed to Ramanuja:
“All beings are the body of the Lord, and the Lord is their inner self.”
-
Attributed to Ramanuja:
“Surrender is the surest path to the Supreme.”
Ramanuja on Happiness
-
“Entities other than Brahman can be objects of such cognitions of the nature of joy only to a finite extent and for limited duration. But Brahman is such that cognizing of him is an infinite and abiding joy. It is for this reason that the shruti [scripture] says, `Brahman is bliss’ ( Taittitriya Upanishad II.6.) Since the form of cognition as joy is determined by its object, Brahman itself is joy.”
Ramanuja. Vedarthasangraha §241, as quoted by Shyam Ranganathan " Rāmānuja (c. 1017 – c. 1137 CE) ," at Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Accessed May 20. 2014.
Ramanuja on Knowledge
-
“Ramanuja quotes from the Chandogya Upanishad ; Quoted in: Vivekananda (1913) Vedanta Philosophy: Lectures on Raja Yoga . p. 293.”
When the food is pure the Sattva element gets purified, the memory becomes unwavering. -
“What an individual pursues as a desirable end depends upon what he conceives himself to be.”
Attributed to Ramanuja in: Swami Vivekananda (1979) Awakened India. Vol. 84, p. 206. -
“Ramanuja. Vedarthasangraha §241, as quoted by Shyam Ranganathan " Rāmānuja (c. 1017 – c. 1137 CE) ," at Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Accessed May 20. 2014.”
Entities other than Brahman can be objects of such cognitions of the nature of joy only to a finite extent and for limited duration. But Brahman is such that cognizing of him is an infinite and abiding joy. It is for this reason that the shruti [scripture] says, `Brahman is bliss’ ( Taittitriya Upanishad II.6.) Since the form of cognition as joy is determined by its object, Brahman itself is joy.
Ramanuja on Love
-
Attributed to Ramanuja:
“Devotion to the Lord is the highest form of liberation.”
Ramanuja on Mind
-
“When the food is pure the Sattva element gets purified, the memory becomes unwavering.”
Ramanuja quotes from the Chandogya Upanishad ; Quoted in: Vivekananda (1913) Vedanta Philosophy: Lectures on Raja Yoga . p. 293.
Ramanuja on Truth
-
Attributed to Ramanuja:
“The world and the individual selves are real, and both are inseparable attributes of Brahman.”