Avibhaga-Bhedabheda in the Vijnanamrtabhasyam of Vijnanabhiksu: A Thread that Unites Divergent Aspects of Reality

The Brahmasutra is one of the three foundational texts along with the Upanisads and the Bhagavadgita. It has been commented by various scholars from different view-points and mainly from abheda or advaita and bheda or advaita tradition.

The third such commentary and lesser known is the bhedabheda tradition. Vijnanabhiksu, basically a Saṅkhya philosopher, in the 16th century commented the Brahmasutras from the avibhagabhedabheda tradition known as Vijnanamṛtabhaṣyam which has remained unknown to most of the people without any translations.

In this work he advocates a relationship of inseparable difference and non-difference existing between every being seen and unseen. At times, they may appear of different class or form, but the essential divine transcendence and immanence makes it of one class and nature. This ‘essence’ called Brahmatmata is meaningful even for the atheists and agonists as a deontological principle for a harmonious and accommodative culture.

It is this kind of Trinitarian perichoretic relationship which is the crux of the relationship between Brahman, jagat and atman like sea and wave, fire and its spark, father and son, sugar or salt in water, river in sea and so on.

In this book, the author has carefully extracted the philosophy of avibhagabhedabheda with several insights as propounded by Vijnanabhiksu and has concretely applied to the present scenario of the country. Therefore, unique to its kind, this philosophical thought could be a healing remedy to unite the country dissected by divisive forces.