UNDERSTANDING OF TIME IN VIŚIṢṬĀDVAITA VEDĀNTA

The work looks into the understanding of the phenomenon of time (kāla) in the viśiṣṭādvaita vedānta – one of the most important philosophical systems of medieval India. Viśiṣṭādvaita system puts the question of time into the more fundamental context of relationship between the world and God, where time was considered a part of the broad context of “mundane” (jagat). In viśiṣṭādvaita, the problem of the relationship between God and the world is solved according to the central logical and grammatical principle of this system – sāmānādhikaraṇya, through the prism of which the problem of time gets its original solution. The article also deals with the evolution of views of this school’s philosophers on the concept of time, starting with Nāthamuni (824–924) and ending with Meghanādārisūri (abt. 1350) and also presents Rāmānuja’s philosophical views outlined in his main philosophical opus – comments on the Brahma Sūtras – “Śrībhāṣya” that argue with Jain ideas about time. Based on this, the understanding of the phenomenon of time is contained within the framework of the viśiṣṭādvaita tradition in the aspect of its philosophical relations with advaita-vedānta and modern understanding of time as a linear irreversible (anisotropic) process. The phenomenon of time as such, as discrete segments of the past, present and future, does not have its own substantial existence, they are phenomena that are transitory in nature and, according to Indian philosophers, correlate only with Brahman. Nevertheless, philosophical view of the issues of time in viśiṣṭādvaita needs further deep exploration. © 2022, Russian Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.