Madhva

Madhva

▪ Hindu philosopher
also called  Ānandatīrtha, or Pūrṇaprajña  
born c. 1199, , Kalyānpur, near Udipi, Karnataka, India
died c. 1278, , Udipi

      Hindu philosopher, exponent of Dvaita (q.v.; dualism, or belief in a basic difference in kind between God and individual souls). His followers are called Madhvas.

      Born into a Brahman family, his life in many respects parallels the life of Jesus Christ. Miracles attributed to Christ in the New Testament were also attributed to Madhva; for example, as a youth he was discovered by his parents after a four-day search discoursing learnedly with the priests of Vishnu (Viṣṇu); later, on a pilgrimage to the sacred city of Vārānasi (Benares), he is reputed to have walked on water, repeated the miracle of the loaves of bread, calmed rough waters, and become a “fisher of men.” It is suggested that he may have been influenced during his youth by a group of Nestorian Christians who were residing at Kalyānpur.

      Madhva set out to refute the nondualistic Advaita philosophy of Śaṅkara (d. c. AD 750), who believed the individual self to be a phenomenon and the absolute spirit (Brahman) the only reality. Thus, Madhva rejected the venerable Hindu theory of maya (“illusion”), which taught that only spirituality is eternal and the material world is illusory and deceptive. Madhva maintained that the simple fact that things are transient and everchanging does not mean they are not real.

      Departing from orthodox Hinduism in a number of ways, he was one of a small minority of Hindu thinkers who have believed in eternal damnation, offering a concept of heaven and hell to his followers. He nevertheless offered a third alternative, a Hindu purgatory of endless transmigration of souls (reincarnation, or rebirth). Madhva's cult outlawed temple prostitutes and offered figures made of dough as a substitute for blood sacrifices, and its adherents customarily branded themselves on the shoulder with a multiarmed figure of Vishnu.

      During his lifetime, Madhva wrote 37 works in Sanskrit, mostly commentaries on Hindu sacred writings and treatises on his own theological system and philosophy. He insisted that knowledge is relative, not absolute.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Madhva — ou Madhvācārya (1238 1317) est un philosophe hindou, fondateur du système philosophique du Dvaita qui est une des trois principales écoles du Vedānta[1]. Celle ci appartient à la tradition philosophique āstika qui reconnaît l autorité des… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • MADHVA — (1238 1317) Penseur hindou dont le nom reste attaché à une tentative pour instaurer une philosophie qui, tout en restant fidèle aux principes du ved nta, permette le plein exercice de la dévotion. L’une des propositions majeures du ved nta étant… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Madhva — can refer to: * Madhvacharya, Vaishnavite saint and founder of the Dvaita school of thought, at Pajaka, Udupi in Karnataka, India.* A person belonging to the Dvaita school of thought (Madhva order) See also *Shivalli Brahmin * Deshasta Brahmin *… …   Wikipedia

  • Madhva — (c. 1197 to 1276 C.E.)    Vedanta philosopher    Madhva was a brilliant, prolific scholar of VEDANTA who developed his own DVAITA or dual ist philosophy.    Madhva was born near Udipi in Karnataka in a village called Rajapitha, which may be the… …   Encyclopedia of Hinduism

  • Madhva — Para el religioso advaita Madhava Acharia, vea Madhava Vidyaranya. Madhua Acharia (1238 1317) fue el fundador de una doctrina vishnuísta en el sur de la India. Se puede ver escrito de varias maneras: Madhwacharya (transliteración inglesa, la más… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Madhva Kanva Mutt — Introduction Shri Madhva Kanva Mutt is on of the 24 mutts of the Madhva Sampradaya and is headquartered in Hunasihole, Surapura Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka. Shri Madhva Kanva Mutt was started specifically for Sukla Yajurveda students.… …   Wikipedia

  • Madhva — Mạdhva,   auch Anandatirtha, indischer Philosoph, * Kalyanpur (bei Udipi) um 1199, ✝ Udipi (Karnataka) um 1278; begründete die dualistische Philosophie des Dvaita Vedanta mit der Lehre, dass die Einzelseelen und die Materie wesentlich von Gott… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • MADHVA — (1197 1276)    Indian philosopher and chief exponent of the Dvaita school of VEDNTA DUALISM. Stories about his life involving MIRACLES appear to reflect the influence of the CHRISTIAN Gospel. His followers regarded him as the true mediator… …   Concise dictionary of Religion

  • madhva — मध्व …   Indonesian dictionary

  • mādhva — माध्व …   Indonesian dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”