What is the difference between Advaita, Visishta Advaita and Dvaita?

Answer 1

Advaita Vedanta is probably the best known of all Vedanta schools of Hinduism the others being Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita.

"Advaita" literally means "not two", and is often called a monistic or non-dualistic system of thought. The word Advaita essentially refers to the identity of the Self (Atman) and the whole (Brahman). The key source texts for all schools of Vedānta are the Upanishads (twelve or thirteen major texts, with many more minor texts), the Bhagavad Gītā, which is part of the Mahabhārata, and the Brahma Sūtras (also known as Vedānta Sūtras), which systematize the doctrines taught in the Upanishads and the Gītā.


Dvaita Philosophy is an outshoot of the Vedanta Philosophy of ancient India. Dvaita (meaning dualism) Philosophy was propounded by Madhwacharya in the 13th century. Dvaita Philosophy proclaims that God and souls are different entities. Dvaita Philosophy is opposed to the Advaita Philosophy of Shankaracharya which believes in Monism (Non-dualism).

Dvaita or Dualistic philosophy is also known as Bheda-vâda, Tattva-vâda, and Bimba-pratibimba-vâda. According to dvaita philosophy, souls are eternal but are not created by God, as in other systems of Vedanta or as in the Semitic religions. The souls are dependent on Vishnu and co-exist with Him eternally, supported by His will and entirely controlled by Him. Madhwacharya's doctrine differed significantly from traditional Hindu beliefs in the concept of eternal damnation. To him, souls belong to three classes, one class which qualify for liberation, Mukti-yogyas, another subject to eternal rebirth or eternally transmigrating due to samsara, Nitya-samsarins, and a class that is eventually condemned to eternal hell or Naraka, known as Tamo-yogyas. No other Hindu philosopher or group of Hinduism maintains such beliefs since it is accepted that souls will eventually obtain moksha, eventhough it may be after millions of rebirths.

Visishta Advaita :

The Absolute Supreme Reality referred to as Brahman, is a Transcendent Personality with infinite superlative qualities. He is Lord Vishnu, also known as Narayana. He creates the other two members of the Trimurti, namely, Creator Brahma and Shiva, the Lord of Deluge.

Narayana is the Absolute God. The Soul and the Universe are only parts of this Absolute and hence, Vishishtadvaita is panentheistic. The relationship of God to the Soul and the Universe is like the relationship of the Soul of Man to the body of Man. Individual souls are only parts of Brahman. God, Soul and Universe together form an inseparable unity which is one and has no second. This is the non-duality part.

Matter and Souls inhere in that Ultimate Reality as attributes to a substance. This is the qualification part of the non-duality.

Souls and Matter are only the body of God. Creation is a real act of God. It is the expansion of intelligence. Matter is fundamentally real and undergoes real revelation. The Soul is a higher mode than Matter, because it is conscious. It is also eternally real and eternally distinct. Final release, that comes, by the Lord's Grace, after the death of the body is a Communion with God. This philosophy believes in liberation through one's Karmas (actions) in accordiance with the Vedas, the Varna (caste or class) system and the four Ashramas (stages of life), along with intense devotion to Vishnu. Individual Souls retain their separate identities even after moksha. They live in Fellowship with God either serving Him or meditating on Him. The philosophy of this school is SriVaishnavism, a branch of Vaishnavism.

Answer 2

Advaita Meaning

Answer 3

Vedanta, the highest philosophy of Hinduism was an annexe to Sankhya philosophy. It is really difficult to explain them in a small place like YA, yet the easiest understandable definition may be as follows :-

Advaita - There is only God..nothing else. All living and non-living beings are manifestation of that same God.(This is same as in Tantra -right hand path)

Vishisht-advaita - This branch says God is separate, Nature is separate and individual Jivas are separate and all three of them are parts of Brahm ...but their separateness and unity is simultaneous and eternal.

Dvaita - God is altogether different from his creation. ..and they will never become one. Jivas will remain Jiva..only with devotion they may reach god but will remain Jivas. Most of the religions/sects work on this philosophy...even Islam and christianity and many paths of hindus are based on this

Answer 4

Advaita and Dvaita, as understood by name are two opposites.

When we are in normal material consciousness, we are in dvaita, or the state when two things are TWO.
But, in spiritual consciousness, or meditative state, all is one, that is advaita, or non dual

Answer 5

SankarAcArya is the most important teacher of the advaita school of vedAnta, and his commentaries to the upanishads, the bhagavad-gItA and the brahmasUtras define the parameters of advaita thought. However, it must be remembered that all vedAnta philosophy really goes back to the upanishads, and SankarAcArya is regarded as a pre-eminent teacher who continued the upanishadic tradition. The name SankarAcArya has become a title for the heads of the numerous advaita institutions in India today, because of the great respect and fame associated with it.

The philosophy of advaita, literally non-dualism, is the premier and oldest extant among the vedAnta schools of Indian philosophy. The upanishadic quest is to understand brahman, the source of everything, the Atman, the Self, and the relationship between brahman and Atman. The upanishads explore these issues from different angles. The advaita school teaches a complete essential identity between brahman and Atman. In other vedAntic traditions, the essential relationship between Atman and brahman is understood in different ways.

Dvaita, also known as Bheda-vâda, Tattva-vâda, and Bimba-pratibimba-vâda, is the doctrine propounded by Ananda Tîrtha (1238-1317) that asserts that the difference between the individual soul or jîva, and the Creator, or Îshvara, is eternal and real. Actually, this is just one of the five differences that are so stated -- all five differences that constitute the universe are eternal. The five are given by:
jiiveshvara bhidA chaiva jaDeshvara bhidA tathA |
jiiva-bhedo mithashchaiva jaDa-jiiva-bhidA tathA |
mithashcha jaDa-bhedo.ayam prapaJNcho bheda-pa.nchakaH ||
-- paramashruti

"The difference between the jîva (soul) and Îshvara (Creator), and the difference between jaDa (insentient) and Îshvara; and the difference between various jîvas, and the difference between jaDa and jîva; and the difference between various jaDas, these five differences make up the universe."
From the Paramopanishad a.k.a. Parama-shruti, as quoted by Ananda Tîrtha in his 'VishNu-tattva-vinirNaya'
This is the reason why some refer to the doctrine of Tattvavâda (the preferred name) as 'Dvaita'. However, 'Dvaita' is thought to be inadequately representative of the true grain of Tattvavâda.
The doctrine of Tattvavâda is considered to be eternal (in a flow-like sense, just as Creation is eternal); in historical times, it was revived by Ananda Tîrtha, who is also known as Madhvâchârya. Because of this, followers of Tattvavâda are called Mâdhvas, meaning followers of Madhva.

Vishisthadvaita is a qualified monism in which God alone exists but admits plurality. By holding such beliefs, Vishisthadvaita is said to be the midway between Advaita and Dvaita by few. The book, "All about Hinduism" by Swami Sivananda discusses aspects of Vishisthadvaita, a theological school whose most important proponent was Ramanuja.In more specific terms Vishishtadvaita conclusions may be briefly summarised as below.

The Absolute Supreme Reality referred to as Brahman, is a Transcendent Personality with infinite superlative qualities. He is Lord Vishnu, also known as Narayana. He creates the other two members of the Trimurti, namely, Creator Brahma and Shiva, the Lord of Deluge.

Narayana is the Absolute God. The Soul and the Universe are only parts of this Absolute and hence, Vishishtadvaita is panentheistic. The relationship of God to the Soul and the Universe is like the relationship of the Soul of Man to the body of Man. Individual souls are only parts of Brahman. God, Soul and Universe together form an inseparable unity which is one and has no second. This is the non-duality part.

Matter and Souls inhere in that Ultimate Reality as attributes to a substance. This is the qualification part of the non-duality.

Souls and Matter are only the body of God. Creation is a real act of God. It is the expansion of intelligence. Matter is fundamentally real and undergoes real revelation. The Soul is a higher mode than Matter, because it is conscious. It is also eternally real and eternally distinct. Final release, that comes, by the Lord's Grace, after the death of the body is a Communion with God. This philosophy believes in liberation through one's Karmas (actions) in accordiance with the Vedas, the Varna (caste or class) system and the four Ashramas (stages of life), along with intense devotion to Vishnu. Individual Souls retain their separate identities even after moksha. They live in Fellowship with God either serving Him or meditating on Him. The philosophy of this school is SriVaishnavism, a branch of Vaishnavism.
The succession of great Master-Expositors and spiritual giants of Vishishtadvaita school starts with the twelve Alwars, who left behind an imperishable legacy of Tamil devotional poetry in the form of 4000 songs, now called the Nalayira-prabandham.

Answer 6

Dvaita is a truth and advaita is false theory because god and souls are different god controls souls but advaita says god and soul are same,god is omnipotent he is controller,creator,ruler,destroyer,creator, and man is controlled by god and liv eon the grace of god,man has to undesatand this and do bhakti to get the god ,once he get gods grace he attain moksha and soul go into gods foot.