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Ajātivāda (अजातिवाद) is the fundamental philosophical doctrine of theAdvaitinHindu philosopherGauḍapāda.[1] According to Gauḍapāda, theAbsolute (Brahman) is not subject tobirth, change, or death. The Absolute isajā, the unborn eternal.[1] Theempirical world ofappearances is consideredunreal, and notabsolutely existent.[1]
Gauḍapāda's perspective is based on theMāṇḍūkya Upanishad,[2] applying the philosophical concept ofajāta to the inquiry ofBrahman,[3][4] showing thatBrahman wholly transcends the conventional understanding of being and becoming. The concept is also found inMādhyamaka school ofBuddhist philosophy, as the theory of nonorigination.[5][6]
Ajātivāda:
Taken together "ajātivāda" means "The Doctrine of no-change" or "the Doctrine of no-origination".[1]
The term "ajāta" is similar to the term"anutpāda"[8] from Madhyamika Buddhism,[3][4] which means "having no origin", "not coming into existence", "not taking effect", "non-production".[web 1] This has led some scholars to believe that the concept of Ajātivāda itself could have been borrowed from Madhyamika Buddhism.[9] However, it notably diverges from the main tenets of Buddhism, viz.Kśanikatva (momentariness) andPratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination) which all schools of buddhist philosophy accept as foundational.[10][11] This distinction is further confirmed by Gaudapada's rejection ofŚūnyatā (non-self) in favor ofĀtman (self).[11]
"Ajātivāda" is the fundamental philosophical doctrine ofGaudapada.[1] According to Gaudapada, the Absolute is not subject tobirth, change and death. The Absolute isaja, the unborn eternal.[1] Theempirical world ofappearances is consideredMaya (unreal as it is transitory), and notabsolutely existent.[1]
According to Comans, Gaudapada's perspective is quite different from Madhyamika Buddhist philosophy.[2] Gaudapada's perspective is based on theMāṇḍūkya Upanishad.[2] In theMāṇḍūkya Karika, Gaudapada's commentary on theMāṇḍūkya Upanishad, Gaudapada sets forth his perspective. According to Gaudapada, Brahman cannot undergo alteration, so the phenomenal world cannot arise independently from Brahman. If the world cannot arise, yet is an empirical fact, then the world has to be an unreal (transitory) appearance of Brahman. And if the phenomenal world is a transitory appearance, then there is no real origination or destruction, only apparent origination or destruction. From the level of ultimate truth (paramārthatā) the phenomenal world ismāyā, "illusion",[2] apparently existing but ultimately not real.[12]
InGaudapada-Karika, chapter III, verses 46-48, he states that the quietened mind becomes one withBrahman and does not perceive of any origination:
When the mind does not lie low, and is not again tossed about, then that being without movement, and not presenting any appearance, culminates intoBrahman. Resting in itself, calm, with Nirvana, indescribable, highest happiness, unborn and one with the unborn knowable, omniscient they say. No creature whatever is born, no origination of it exists or takes place. This is that highest truth where nothing whatever is born.
— Gaudapada Karika, 3.46-48, Translated by RD Karmarkar[13]
Acknowledgeing the strong Buddhist influences, but arguing for the need of an "unchangeable permanent reality," Karmakar opinions that the ajātivāda of Gaudhapada has nothing in common with the Sūnyavāda concept in Buddhism.[14] While the language of Gaudapada is undeniably similar to those found in Mahayana Buddhism, Coman states that their perspective is different because unlike Buddhism, Gaudapada is relying on the premise of "Brahman,Atman or Turiya" exists and is the nature of absolute reality.[2]
Ramana Maharshi gave a translation inTamil of Gaudapada’sMāṇḍūkya Upanishad Karika, chapter two, verse thirty-two:
There is no creation, no destruction, no bondage, no longing to be freed from bondage, no striving to be free [from bondage], nor anyone who has attained [freedom from bondage]. Know that this is the ultimate truth.[web 2][note 1]
According to David Godman, the ajata doctrine implies that since the world was never created, there are also nojivas within it who are striving for or attaining liberation. Ramana Maharshi regarded this as "the ultimate truth."[web 2]
Advaita took over from the Madhyamika the idea of levels of reality.[15] Usually two levels are being mentioned,[16] namelysaṃvṛti-satya, "the empirical truth",[web 3] andparamārtha-satya, "ultimate truth".[web 3] According to Plott,
"Ajativada is nothing but [an] extreme and exhaustive application of an extreme version of the distinction between the paramartha satya and the samvrtti satya."[17]
The distinction between the two truths (satyadvayavibhāga) was fully expressed by theMadhyamaka-school. InNāgārjuna'sMūlamadhyamakakārikā it is used to defend the identification of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) with emptiness (śūnyatā):
The Buddha's teaching of the Dharma is based on two truths: a truth of worldly convention and an ultimate truth. Those who do not understand the distinction drawn between these two truths do not understand the Buddha's profound truth. Without a foundation in the conventional truth the significance of the ultimate cannot be taught. Without understanding the significance of the ultimate, liberation is not achieved.[18]
Shankara usessublation as the criterion to postulate an ontological hierarchy of three levels:[19][web 4]
It is at the level of the highest truth (paramārtha) that there is no origination.[8] Gaudapada states that, from the absolute standpoint, not even "non-dual" exists.[2]
Many scholars, states Richard King, designate Madhyamaka Buddhism asAjativada.[5] The conceptAjati, he adds, exists in both Vedanta and Buddhism, but they are different in the following way:
1."There is no birth." (Madhyamaka), and2. "There is anUnborn." (Advaita Vedānta.)[5]
Ajativada in Madhyamaka refers to its doctrine that things neither originate nor is there cessation.[20] This is also called the theory of non-origination of Madhyamaka.[20][21]
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