Page 174 - Hinduism
P. 174

contribution to the gospel of self-surrender, but it does not rule out caste functions and duties, and the doctrine of Karma.
Vedanta Desika, the greatest successor of Ramanuja, and a strong opponent of Sankara’s Advaita doctrine, wrote a very controversial work, Satadushani. Pillai Lokacharya, the famous exponent of the Tengalai School, advocated passive surrender (Prapatti) in preference to active faith (Bhakti), and the guidance of a spiritual preceptor. Manavala Maha Muni is the chief Saint of the Tengalais. This school built up a remarkable Tamil literature to which it ascribed an importance equal to that of the Vedas - it was called the Tamil Tirumurai or the Tamil Veda. In essence, however, there was no fundamental doctrinal divergence between the two sects. Differences in certain features such as caste marks on the forehead and temple ceremonials and usage became accentuated in later years.
IX.16 Successors of Ramanuja
As the ideas of Ramanuja spread through India, men like Madhvacharya, Vallabhacharya, Chaitanya, Ramananda, Kabir and Nanak came under their spell. Ramanuja and his followers opposed the doctrine of Maya and the interpretation of the world as purely phenomenal or illusory. They emphasized the distinction between the individual soul and the supreme Godhead and based their philosophy on
174
 





























































































   172   173   174   175   176