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A Jivan Mukta or Jeevan M uktaThe Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śaṅkarācārya Bhagavatpāda: An Introduction and Translation edited by John Grimes "A mukta is a mukta, with or without a body.110 It may be said that a knower of the Self with a body is a jivanmukta and when that person sheds the body, he attains videhamukti. But this difference exists only for the onlooker, not the mukta." is someone who, in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, has gained and assimilated self-knowledge, thus is liberated with an inner sense of freedom while living.Gavin Flood (1998), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, , page 92-93Klaus Klostermaier, Mokṣa and Critical Theory, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan., 1985), pages 61-71 The state is the aim of moksha in Advaita Vedanta, Yoga and other schools of Hinduism, and it is referred to as jivanmukti (Self-realization).Andrew Fort and Patricia Mumme (1996), Living Liberation in Hindu Thought, Norman E. Thomas (April 1988), Liberation for Life: A Hindu Liberation Philosophy, Missiology, Volume 16, Number 2, pp 149-160Gerhard Oberhammer (1994), La Délivrance dès cette vie: Jivanmukti, Collège de France, Publications de l'Institut de Civilisation Indienne. Série in-8°, Fasc. 61, Édition-Diffusion de Boccard (Paris), , pages 1-9
Jivanmukti contrasts with the concept of Videha mukti; the latter means "liberation or emancipation after death, in afterlife".M. von Brück (1986), Imitation or Identification?, Indian Theological Studies, Vol. 23, Issue 2, pages 95-105Paul Deussen, , pages 356-357
Jīvanmukti (), the corresponding abstract noun means, "liberation during life, liberation before death", or "emancipation while still alive". Jivanmukti, Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany Other translations include "self realization", "living liberation", "enlightenment", "liberated soul", or "self liberation".
There are three kinds of prarabdha karma: Ichha ("personally desired"), Anichhā ("without desire") and P arechhā ("due to others' desire"). For a self-realized person, a Jīvanmukta, there is no ichhā-prārabdha but the two others, anichhāa and parechhā, remain, which even a jīvanmukta has to undergo. According to the Advaita school, for those of wisdom, prārabdha is liquidated only by experience of its effects; sancita ("accumulated karmas") and āgami ("future karmas") are destroyed in the fire of Jnana ("knowledge").
In the śramaṇic traditions, the jīvanmukta is called an arhat in Buddhism and arihant in Jainism.
Description
The various texts and schools of Hinduism describe the jīvanmukti state of existence as one of liberation and freedom reached within one's life.See for example Muktika Upanishad, Varaha Upanishad, Adhyatma Upanishad, Sandilya Upanishad, Tejobindu Upanishad, etc.; in K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, CanadaPaul Deussen, The philosophy of the Upanishads, Translated by A.S. Geden (1906), T&T Clark, Edinburgh Some contrast jīvanmukti with Videha mukti (moksha from samsāra after death).Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Vol 1 & 2, Jīvanmukti is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual, claim these ancient texts of Hindu philosophy. For example, according to Nāradaparivrājaka Upanishad, the enlightened individual shows attributes such as:see:
K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada, pp 140-147
Advaita view
Ādi Śankara explains that nothing can induce one to act who has no desire of his own to satisfy. The supreme limit of vairagya ("non-attachment"), is the non-springing of Vāsanās in respect of enjoyable objects; the non-springing of the sense of the "I" (in things which are the Ānatman) is the extreme limit of bodhā ("awakening"), and the non-springing again of the modifications which have ceased is the extreme limit of Uparati ("abstinence"). The Jīvanmukta, by reason of his ever being Brahman, is freed from awareness of external objects and is no longer aware of any difference between the inner ātman and Brahman, or between Brahman and the world. He knows that he is Brahman. "Vijnātabrahmatattvasya yathāpūrvam na samsrtih" – "there is no saṃsāra as before for one who has known Brahman".
Implication
The Advaita school holds the view that the world appearance is owing to Avidyā (ignorance) that has the power to project i.e. to superimpose the unreal on the real (adhyasa), and also the power to conceal the real resulting in the delusion of the Jiva who experiences objects created by his mind and sees difference in this world, he sees difference between the Ātman ("the individual self") and Brahman ("the supreme Self"). This delusion caused by ignorance is destroyed when ignorance itself is destroyed by knowledge. When all delusion is removed there remains no awareness of difference. He who sees no difference between Self and Brahman is said to be a Jīvanmukta.
Significance
The Advaita philosophy rests on the premise that the Absolute alone exists, Nature, Souls and God are all merged in the Absolute; the Universe is one, that there is no difference within it, or without it; Brahman is alike throughout its structure, and the knowledge of any part of it is the knowledge of the whole (Brihadarānyaka Upanishad II.4.6-14), and, since all causation is ultimately due to Brahman, since everything beside Brahman is an appearance, the Atman is the only entity that exists and nothing else. All elements emanated from the Atman (Taittirīya Upanishad II.1) and all existence is based on Intellect (Aitareya Upanishad III.3). The universe created by Brahman from a part of itself is thrown out and re-absorbed by the Immutable Brahman (Mundaka Upanishad I.1.7). Therefore, the Jiva (the individual self) is non-different from Brahman (the supreme Self), and the Jīva, never bound, is ever liberated. Through Self-consciousness one gains the knowledge of existence and realizes Brahman.
See also
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