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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «POLITOLOGIYA. RELIGIOVEDENIE»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «POLITICAL SCIENCE AND RELIGION STUDIES»
ISSN 2073-3380 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Political Science and Religion Studies». 2024. Vol 50

The Category of Completeness of being in Bengali Vishnuism

Author(s)
V. V. Ostanin, М. А. Subotyalov
Abstract
The category of “completeness” or “integrity” of being has an extremely long and rich philosophical history. The breadth of their use ranges from philosophical or religious texts to holistic psychology and classical literature. “Completeness” is a significant problem in many philosophical systems. This article presents a philosophical interpretation of “completeness” or “integrity” (Aristotle, John the Theologian). The peculiarity of Indian and, in particular, Vishnu philosophy lies in the great attention to the concept of “completeness”, although it is not given due attention by researchers in comparison with the concept of “emptiness” in Buddhism. The article discusses the formation of the idea of “completeness” by various representatives of Bengali Vishnuism (Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Krishnadas Kaviraja, Rupa Gosvami, Bhaktivedanta). The peculiarities of the use of the term “completeness” or “purnata” in various medieval texts of Vishnuism are explained. The contrast between the category of “completeness” and the concept of “emptiness” (shunyata) in Buddhist philosophy is noted. At the same time, “completeness” as a concept has an earlier origin based on the chronological dating of the Upanishad in the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad (VII-VI centuries BC). The proximity of the Bengali Vishnuism doctrine of “complete integrity” and the Christian concept of the fullness of God's being is presented, but without reducing one to the other. There are three types of completeness in the Bengali Vishnuism concept: the fullness of power (aishwarya-purnata), the fullness of sweetness (madhurya-purnata), the fullness of mercy (karunya-purnata). Rupa Goswami develops the idea of completeness and suggests its further classification. Based on this, there are three degrees of completeness in Bengali Vishnuism: excellent, medium and standard. In conclusion, the conclusion is given about two aspects of “completeness”: theological and anthropological. In theoretical terms, the category of completeness is represented by three additional characteristics: power (aishwarya), sweetness (madhurya) and compassion (karunya). Each of these three aspects has three degrees of manifestation. In anthropological terms, the category of completeness of being represents the possibility of likening a person to God also in three aspects: being (sat), cognition (chit) and bliss (ananda).
About the Authors

Ostanin Vadim Vladimirovich, Candidate of Sciences (Philosophy), Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Altai State Agrarian University, 98, Krasnoarmeysky ave., Barnaul, 656049, Russian Federation, Associate Professor, Department of Regional, Studies of Russia, National and StateConfessional Relations Altai State University, 61, Lenin ave., Barnaul, 656049, Russian Federation, e-mail: vadim_bh@mail.ru

Subotyalov Mikhail Al'bertovich, Doctor of Science (Medicine), Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Life Safety, Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, 28, Vilyuyskaya st., Novosibirsk, 630126, Russian Federation, Associate Professor, Fundamental Medicine Department, Novosibirsk State University, 1, Pirogova st., Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation, e-mail: subotyalov@yandex.ru

For citation

Ostanin V.V., Subotyalov M.A. The Category of Completeness of being in Bengali Vishnuism. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2024, vol. 50, pp. 142-150. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2024.50.142 (in Russian)

Keywords
Completeness, Bengali Vishnuism, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Upanishads, Buddhism, Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Krishnadas Kaviraja, Rupa Goswami, Bhaktivedanta.
UDC
294.118
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2024.50.142
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