Nature of Vaada.

[Vaidya N. Sundaram]

Namaskarams to all.
 I was recently reading a book, The Vedas, work of HH Chandrasehkarendra
Saraswati, former madaathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti peetam. In the chapter
on nyaaya, there is one paragraph on 'Vaada', which I reproduce below. It
is quite interesting to note HH's views on this.

--
 pg 219:

 The word 'Vaada' - discussion- is generally taken these days to mean
arguments used to somehow uphold one's views or stand. In actual fact, it
should be a balance between the views of both the parties discussing.
Nay, it should throw up a conclusion based on all the arguments used, for
or against. When we say that our acharya went all over the country in
vaada or wordy combat with many learned men like Mandana Misra, we mean
just this, that he freely exchanged views which invariably proved him to
be right. He firmly established the supremacy of Advaita, after taking
into account all the arguments used by his antagonists. Therefore, vaada
is exchange of thoughts, not merely justifying one's own point of view.
The name of upholding with argument one's predetermined conclusion is
'Jalpa' and not vaada. There is a third classification also. Instead of
having an opinion as in Jalpa, to oppose whatever the other party says
and find arguments some how to prove all opponents to be worng is called
'Vitanda Vaada'.

--

 That quoted, may I kindly request that we try and follow this.
 Vidyasankar has just sort of summarised the concept, or debate if you
will, on samnyaasa, quite succintly in my opinion. Ofcourse, several
threads of discussion may not be complete without enormous amounts of
references, and rest assured there are plenty of references to quote from
;-) ... I guess we just have to try and read the actual works of the
Acharyas and read the opposing arguments for ourselves, rather than let
the onus of proof rest on the list member who last spoke! reading every
philosophical work is daunting, quite impossible may be, but the
discussion on this forum may perhaps ease it some by giving proper
pointers/references/...

 bhava Shankara desikame sharaNam.

 Vaidya.

                      Vaidya N. Sundaram
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 The place, time, objects and their knower etc., projected in a dream
during sleep are all mithyA (an illusion/false). So too, here. in the
waking state, the world that is seen is a projection by one's own
ignorance. Likewise, this body, the senses, the breath, the ego etc.,
are all unreal. Therefore, That thou art, the peaceful, defectless,
supreme, non-dual Brahman.  -- Adi Shankara in VivekacUdAmani.
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