Spiritual pursuit and familiy traditions

[నావికుడు]

Hello all,

Namaskaram.  Discussions in one of the recently active threads raised an important question. Could you kindly shed some light on this, preferably with references or examples?

Is a person born into a particular tradition (e.g. Dwaitha, Advaitha or Visishtadvaitha) supposed to stick to the same tradition in their spiritual pursuit throughout their life?  Or should a person apply genuine inquiry and honestly seek the Truth even if it takes him / her  beyond own family tradition? 

Pranaams

Sandeep Achar

(Sanchaari | సంచారి) 

[V Subrahmanian]

While there is the view that a person is born in a tradition due to the will of Ishwara and it is for him to pursue that to reach the goal of life.  But there are examples of people who have, due to various reasons, changed to a different tradition. Sometimes the change is purely an inner one and does not manifest in his outward behaviour where he will be going with the family while following the āchāra of that tradition where he is born. In some cases the changeover is complete and he would leave the family traditions and adopt the practices of the new tradition.  There are examples for all such types. Finally it is the pull of the other tradition that becomes irresistible that prevails.   Applying genuine inquiry and honestly seeking the Truth even if it takes him / her  beyond own family tradition is laudable. There are some who would say: All sampradayas are the same as far as the goal is concerned even if practices differ. Bhagavan Ramana has said that on an occasion. But when we study the various systems on the basis of their authentic works, we find that such is not the case. 

Take for instance, the concept of moksha. Advaita does not accept a loka, a place, where muktas will exist like the other systems where such a loka is admitted. One might counter this by saying: Who knows whether such lokas really exist after one has shed the body, and it's a mere belief that those lokas exist.  Again one's inquiry, the guidance he gets from a Guru, if such a one is there, etc. count.  Finally, it's one's conviction that matters. 

warm regards

subbu         

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[Kuntimaddi Sadananda]

PraNAms.

The famous example is Bellamkonda Ramaraya Kavi - He was born in the Vishishtadvaita family, and he had to take up Adviata since many of his questions were not answered in Vishishtadvaita. He has written several books on Adviata and was considered as abhinava Shankaracharya. 

My family also are Vishitadvaitins - but I ended up Adviatin for the same reason.

Hari Om!

Sada

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/CAKk0Te13vNPd9_%2B2RaXbWHDP6Ss5UZZ0mCwEQEkm%3DY8VMrLSQw%40mail.gmail.com

.

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sun, Sep 21, 2025 at 8:44 PM నావికుడు <navi...@gmail.com> wrote:

A year ago I met a young man, in his mid 20's, who had accompanied his Acharya to an Advaita Chintana event.  During the five-day stay there I had interacted with him and got to know that he was a Madhwa from a town in Karnataka.  While doing CA course in Bangalore he had come into close contact with the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram.  Over time he developed a deep resolve to become a monk in that Order. Naturally his family resisted the idea. They got a couple of Madhwa pandits to talk to him.  They even got the intervention of the pontiff of a very famous Madhwa Mutt.  But he was firm in his resolve. He was pursuing serious study of Advaita in a traditional manner under that Acharya. 

There are such examples in all traditions. From Smarta to Srivaishnava and Madhwa and from the other two traditions conversion to Advaita.  They have happened in the past and do happen now. 

[Sanchari - సంచారి]

Thank you Subbuji and SadanadaJi - Very clear and relatable examples. 

I believe on similar lines,  a classical advaitin would benefit significantly by exploring other paradigms.  In fact, the more I study advaitha and Buddhism, I feel some strands of Buddhism are more advaithic than classical advaitha.  Also, their techniques help me immensely in Manana - Nidhdhyasana.  

On a related note, the commentaries and other works by Madhwacharya and others were written keeping in mind the prevailing context and values and for certain audience.  Some of those statements may look out of place or even as insults in 21st century society, far removed from the context when those comments were written. We better let them be and take only those elements that help us in our journey.

Respect to all traditions and paradigms.

PraNaams,

Sandeep Achar

(Sanchaari | సంచారి)