Question: Could you please explain the difference between Ramanujacarya’s visista advaita philosophy and Lord Caitanya’s acintya beda abeda tattva. Both the philosophies say that the Lord and the jiva are same in quality but different in quantity. What is the difference between the two?

Jayapataka Swami: This is high philosophy Visista advaita and acintya beda beda tattva. There is a subtle difference between each of the four sampradayas and Lord Caitanya’s explanation of the Vedanta sutras, Lord Caitanya’s acintya beda abeda tattva is simultaneously one and different, inconceivably. And at the same time, Krsna is one with His energies, but His energies are not the same as Krsna. How this is possible, is inconceivable. Now visista advaita means that they are all one, but there is some difference. So Madhvacarya was saying that oh, this is a kind of mayawada because it is saying advaita but visista advaita. So in all this there is a subtle difference. And we think that Lord Caitanya’s acintya beda abeda tattva is more comprehensive. To say visista advaita, means almost the same. By saying that there is oneness but there is visista, there is some specialty. So it is not as clear as acintya beda abeda tattva. But we accept all the four vaisnava philosophies. But we think that Lord Caitanya’s presentation of acintya beda abeda tattva is more exact.
15-JULY-2019 CHENNAI, INDIA