“Lord Chaitanya instructed the mass of people in the sankhya philosophy of achintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which maintains that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation. Lord Chaitanya taught this philosophy through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Preface)

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Vedic culture is much more than basic religion. It is a way of life. The connection to spirituality should motivate and influence every decision throughout the day, flowing through every time period or phase of development.

It is like the journey of a specific river rushing to a destination. If there are no obstructions, if the passage flows successfully to the end, then every phase of the travel is glorious. All is well that ends well, and for the living being the ideal end takes place through Vedanta.

The literal translation to that Sanskrit word is “the end of knowledge.” It is the highest conclusion, with an accompanying culture to shift behavior. More than just learning who we are, there is a mechanism for practical application.

Jnana and vijnana, knowledge and actual realization. Within the tradition of Vedanta, as it has reached the present period of time, there may be different schools of thought. They each have their own conclusion, which more or less aligns with the original Vedic tradition.

The conclusions have a specific teacher or empowered being who made it popular or well-known. While the acharya known as Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is most commonly depicted dancing and singing, spreading the holy names of the Supreme Lord, He also had a specific teaching with respect to Vedanta.

His conclusion is known as achintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Each of the terms is significant, and taken together they give a complete and accurate picture of spiritual life.

1. Tattva

This word means “truth.” The teachings are not based on speculation. Man cannot figure out the mysteries of the universe on his own. There simply is not enough time to consume every bit of information and then sufficiently process.

Chaitanya’s conclusion is known as tattva since it applies from beginning to end. Whether someone lived prior to Mahaprabhu’s advent or after makes no difference to the reality. The sun was the same thousands of years ago as it is today. The properties do not change.

This tattva is provable through practical experience. It has some logical applicability, as well. This means that we can use our intelligence for understanding. We do not have to rely on faith alone for achieving perfection in the human birth.

2. Bheda

This word means “division” or “separation.” The bheda aspect to the tattva separates the philosophy from Mayavada, which is something like monism. That school believes in oneness, that there is ultimately no distinction between the living entities and God.

Moreover, there shouldn’t be a difference between any living beings. They are ultimately part of the same collective known as Brahman. Under this model, God is more of a concept; something like the sum of the total parts.

Mahaprabhu teaches that there is distinction. Just as you and I are different, though alike in many ways, so there is an Almighty Being. We are separate from Him; hence there is worship. There are temples and works of instruction, like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam, precisely because we are not God.

3. Abheda

This word means just the opposite. There is a lack of distinction. There is oneness, in the sense that we share the same properties as God. We are like Him in bliss, eternality, and knowledge. He is the seed-giving father.

सर्व-योनिषु कौन्तेय
मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद् योनिर्
अहं बीज-प्रदः पिता

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

When a person passes away, the newspaper writeup may state that they live on through such and such descendent. In that way, the children are the same as the father. We are part of the complete picture of God. Our identity is never finished; the soul persists through time and space.

4. Achintya

This word means “inconceivable.” The preceding terms taken together do not make logical sense. How can something be both separate and identical? How is it possible to present this as truth, tattva? We can spend many lifetimes trying to join the two puzzle pieces, but they will never fit.

Fortunately, acknowledging that the tattva is achintya is sufficient. We do not need to equal God through progression of a logical question. We can simply accept the simultaneous oneness and difference and proceed in worship through chanting the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The many eternals worship the chief eternal. They are supported by Him, they are similar to Him, they are connected to Him, and so genuine religion is maintaining the relationship. This automatically assures liberation, which is the end to the cycle of birth and death.

In Closing:

Liberation automatically to gain,
When through connection shelter came.

Because otherwise contradictory so,
How both different and same to know?

That God is great and I am not,
But similar properties I’ve got.

Chaitanya the truth to reveal,
Realize through chanting appeal.

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