A Jivan Mukta or Jeevan Mukta is someone who, in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, has gained and assimilated self-knowledge, thus is liberated with an inner sense of freedom while living. The state is the aim of moksha in Advaita Vedanta, Yoga and other schools of Hinduism, and it is referred to as jivanmukti (Self-realization).
Jivanmukti contrasts with the concept of videhamukti; the latter means "liberation or emancipation after death, in afterlife".
Jëvanmukta () is an adjective derived from the Sanskrit noun à ¤Âà ¥Âà ¤µ jëva, "life", and the past participle of the verb à ¤®à ¥Âà ¤Âà ¥ (much, or IAST muc), "to liberate". Monier-Williams defines the term as "emancipated while still alive".
Jëvanmukti (), the corresponding abstract noun means, "liberation during life, liberation before death", or "emancipation while still alive". Other translations include "self realization", "living liberation", "enlightenment", "liberated soul", or "self liberation".
The various texts and schools of Hinduism describe the jëvanmukti state of existence as one of liberation and freedom reached within one's lifetime. Some contrast jëvanmukti with videhamukti (moksha from samsÃÂra after death). According to these ancient Hindu Philosophical texts, Jëvanmukti is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual.
For example, according to NÃÂradaparivrÃÂjaka Upanishad, the enlightened individual shows attributes such as:
ÃÂdi à Âankara explains that nothing can induce one to act who has no desire of his own to satisfy. The supreme limit of VairÃÂgya ("non-attachment"), is the non-springing of VÃÂsanÃÂs in respect of enjoyable objects; the non-springing of the sense of the "I" (in things which are the ÃÂnatman) is the extreme limit of bodhà("awakening"), and the non-springing again of the modifications which have ceased is the extreme limit of Uparati ("abstinence"). The Jëvanmukta, by reason of his ever being Brahman, is freed from awareness of external objects and is no longer aware of any difference between the inner ÃÂtman and Brahman, or between Brahman and the world. He knows that he is Brahman. "VijnÃÂtabrahmatattvasya yathÃÂpà «rvam na samsrtih" â "there is no saá¹ÂsÃÂra as before for one who has known Brahman".
There are three kinds of PrÃÂrabdha Karma: Ichha ("personally desired"), Anichhà("without desire") and Parechhà("due to others' desire"). For a self-realized person, a Jëvanmukta, there is no ichhÃÂ-prÃÂrabdha but the two others, anichhÃÂa and parechhÃÂ, remain, which even a jëvanmukta has to undergo. According to the Advaita school, for those of wisdom, prÃÂrabdha is liquidated only by experience of its effects; sancita ("accumulated karmas") and ÃÂgami ("future karmas") are destroyed in the fire of DñÃÂna ("knowledge").
In the à Âramaá¹Âic traditions, the jëvanmukta is called an arhat in Buddhism and arihant in Jainism.
The Advaita school holds the view that the world appearance is owing to Avidyà(ignorance) that has the power to project i.e. to superimpose the unreal on the real (AdhyÃÂsa), and also the power to conceal the real resulting in the delusion of the Jëva who experiences objects created by his mind and sees difference in this world, he sees difference between the ÃÂtman ("the individual self") and Brahman ("the supreme Self"). This delusion caused by ignorance is destroyed when ignorance itself is destroyed by knowledge. When all delusion is removed there remains no awareness of difference. He who sees no difference between Self and Brahman is said to be a Jëvanmukta.
The Advaita philosophy rests on the premise that noumenally the Absolute alone exists, Nature, Souls and God are all merged in the Absolute; the Universe is one, that there is no difference within it, or without it; Brahman is alike throughout its structure, and the knowledge of any part of it is the knowledge of the whole (BrihadarÃÂnyaka Upanishad II.4.6-14), and, since all causation is ultimately due to Brahman, since everything beside Brahman is an appearance, the Atman is the only entity that exists and nothing else. All elements emanated from the Atman (Taittirëya Upanishad II.1) and all existence is based on Intellect (Aitareya Upanishad III.3). The universe created by Brahman from a part of itself is thrown out and re-absorbed by the Immutable Brahman (Mundaka Upanishad I.1.7). Therefore, the Jëva (the individual self) is non-different from Brahman (the supreme Self), and the Jëva, never bound, is ever liberated. Through Self-consciousness one gains the knowledge of existence and realizes Brahman.
In karma theory, actions are classified as prarabhda (ripened, already bearing results), samcita (accumulated but not yet active), and anagata (future). Future and accumulated karma may be altered or destroyed, but prarabhda karma must be experienced once it has begun. According to Vijnanabhikshu and other Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga thinkers, liberating knowledge destroys samcita karma but not prarabhda, leading to jivanmukti. In this state, the jiva has attained liberating knowledge and continues to live in the body to exhaust ripened karmas and no new karma is generated.