Difference between Rishi, Muni, Sadhu and Sanyasi:
Sages have been of great importance in India since ancient times. Rishi Muni was considered to be the guide of the society and he has always been doing welfare of people and society with his knowledge and sadhana.
Even today, we get to see many sadhus in the forests or at any pilgrimage site. The people of this society, who are always absorbed in religious deeds, are called by the names of Rishi, Muni, Sadhu and Sanyasi etc. They always refine their knowledge through penance, sadhana, and contemplation. They often renounce material pleasures, although some sages have also lived a household life. Let us see in today's post, who are the sages, sages, monks and sannyasis and what is the difference between them?
who are the sages
India has always been a land of sages. Rishi tradition has a special importance in our society. Even today our society and family are considered to be descendants of some sage. Rishi is a word taken from Vedic tradition which has been used for people who have seen the Shruti texts. In other words, it can be said that such a person who studied the Vedic tradition on the strength of his special and unique concentration and saw unique words and knew their esoteric meanings and manifested that knowledge by writing only for the welfare of the living beings are called rishis. That is why it has been said for the sages "Rishi: tu mantra seer: na tu kartar: that is, the sage is the one who sees the mantra and not the one who composes that mantra.
However, in some places, the rishis are also expressed as the creators of the Vedic hymns.
Meaning of the word Rishi
The word Rishi is derived from the root "Rish" which means to see. Apart from this, the published act of the sages is called Arsha which is the origin of this root word. Drishti means eye is also born from Rishi. The ancient sages were considered to be the seers of the era and were believed to have seen their enlightenment. In relation to the sages, it was believed that by their yoga they attained the Supreme Soul and were able to see the material as well as the consciousness. They were able to see the physical matter as well as the energy hidden behind it.
types of sages
Rishi is believed to have originated from the Vedic Sanskrit language. Therefore, this word makes sense of the Vedic tradition in which a sage is considered supreme, that is, the place of a sage is superior to that of an ascetic and a yogi. According to the famous Sanskrit synonyms dictionary compiled by Amarsimha, there are seven types of rishis namely Brahmarishi, Devarshi, Maharishi, Paramrishi, Kandarshi, Shrutarishi and Rajarshi.
great Bear
Ketu, Pulah, Pulatsya, Atri, Angira, Vasistha and Bhrigu are described in the Puranas of the seven sages. Similarly, another list of Sapta Rishis is found in other places, in which Atri, Bhrigu, Kautsa, Vashishtha, Gautam, Kashyapa and Angiras and in the other Kashyap, Atri, Vashishta, Vishwamitra, Gautam, Jamadagni, Bharadwaj have been called the Sapta Rishis.
who is called a sage
Muni was also a kind of sage.
In the Bhagavad-gita it is said about the sages whose mind is not disturbed by sorrow, who do not desire for happiness and who are free from attachment, fear and anger, such saints with unblemished intelligence are called sages. The word Muni is derived from Mauni which means silent or non-speaker. Such sages who took the oath of silence or speaking very little for a particular period were called munis. In ancient times, silence has been considered as a sadhana or penance. Many sages used to do this sadhna and used to remain silent. The word Muni is used only for such sages. Sometimes the word Muni was also used for the sages who spoke very little. The word Muni has also been used for some such sages who always used to chant God and meditate on Narayan like Narada Muni. The word Muni has a deep connection with the picture, mind and body. All these three words are related to mantra and tantra. In the Rigveda, the word Chitra has been used to look with wonder. All the things that are bright, attractive and amazing are pictures. That is, almost everything in the world comes under the word picture. Mind is associated with many meanings as well as intellectual contemplation and contemplation. That is, only those who meditate are sages. The word mantra is believed to have originated from the mind and hence the creators of mantras and those who meditate are called sages or sages. Similarly the word Tantra is related to the body. Yogis who keep the body active or awake were called sages. Munis have also been discussed in Jain texts. The person whose soul is stable by restraint, devoid of worldly desires, having a sense of protection for living beings, non-violence, truth, achaurya, celibacy and non-possessiveness, irya (carefulness in travel), language, eshna (purification of food) adanikshepa ( Those who observe Pratishthapana (caution in excretion), Samayaka, Chaturvinshtistava, Vandana, Pratikraman, Pratikraman, Pratikraman and Kayatsarga and those who do Keshalocha, those who remain naked, do not bathe and datun, sleep on the earth. Maharishis who take three pure diet and eat only once in a day, etc., are called sages. The sages belong to the tradition, but they are the ones who meditate on mantras and generate a vast store of knowledge through their contemplation.
The sages are also the ones who write the scriptures.
who are sages
A person doing sadhna of any subject is called a sadhu. In ancient times, many people used to do sadhna of any subject away from the society or at times staying in the society and used to get specific knowledge in that subject. He was called a sage only because of cultivating the subject or doing his spiritual practice. Sometimes the word sadhu is also used to differentiate between good and bad person. The reason for this is that a person doing positive spiritual practice is always simple, straightforward and does good to people. In common parlance, the meaning of Sadh is straight and devoid of wickedness. The word Sadhu in Sanskrit means a gentleman. In Laghusiddhanta Kaumudi, it is written while describing the sadhu that “Sadhnoti Parakaryamiti Sadhu: That is, one who does the work of others is a monk.
One meaning of Sadhu is also the best, such a person who has given up his six vices Kama, Anger, Greed, Mad, Moha and Matsar, is called a Sadhu. It has also been said for the sadhus "Atmadasha Sadhe" that means the sadhus who are free from the condition of the world are called sadhus.
At present, those persons who take sannyasa initiation, wear ocher clothes and whose basic aim is to show the path of society and attain salvation while walking on the path of religion, are called sadhus.
who is called a sanyasi or a saint
The tradition of asceticism is not associated with ancient Hinduism. There is no mention of any sanyasi in the Vedic period. The concept of sannyasin or sannyasa probably dates back to the practice of Jainism and Buddhism, in which sannyas has its own belief. Adi Shankaracharya is considered a great sannyasi in Hinduism. The word sannyasi is derived from sannyasa which means to give up. Therefore, the one who renounces is called a sannyasi. Sannyasis renounces property, renounces household life or remains unmarried. He renounces society and worldly life and gets absorbed in the devotion of his beloved while practicing yoga meditation.
There are three types of sannyasis described in Hinduism as Parivrajaka Sannyasis: The traveling monks are kept in the category of Parivrajaka. Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujanacharya were parivrajakas: sanyasis.
Paramhansa Sannyasis: This is the highest class of ascetics.
Yeti Sanyasi: Sanyasi who strives with ease of purpose falls under this category. He gets neither happiness from happiness nor depression from sorrow. Thus the absolute person who seeks the supernatural and self-knowledge, detached from worldly attachment, is called a sanyasi.
In fact, a sannyasin can be called a person whose internal state is stable and who is not affected by any circumstance or person and remains stable in any situation.
Epilogue
Rishis, sages, or sannyasins are people devoted to all religions, who constantly refine their knowledge for the welfare of society away from the bondage of worldly attachment and do penance, sadhna, meditation etc. to attain the knowledge of Brahman.
