In the comparisons made so far, it has become clear that the question "Is man God?" cannot be answered without defining the left and right sides of the equation. Finally, we will expand these two axes to include not only Vedanta, Japanese syncretism, Theosophy, and modern spirituality, but also Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Kabbalah, and various Indian schools of thought.

This is not a collection of materials separated from the main text. This final stage aims to verify whether the perspectives developed in this paper can be applied without erasing differences, even among different religions. Instead of unifying world religions, we will examine common questions and differing answers, and then return to the starting point of "divinity and ego" one last time.

Deconstructing "God" in India Again.

In Part II, Brahman was described as the fundamental existence, Ishvara as the ruler of the world, and Jiva as individual living beings. Here, we add two more terms. Bhagavan means "revered lord" with attributes such as power, knowledge, and glory. Deva is related to "shining one" and refers to various gods and celestial beings. Devata refers to individual deities, divinity, objects of worship and prayer. The following table summarizes the descriptions of these five terms in a list format.

In this overview, we have briefly distinguished between Brahman, Īśvara, Bhagavān, and deva/devatā. Here, we will examine them in more detail from the perspective of the relationship between humans and gods.

Brahman – Not "The One God Within The World"

In Vedanta, Brahman is not a single spiritual entity that resides somewhere in the universe alongside other beings. It is a concept that questions the ultimate basis of the world, self, existence, and consciousness.

In Shankara's Advaita Vedanta, Nirguna Brahman is described as the ultimate reality that is not limited by individualization or attributes. In this case, the expression "meeting with Brahman" is not the same as visiting someone in heaven. The duality of subject and object itself is questioned.

However, for Ramanuja, Brahman is not an attributeless and impersonal pure existence. He is Narayana, the supreme personality, who possesses infinite auspicious qualities and includes the world and souls as his own body. For Madhva as well, Vishnu, the highest being, is a complete personal God who is eternally distinct from individual souls.

In other words, even the single word "Brahman" contains a major debate within it, such as "is it an impersonal absolute being or a personal supreme being?" It cannot be simply translated and concluded with one word like "Brahman = Indian version of God."

Ishvara – The Concept of a Presiding Entity

In this context, "烦恼" (fannao) refers to tendencies that disrupt the mind and lead to misperceptions and constraints.

Īśvara (Ishvara) means "lord" or "ruler," and is often translated as the ruler of the world. However, its position differs among different schools of thought.

In Advaita, Ishvara exists empirically and religiously as the cause of the world and as the ruler who governs order. Shankara often distinguishes between Brahman with attributes and the universe, and Brahman as absolute non-duality. However, this is not a simple statement that "Ishvara is an illusion and therefore does not require worship." The entire empirical reality, including the world, ethics, meditation, and devotion, is not meaningless for humans before attaining enlightenment knowledge.

In classical yoga, the pure consciousness principle that observes changes in body and mind is called puruṣa (Purusha). In the Yoga Sutras, Ishvara refers to a "special Purusha" that is untouched by afflictions, actions, and their results, as well as the potential power left behind by past experiences. This is different from the Advaita Brahman, which creates the world as one, or the union of all Purushas. A special Purusha exists within a system that recognizes multiple Purushas.

Here, "saguṇa" means "having qualities or attributes," and it is a word that contrasts with "nirguṇa," which means "not limited by attributes." However, the meaning of this contrast varies depending on the school of thought.

In Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita, Ishvara is more central as the supreme personal God. Therefore, the Shankara-style explanation of "Ishvara=Saguna Brahman" should not be used as a common definition for all Vedanta schools.

Bhagavan - The highest being, referred to as "Lord."

Bhagavan (バガヴァン) represents a "revered lord" possessing qualities such as power, glory, wisdom, and sovereignty. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna is referred to as Bhagavan. For the bhakti tradition, the highest being can be an entity that can be loved, cherished, addressed, and responded to, rather than an abstract cosmic principle.

Here, even if there is "oneness with God," the relationship may not disappear. A reciprocal relationship where I love God and God loves me can be at the center of salvation. We do not need to equate the completion of love with the disappearance of the lover and the beloved.

Deva/Devata - A word that encompasses everything from the highest god to celestial beings.

deva is a word related to "shining things" and has referred to various gods since the Vedic period. devatā refers to divinity, godhood, specific deities that are objects of worship or mantras, etc. However, when translated as "god" in modern Japanese, it can easily evoke an image of a perfect and unique supreme being.

Devata has the following usages:

• Divine beings that personify the functions of the universe and nature, such as fire, wind, sun, and thunder.
• Objects of worship to which rituals and mantras are directed.
• Beings born in the heavens, with longer lifespans and more refined bodies and abilities than humans.
• A divine position responsible for specific functions within the cosmic order.
• Divine beings that are worshipped as concrete manifestations of the ultimate reality in the Bhakti tradition.

Because of the final usage, it is not possible to define "Deva" as all beings who are lower spirits and have not yet attained liberation. On the other hand, Devas can be Jivas before attaining enlightenment when considered as celestial beings. We need to maintain both of these aspects.

Ishta Devata - More than "Favorite God"

iṣṭa-devatā (Ishtha-Devata) refers to a deity that an individual chooses and specifically worships or meditates upon. It does not mean "a low-level god of one's preference." For some practitioners, Krishna, Shiva, the Goddess, etc., are not merely convenient icons for approaching the Absolute, but rather concrete representations of the ultimate reality itself.

Here, there is the problem of worshipping an unlimited and ultimate reality in a relational form with names and shapes. Simplifying Nirguna and Saguna as "real vs. fake" or "superior vs. inferior" would lose the religious meaning of Bhakti.

The "Avatar" who will appear in the world – different from the gods of heaven.

avatāra (āvatāra) means "descent," and is particularly known in the doctrine of incarnations where Vishnu appears in the world. Do not equate an avatāra with a single deva who has been born to heaven through merit. The former refers to theology where the supreme being manifests for salvation or restoration of order, while the latter may refer to birth status within the cycle of rebirth.

Here, in Japanese, both can be simply translated as "god." However, "the manifestation of the god itself" and "an individual existing in the world of gods" are not the same ontological concepts.