Share with someone who needs this :) To Understand the True Nature of Reality and to Consciously Create the Life that you want to Live, watch our 22 Minute Powerful Masterclass, "The Conscious Creation Model" adhvaitha.com/ccvaluevideo
Execellent video भ्राता !! Can you refute Nehemiah Neelakanta Shastry Goreh's Shad darshana darpana as well( particularly his objections to advaita) ? He used to be a scholar of Vyakarana but later converted to christianity ... Refuting his works could be a blow to Missionary activities
Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I am neither a scholar nor a student, however I feel by going through the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi especially, Self enquiry steps suggested and contemplating on the steps sincerely time and again can give an insight to any spiritual aspirant. This is purely my humble opinion and I am only a beginner trying to practice self-enquiry steps.
I am glad you have started this channel to give podcasts on matters relating to Indian Philosophy. It is time the love for philosophy is again reawakened in Indians and we again start to move the philosophical ball forward. I responded recently to your reply to me on your other video, which somewhat anticipates some of the objections you covered here. The biggest objection against Advaita is its claim to non-duality, because it actually maintains two categories not just - 1 Brahman and 2. Maya. Maya basically subsumes all three Isvara, Jiva and Ishvara into one. Only it says that the reality of these three is relative to the absolute reality that all three are really Brahman. I understand why Advaita says this because there is a paradox in creation itself. How could there have been any creation. Pure Advaitins such as Gaudpada even denied that there has been a creation. How could an infinite, timeless, spaceless, partless, causeless immaterial absolute one reality of pure consciousness have ever given rise to a reality of finite, space, time, atoms and materials. The only get out clause for this is to deny the reality of the latter as Advaitins do "Brahman Satya Jagat Mitya" while hardcore Advaitins like Gauapada completely denied creation has even happened, Shankara introduced the two tiers of reality: absolute reality and relative reality which is mithya. But the problem starts from the point of view of jiva and not Brahman. The absolute reality of Brahman is unfalsifiable from the jivas point of view, because the jivas experience the relative or transactional reality of jivas, jagat and ishvara. Ishvara is as real as other jiva and every other jiva from the jivas point of view. This is what makes Bhakti possible, because jiva sees Ishvara as the supreme soul and itself as the individual soul(the two birds on the same tree) However, the problem is can jiva ever become identical with Ishvara? Therein lies the crux of the problem. Advaita says jiva will one day just wake up from this dream of Maya and realize it is Brahman, just like when we wake up from a dream and realize all the dream was just a projection of our mind. Ok then, what happens after reaching that realization? Do we merge into Brahman and become Brahman? Is Brahman the same as Ishvara? Do we cease to exist? Or do we again return back to the dream, just as we do every night after waking up and once gain going back to dream. This a fraught problem because it already presupposes time. There was an infinite time when I was Brahman and aware I was Brahman(awake); I then somehow forgot I am Brahman and entered in this dream and then I realized I was Brahman again. If this be the case it means I am subject to endless cycles of remembering and forgetting, like endless cycles of dreaming and waking. Thus it would be impossible Jiva could ever become identical with Ishvara, for jiva would be subject to Maya and Ishvara never subject to its own Maya. Therefore Ishvara, JIiva and Jagat are eternally distinct We end up closer to Vishestadvaita on closer analysis of the paradox's of Advaita. Brahman is the real substance of Ishvara, Jiva and Jagat, but Ishvara, Jiva and Jagat are all real and distinct and eternally distinct. In other words, jivas will always be around as individuals souls; Isvhara will always be transcendent and jagat; as the universe in which jiva acts forever existent. Jiva can become ONE with Ishvara, but never identical to Ishvara.
Namaste, Thank you for sharing your understanding. Here is my response. 1. As per Advaita Vedanta, 'Ajata Vada' is the ultimate truth. There is no creation. Rest are all stories for our minds. 2. Jiva is simply in ignorance of it's true nature. Any kind of ignorance is by it's nature is beginning-less, but it comes to an end with knowledge. 3. Technically, Jiva is Brahman whether it realizes it or not. So there is no Jagat-Jiva-Eshwara-Brahman distinction at the absolute level. "Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma."
Acharya Prashant book " वेदांत " " आत्मज्ञान " " माया " " संघर्ष " " सर्वसार उपनिषद " " निरालंब उपनिषद् " " आत्मबोध " " आत्मबोध " This book by आचार्य प्रशांत is very well and understandable of advait vedant must see ❤😊
Good to start with.but let us not forget 3 points. 1. Yout level of undetstanding detrmines the path. Nothing is wrong or right. Why ? We reach our level of skill and start swimming in a lake or a river ot ocean at the depth which suits us. No need to counter othets or convince i am better or not 2. Baba said " dvaita , vishista advaita, Advaita are like raw mangoe, half ripened and full ripened mangoe. So ultimately all reach patmatma ultimately as we started. From paramatmA before creation 3. Gurus of both Madhvacharya and Ramanjuchatya taught Advaita but they did not learn or agree. In both cases their girus allowed them and pardomed them. We also accept any onr who do not understand or agree unless he agrees to get convinced.
Would you say that Maya is temporal existence and God or Brahman is eternal and temporal? Surely God can be personal in Advaita Vedanta? Could this all be relative to the faith of the individual devotee? I like the way you said you have an old book, 1993
Brahman is 'Infinite Existence'. Existence in all of it's dimensions. Maya is a result of Avidya/ignorance where a person sees separation instead of oneness, limitation instead of infinitude within that Brahman.
Remember, before writing SriBhashyam, Shri Ramanujacharya spent lots of years on Advaitam, argued over 50+ years. It is said that Only in his 70's of his age he started writing Sribhashyam! So, spend some time.... then comment!
Because the surface side of Upanishads contradicts Vedas कर्मकांड and that time most of us सनातनी is doing only कर्मकांड हवन यज्ञ । That's why upanishads are not being popular in that time , but remember few of the guru's understand the ब्रह्मविद्या from upanishads . Sanatana dharma is upanishadic dharm that the main goal is liberation from self ego , the process of liberation is founded in upanishads .
Upanishad is all about Advait , Vaishnavism is more a Puranic Religion and The Concept of Advait is definitely not adopted by heart for those whom concept have very Rigidity in Idol worship , so I think Vaishnav Acharya misinterpret Upanishad Vedic Darshana's are Divided in dualistic and Non Dualistic flavor, but if Anyone Read Upanishad unbiasedly he will only get Advait from the First Upanishad Only because of Advait among the 6 Vedic Darshan Vedanta earn highest Respect among the world...Later on Also many Awesome Texts of Advait like Drigya Drishya Vivek , Vivek Churamani , Vedant Saar....(Many More books) also came in Existence
I am a follower of *_Shaivite Religion_* Most of Shaivite Scriptures or Aagam are also *_Non Dualistic_*, in which Kashmir Shaivism haS Very Good Commentary over These Non Dualistic Shaivite Scriptures
Well explained . All the ojections to ADVAIT VEDANTA STEM FROM FALURE TO UNDERSTAND SAVISHESH AND NIRVISHESH BRAHMAN AND THIS MOOLA AVIDYA CAN BE ERADICATED BY UPADESHA OF A BRHAHMANISHTHA SADGURU ONLY
Shankara the saint of Adveita lived three and half millennia ago, please NOTE! He is accused as brahmavaadi by little men 😢 what is Brahmasootra by Baadaraayanna saying about Maayaa, go deep and find yourself. Ayamaatmaa brahma is upanishadic proclamation 😂 tat tvam asi is another, if you are not able to Catch the essence of these reveals your level. This is not any Intellectual exercise my Boss 🎉 upgrade your karmas which are the Gods who will transform you. Easy path is Catch the force of Supreme Mother who actually is eclipsing the brahman. Without Her benevolence getting a janma is lottery, Think, Om🔥❤️🎉👻
@adhvaitha Bro, firstly, why are we having this ignorance? Again, ignorance is different for every one! Ignorance starts from the day you were born To whom, where, when you were born is not in your control, that means the beginning of ignorance is not in your control.. I am saying that ignorance starts from the day you were born. When your birth is not in your control, then neither the beginning of your ignorance If you are not controlling them, then the Parabrahma is controlling it right? In that way, don’t you think maya/ignorance is something controlled by Parabrahma and is an attribute of him? I am not debating. But these are the questions in my head. Sorry if this is not a valid question. I might have missed to understand something here.
Namaste. Just think of it in this way, because of evolution slowly animals became much complex organisms, eventually human beings. We are programmed to survive because that is what's needed to survive. The point Vedanta makes is that human beings can realize the truth of 'Reality' if they strive to due to the capability of our intellect.
Personally, based on my own learning, I think the different schools of thought continue to exist only because none of them answer all questions fully. I would like to share these doubts related to Avidya and Maya as explained by Advaita: आश्रय अनुपपत्ति: Ramanuja's question "where does avidya exist?", can be restated as "who possesses avidya, if all of this is Brahman?". As per Advaita, Avidya is within "us". But who are "we", if all of this is Brahman? Who is this "we" or "I" who possesses avidya, if there is no avidya in Brahman? Maya is the projection of avidya as stated in the explanation. Who is the witness of the projection, because it is not Brahman? What cannot be denied is that "knowledge" and "lack of knowledge" both exist within us. Each of them is meaningful only in relation to the other. Like space and matter. So it is not possible to accept the statement "Avidya cannot be considered as either existent or non existent and is therefore anirvachaniya"! If you put two people together one who has knowledge of trigonometry and the other who doesn't, how difficult is to point out to where lack of knowledge of trigonometry exists? त्रिरोध अनुपपत्ति: "Empirically speaking" is an interesting phrase. It implies the existence of a transcendental phase. Again it implies that there is someone (not Brahman?) who is in this state and needs to realise a transcendental state. Who is this, different from Brahman? "Maya is the causal potentiality of superimposition, projected by Avidya". If so, there is Avidya, there is Maya and there is the activity of projection, which leads to the world appearance. Clearly Brahman does not suffer this. So who is it that is the experiencer of this projection? स्वरूप अनुपत्ति: "From When is my ignorance of trigonometry?" lt can only be after "I" came into existence and certainly not before that! So my Avidya can be accepted only when my beginning is accepted. It need not be eternal! निवृत्ति अनुपपत्ति: Whether we say ignorance is replaced, or ignorance is destroyed or ignorance is removed, it does not matter. In reality we now have knowledge in place of ignorance. We can't possess ignorance and knowledge at the same time!
Let me try to answer this with a simple example. Imagine you are now in your dream and there is the infinite Consciousness that is beyond the dream, within which the dream has appeared. This is one way to understand Advaita. 1. Within your dream, you are this person. So where does your lack of knowledge of your true Self exist? -Ignorance is not a positive entity to point out. 2. Is there some one actually apart from the one who is dreaming? -No. 3. -When you receive/get the knowledge of who you truly are, you simply wakeup.
@@adhvaitha First of all, thank you for the response! Let's look at where this example takes us. For a dream to happen, there has to be a dreamer. And the dreamer has to be in a different state than the normal waking state. the dream state, the dreamer loses his regular wakeful consciousness, which gets replaced by the dream consciousness While trying to relate it to the unresolved queries I have raised, do we say the dreamer is Brahman, which has been drawn into a dream like state, experiencing the illusion of the world (or in other words, move from a transcendental state to a phenomenonal state) ? The answer from Advaita is - Since change is not possible in Brahman, Brahman is not the dreamer. If it is not Brahman then it is someone else having the dream like experience If it is someone else, then there is a duality!
1. The Dream state is given as an example in Advaita Vedanta. We need to use an example just to understand what it is pointing toward. The Example can never be the actual thing, obviously reality is more complex than this. 2. 'Brahman' is not the dreamer, in the sense [with respect to the example] the dream ego who is dreaming is not and cannot be the actual person who is sleeping. Let's say the dreamer in the dream falls down and gets injured, it has no effect on the 'waker'. But ultimately when sleep subsides, one realizes that there was total oneness within the dream as in the dream ego, dream environment, other people within the dream were all one within the dream simulation. Just like this, when we wakeup we realize it is all Brahman including us.
@@adhvaitha I agree, there cannot be a one to one correspondence between an example and the topic under exploration. However, while all these examples (and the other ones provided in the commentaries are great,) they seem to take us in the right direction, but only partially What cannot be set to rest in all these discussions, is that inescapably there is an "untrue" state and a "true" state. There is no clear answer anywhere indicating who is in the untrue state that needs to realise the true state. Logically, if Brahman is eternally unconditioned, and the only one that exists, there can be no one else on whom Avidya can exert its influence, despite Brahman containing the potentiality of Maya! I think this statement of Gaudapada in his Mandukya karika is relevant in this struggle to establish clarity about who the experiencer of Avidya is न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः । न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ ३२ ॥ There is no dissolution, no birth, none in bondage, none aspiring for wisdom, *no seeker of liberation and none liberated*. This is the absolute truth
Share with someone who needs this :)
To Understand the True Nature of Reality and to Consciously Create the Life that you want to Live, watch our 22 Minute Powerful Masterclass, "The Conscious Creation Model" adhvaitha.com/ccvaluevideo
Execellent video भ्राता !! Can you refute Nehemiah Neelakanta Shastry Goreh's Shad darshana darpana as well( particularly his objections to advaita) ? He used to be a scholar of Vyakarana but later converted to christianity ... Refuting his works could be a blow to Missionary activities
Im not familiar with this person. You can share any links. Thank you.
🙂🙏
@@adhvaitha sure
@@adhvaitha my comments are disappearing whenever I try to post some links here
very good swami sarvapriyananda has explained in one of his videos...
Kindly share the link if you have it 🙂🙏
Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I am neither a scholar nor a student, however I feel by going through the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi especially, Self enquiry steps suggested and contemplating on the steps sincerely time and again can give an insight to any spiritual aspirant. This is purely my humble opinion and I am only a beginner trying to practice self-enquiry steps.
🙂🙏
Whoch book do you suggest
I am glad you have started this channel to give podcasts on matters relating to Indian Philosophy. It is time the love for philosophy is again reawakened in Indians and we again start to move the philosophical ball forward. I responded recently to your reply to me on your other video, which somewhat anticipates some of the objections you covered here. The biggest objection against Advaita is its claim to non-duality, because it actually maintains two categories not just - 1 Brahman and 2. Maya. Maya basically subsumes all three Isvara, Jiva and Ishvara into one. Only it says that the reality of these three is relative to the absolute reality that all three are really Brahman. I understand why Advaita says this because there is a paradox in creation itself. How could there have been any creation. Pure Advaitins such as Gaudpada even denied that there has been a creation. How could an infinite, timeless, spaceless, partless, causeless immaterial absolute one reality of pure consciousness have ever given rise to a reality of finite, space, time, atoms and materials. The only get out clause for this is to deny the reality of the latter as Advaitins do "Brahman Satya Jagat Mitya" while hardcore Advaitins like Gauapada completely denied creation has even happened, Shankara introduced the two tiers of reality: absolute reality and relative reality which is mithya.
But the problem starts from the point of view of jiva and not Brahman. The absolute reality of Brahman is unfalsifiable from the jivas point of view, because the jivas experience the relative or transactional reality of jivas, jagat and ishvara. Ishvara is as real as other jiva and every other jiva from the jivas point of view. This is what makes Bhakti possible, because jiva sees Ishvara as the supreme soul and itself as the individual soul(the two birds on the same tree) However, the problem is can jiva ever become identical with Ishvara? Therein lies the crux of the problem. Advaita says jiva will one day just wake up from this dream of Maya and realize it is Brahman, just like when we wake up from a dream and realize all the dream was just a projection of our mind. Ok then, what happens after reaching that realization? Do we merge into Brahman and become Brahman? Is Brahman the same as Ishvara? Do we cease to exist? Or do we again return back to the dream, just as we do every night after waking up and once gain going back to dream. This a fraught problem because it already presupposes time. There was an infinite time when I was Brahman and aware I was Brahman(awake); I then somehow forgot I am Brahman and entered in this dream and then I realized I was Brahman again. If this be the case it means I am subject to endless cycles of remembering and forgetting, like endless cycles of dreaming and waking. Thus it would be impossible Jiva could ever become identical with Ishvara, for jiva would be subject to Maya and Ishvara never subject to its own Maya. Therefore Ishvara, JIiva and Jagat are eternally distinct
We end up closer to Vishestadvaita on closer analysis of the paradox's of Advaita. Brahman is the real substance of Ishvara, Jiva and Jagat, but Ishvara, Jiva and Jagat are all real and distinct and eternally distinct. In other words, jivas will always be around as individuals souls; Isvhara will always be transcendent and jagat; as the universe in which jiva acts forever existent. Jiva can become ONE with Ishvara, but never identical to Ishvara.
Namaste, Thank you for sharing your understanding.
Here is my response.
1. As per Advaita Vedanta, 'Ajata Vada' is the ultimate truth. There is no creation. Rest are all stories for our minds.
2. Jiva is simply in ignorance of it's true nature. Any kind of ignorance is by it's nature is beginning-less, but it comes to an end with knowledge.
3. Technically, Jiva is Brahman whether it realizes it or not. So there is no Jagat-Jiva-Eshwara-Brahman distinction at the absolute level.
"Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma."
❤ Om Namah Shivaya
🙂🙏
the greatest channel on TH-cam and the most underrated ♥♥
Thank you 🙂🙏
Bro , can you please suggest few books to learn advait vedanta for beginners in hindi
1. Tatva Bodha
2. Mandukya Upanishad
3. Bhagavad Gita with Adiguru Shankaracharya's commentary
[Translated by authentic institutions like Ramakrishna mission, Chinmaya mission.]
Acharya Prashant book
" वेदांत "
" आत्मज्ञान "
" माया "
" संघर्ष "
" सर्वसार उपनिषद "
" निरालंब उपनिषद् "
" आत्मबोध "
" आत्मबोध "
This book by आचार्य प्रशांत is very well and understandable of advait vedant must see ❤😊
Good to start with.but let us not forget 3 points. 1. Yout level of undetstanding detrmines the path. Nothing is wrong or right. Why ? We reach our level of skill and start swimming in a lake or a river ot ocean at the depth which suits us. No need to counter othets or convince i am better or not 2. Baba said " dvaita , vishista advaita, Advaita are like raw mangoe, half ripened and full ripened mangoe. So ultimately all reach patmatma ultimately as we started. From paramatmA before creation 3. Gurus of both Madhvacharya and Ramanjuchatya taught Advaita but they did not learn or agree. In both cases their girus allowed them and pardomed them. We also accept any onr who do not understand or agree unless he agrees to get convinced.
🙂🙏
Namaskarams! I have few questions on similar topics. How can I reach out to you
Namaste. you can email hello@adhvaitha.com
Great explanation! If this is Maya, why do we have yugam and a timeline( kaliyuga: 432000 years)
It's all part of Maya 🙂🙏
Knowledge is true for it own specific layer. For example, Newton's physics can be used in human scale or larger but not quantum level.
🙂🙏
Would you say that Maya is temporal existence and God or Brahman is eternal and temporal?
Surely God can be personal in Advaita Vedanta?
Could this all be relative to the faith of the individual devotee?
I like the way you said you have an old book, 1993
Brahman is 'Infinite Existence'. Existence in all of it's dimensions. Maya is a result of Avidya/ignorance where a person sees separation instead of oneness, limitation instead of infinitude within that Brahman.
@@adhvaitha Thanks for replaying!!!
Remember, before writing SriBhashyam, Shri Ramanujacharya spent lots of years on Advaitam, argued over 50+ years. It is said that Only in his 70's of his age he started writing Sribhashyam!
So, spend some time.... then comment!
🙏🙂
If advaita is from Upanishads, why it takes more than 1000 years after upnishads to exactly define (by advaita )what's upnishads mean?
Because the surface side of Upanishads contradicts Vedas कर्मकांड and that time most of us सनातनी is doing only कर्मकांड हवन यज्ञ । That's why upanishads are not being popular in that time , but remember few of the guru's understand the ब्रह्मविद्या from upanishads . Sanatana dharma is upanishadic dharm that the main goal is liberation from self ego , the process of liberation is founded in upanishads .
Simple definition of advaita is liberation from the ego .
Advaita is simply the teachings of the Upanishads. It was always there. Adi Shankaracharya simply systemized and popularized it.
Upanishad is all about Advait , Vaishnavism is more a Puranic Religion and The Concept of Advait is definitely not adopted by heart for those whom concept have very Rigidity in Idol worship , so I think Vaishnav Acharya misinterpret Upanishad
Vedic Darshana's are Divided in dualistic and Non Dualistic flavor, but if Anyone Read Upanishad unbiasedly he will only get Advait from the First Upanishad
Only because of Advait among the 6 Vedic Darshan Vedanta earn highest Respect among the world...Later on Also many Awesome Texts of Advait like Drigya Drishya Vivek , Vivek Churamani , Vedant Saar....(Many More books) also came in Existence
I am a follower of *_Shaivite Religion_* Most of Shaivite Scriptures or Aagam are also *_Non Dualistic_*, in which Kashmir Shaivism haS Very Good Commentary over These Non Dualistic Shaivite Scriptures
Well explained . All the ojections to ADVAIT VEDANTA STEM FROM FALURE TO UNDERSTAND SAVISHESH AND NIRVISHESH BRAHMAN AND THIS MOOLA AVIDYA CAN BE ERADICATED BY UPADESHA OF A BRHAHMANISHTHA SADGURU ONLY
🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
🙂🙏
Why is ur channel's name adhvaitha instead of typical spelling advaita ?any reason for that or it is just an alternate pronounciation?
The Sanskrit word can be transliterated in different ways to English. In south India, we use this.
Shankara the saint of Adveita lived three and half millennia ago, please NOTE! He is accused as brahmavaadi by little men 😢 what is Brahmasootra by Baadaraayanna saying about Maayaa, go deep and find yourself. Ayamaatmaa brahma is upanishadic proclamation 😂 tat tvam asi is another, if you are not able to Catch the essence of these reveals your level. This is not any Intellectual exercise my Boss 🎉 upgrade your karmas which are the Gods who will transform you. Easy path is Catch the force of Supreme Mother who actually is eclipsing the brahman. Without Her benevolence getting a janma is lottery, Think, Om🔥❤️🎉👻
@adhvaitha
Bro, firstly, why are we having this ignorance?
Again, ignorance is different for every one!
Ignorance starts from the day you were born
To whom, where, when you were born is not in your control, that means the beginning of ignorance is not in your control..
I am saying that ignorance starts from the day you were born. When your birth is not in your control, then neither the beginning of your ignorance
If you are not controlling them, then the Parabrahma is controlling it right?
In that way, don’t you think maya/ignorance is something controlled by Parabrahma and is an attribute of him?
I am not debating. But these are the questions in my head.
Sorry if this is not a valid question. I might have missed to understand something here.
Probably, I need to understand the concept of Karma and Re-incarnation in the Adhvaitha perspective.
Namaste. Just think of it in this way, because of evolution slowly animals became much complex organisms, eventually human beings. We are programmed to survive because that is what's needed to survive. The point Vedanta makes is that human beings can realize the truth of 'Reality' if they strive to due to the capability of our intellect.
Personally, based on my own learning, I think the different schools of thought continue to exist only because none of them answer all questions fully. I would like to share these doubts related to Avidya and Maya as explained by Advaita:
आश्रय अनुपपत्ति: Ramanuja's question "where does avidya exist?", can be restated as "who possesses avidya, if all of this is Brahman?". As per Advaita, Avidya is within "us". But who are "we", if all of this is Brahman? Who is this "we" or "I" who possesses avidya, if there is no avidya in Brahman? Maya is the projection of avidya as stated in the explanation. Who is the witness of the projection, because it is not Brahman? What cannot be denied is that "knowledge" and "lack of knowledge" both exist within us. Each of them is meaningful only in relation to the other. Like space and matter. So it is not possible to accept the statement "Avidya cannot be considered as either existent or non existent and is therefore anirvachaniya"! If you put two people together one who has knowledge of trigonometry and the other who doesn't, how difficult is to point out to where lack of knowledge of trigonometry exists?
त्रिरोध अनुपपत्ति: "Empirically speaking" is an interesting phrase. It implies the existence of a transcendental phase. Again it implies that there is someone (not Brahman?) who is in this state and needs to realise a transcendental state. Who is this, different from Brahman? "Maya is the causal potentiality of superimposition, projected by Avidya". If so, there is Avidya, there is Maya and there is the activity of projection, which leads to the world appearance. Clearly Brahman does not suffer this. So who is it that is the experiencer of this projection?
स्वरूप अनुपत्ति: "From When is my ignorance of trigonometry?" lt can only be after "I" came into existence and certainly not before that! So my Avidya can be accepted only when my beginning is accepted. It need not be eternal!
निवृत्ति अनुपपत्ति: Whether we say ignorance is replaced, or ignorance is destroyed or ignorance is removed, it does not matter. In reality we now have knowledge in place of ignorance. We can't possess ignorance and knowledge at the same time!
Let me try to answer this with a simple example. Imagine you are now in your dream and there is the infinite Consciousness that is beyond the dream, within which the dream has appeared. This is one way to understand Advaita.
1. Within your dream, you are this person. So where does your lack of knowledge of your true Self exist?
-Ignorance is not a positive entity to point out.
2. Is there some one actually apart from the one who is dreaming? -No.
3. -When you receive/get the knowledge of who you truly are, you simply wakeup.
@@adhvaitha First of all, thank you for the response! Let's look at where this example takes us.
For a dream to happen, there has to be a dreamer. And the dreamer has to be in a different state than the normal waking state. the dream state, the dreamer loses his regular wakeful consciousness, which gets replaced by the dream consciousness
While trying to relate it to the unresolved queries I have raised, do we say the dreamer is Brahman, which has been drawn into a dream like state, experiencing the illusion of the world (or in other words, move from a transcendental state to a phenomenonal state) ? The answer from Advaita is - Since change is not possible in Brahman, Brahman is not the dreamer.
If it is not Brahman then it is someone else having the dream like experience If it is someone else, then there is a duality!
1. The Dream state is given as an example in Advaita Vedanta. We need to use an example just to understand what it is pointing toward. The Example can never be the actual thing, obviously reality is more complex than this.
2. 'Brahman' is not the dreamer, in the sense [with respect to the example] the dream ego who is dreaming is not and cannot be the actual person who is sleeping. Let's say the dreamer in the dream falls down and gets injured, it has no effect on the 'waker'.
But ultimately when sleep subsides, one realizes that there was total oneness within the dream as in the dream ego, dream environment, other people within the dream were all one within the dream simulation.
Just like this, when we wakeup we realize it is all Brahman including us.
@@adhvaitha I agree, there cannot be a one to one correspondence between an example and the topic under exploration. However, while all these examples (and the other ones provided in the commentaries are great,) they seem to take us in the right direction, but only partially
What cannot be set to rest in all these discussions, is that inescapably there is an "untrue" state and a "true" state. There is no clear answer anywhere indicating who is in the untrue state that needs to realise the true state. Logically, if Brahman is eternally unconditioned, and the only one that exists, there can be no one else on whom Avidya can exert its influence, despite Brahman containing the potentiality of Maya!
I think this statement of Gaudapada in his Mandukya karika is relevant in this struggle to establish clarity about who the experiencer of Avidya is
न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः ।
न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ ३२ ॥
There is no dissolution, no birth, none in bondage, none aspiring for wisdom, *no seeker of liberation and none liberated*. This is the absolute truth