[Advaita-l] avidyA, according to Satchidanandendra Saraswati Swamiji

[bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com]

What has been nit-picked on and quoted out-of-context
here is at best an unfortunate mis-understanding by
the reader, or at worst, an anecdotal reference to a
phrase describing vyavahara twisted to suit one's own
pet theory, when there are literally thousands of
sentences talking about adhyasa being the
superimposition of the self and the not-self. And if
it is the later, it is the most brazen allegation
ever.

praNAms mAtAji
Hare Krishna

You are absolutely right in your observation mAtAji...to strengthen this
kindly allow me to quote from the book *Misconceptions About Shankara* by
Sri SSS.  At Page-7-8, Para :7 & 8 he says :

// quote //

THE UNIQUE FEATURE OF SANKARA'S WORK

7.  It is not right to regard shanakara's as only one more school to offer
its own system bround out of the upanishads by means of the artifice of
certain peculiar ways of interpretation, just like any other school ancient
or modern; for quite unlike other commentators on the vEdAnta sUtras,
shankara begins his bhAshya with an introduction dealing with adhyAsa -
otherwise called avidyA without postulating any theory or acceptance of
pramANa-s (the valid sources of right knowledge), and appeals to universal
intuition throughout.  After conclusively showing how all evils of mundane
life, are due to this natural tendency of the human mind, he claims that
the main purport of the upanishads, otherwise known as vEdAnta-s is to
reveal the wisdom which finally sublates this avidyA or nescience.

// unquote //

It may be noted here Sri SSS saying main culprit is mind going by
shankara's adhyAsa bhAshya where shankara clearly shows *practical
examples* to establish the influence of avidyA in our day to day life.  And
now he come to the interpretation of subcommentators & clarifies
shankara/his position in a clear manner.  In Page 8, Para-8, he writes :

// quote //

It is not right to say that shankara postulates a hypothetical avidyA
(avidyA shakti) which has transformed itself into egoity called ahaMkAra
which in its turn has been superimposed on Atman or the Self.  On the
contrary, he maintains as we have already seen (para 7) that the
beginningless mutual superimposition of the real Atman and the unreal
not-self, is itself the beginningless avidyA or basic nescience which
occassions all the conventions of human life.

// unquote //

After this observation, Sri SSS takes the difference in conceptual usage of
terms  avidyA & mAya & observes avidyA is subjective in nature  & mAyA is
resultant objective false appearance.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar