The non-reality of free will

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Sat, 3 May 1997, Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:

>
> According to advaita vedAnta free will is also due to mAyA only (but not
> in the sense Cameron was claiming sometime back). I thought that Charles
> had stated the position of advaita vedAnta on this in a crystal clear
> fashion.

The only recent post from Charles (I assume you mean Wikner) I have seen
that addresses the subject stated:

"Volition" may be succinctly described as "the action of desire",
that is to say, action caused by desire.

If this isn't what you were refering to please clarify.  Now following
this definition we cannot ascribe any free will to Brahman.  It has no
desire so it has no volition.  Brahman doesn't say "Today I will create
the world.  Tomorrow I will destroy it."

However the creation and destruction of worlds does go on constantly.
There is no power, no force or no being that can stop it.  It is in this
sense that I said Brahman is free.

I suppose I jumped ahead a bit and the original poster didn't mean to deny
freedom altogether but somehow I doubt it.  As we have seen in later
messages in this thread, "the non-reality of free will" is usually used as
excuse for some kind of soft-headed fatalism.

It is right and proper for anyone who claims to be an exponent of Vedanta
to avoid the actions which stem from desire.  But under no circumstance
should a person give up those Dharmic actions one is obligated to perform.
These are not due to desire.

> Brahman having a will (which is not a manifestation of mAyA) is
> a concept of Kashmir Shaivism not advaita vedAnta. They call this the
> ichchA shakti. Refer gauDapAda kArikA-s or the mAnasollAsa where this
> tenet is refuted. I had given the relevant quote from the mAnasollAsa,
> where sureshvarAchArya refutes absolute reality to free will, sometime
> back.

It doesn't hurt the position I've taken any to say free will is maya.
After all the jiva itself is maya.  From the point of view of Brahman both
are unreal.  From the point of view of the jiva both are real. So the "the
non-reality of free will" practically makes no difference.  The important
thing to know is there no hinderance to prevent you doing what you have to
do.

"Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and the other heroic warriors have
already been slain by me.  Kill!  Do not be scared! Fight and you will
conquer your enemies in battle."

(Bhagavad Gita, 11.34)

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas [jaldhar at braincells.com]   And the men .-_|\ who hold
Consolidated Braincells Inc.                          /     \
http://www.braincells.com/jaldhar/ -)~~~~~~~~  Perth->*.--._/  o-
"Witty quote" - Dead Guy   /\/\/\ _ _ ___ _  _ Amboy       v      McQ!