message to my friends

[f. maiello]

Vidyasankar Sundaresan wrote:
>
> In what sense does one regard the world as not apart from brahman? Does
> one see only brahman here, or does one see the multiplicity of the
> universe? Or does one see the multiplicity of the universe as part and
> parcel of the one brahman? In which case, isn't brahman always divisible
> into parts? Then how does one logically interpret the testimony of the
> Sabda, that there is no multiplicity here (neha nAnAsti kiMcana), and that
> brahman is really partless and indivisible?
>

Yes...how can an advaitin possibly disagree with Sabda here?
Isn't it clear to us that that which *appears* as multiplicity
is really only the one brahman?  I don't see the confusion.

> All Advaita Vedanta teaching lies in the resolution of these questions
> only. That is why it is said that there is brahman as the real foundation
> (adhishThAna/pratishThA). However, this does not necessarily mean that the
> multiple universe based on this real foundation thereby becomes real.

Not real *apart* from its Foundation, but [*as a strategy* I think it's
best to regard it as] a real manifestation of brahman (viz. saguna
brahman
or brahman's lila), so the individual in question isn't continuously at
odds with something that he thinks shouldn't be appearing, and if it
does,
thus fatefully considers himself bound and ignorant.

namaste