Maya

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Sun, 21 Feb 1999, Vivekananda Centre wrote:

> let us get back to the main theme
>
> 'The snake in the rope DOES  illustrate the relationship between maya and
> brahman.'
>
> You have kindly said that the rope should not be taken a a rope but as
> Brahman and you have also kindly resent the message explaining that it is
> like viewing a picture.
> You view Brahman as you view the rope?  Then brahman becomes a mere subject
> of your imagination.
>

The conceptual error you are making is confusing frames of reference.  For
example, a common type of Maths problem goes like this: "If a train leaves
London at 120 mph and another train leaves Manchester at 100 mph, at what
point will they meet?" Is it an acceptable answer to say "Well, I looked
at the schedule and there aren't any such trains." No, it is understood
that for the purposes of this problem, the trains are being mentioned.  It
isn't about trains, its about a concept of algebra.  In the same way the
snake-rope example illusrates superimposition.  Nothing more.  Do not read
anything else into it.

> When I said the qualification is non trivial I meant if you replaced the
> rope with say a string or a thread - that may be called a trivial
> qualification and we can take that but this further qualification to the
> concept of brahman as subject of the mind is worrying.
>

For now, Brahman is a subject of the mind.  This is a concession to the
fact that we are human beings bound by avidya.  The end of goal of
Vedantic sadhana is to be able to make a conceptual leap into
non-subjectness.

> I also agree with you and take in your point that I have to continue to work
> on this until the doubts in my mind are cleared.
>

A good way to do this would be to read the works of learned Gurus in
Shankaracharyas parampara.  This has all been gone over many times before.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>

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