Advaita terminology

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Fri, 8 Feb 2002, Srikrishna Ghadiyaram wrote:

> Can I understand that "Individual Self" and "Supreme
> Self" are the same "Self" from different relative view
> points of Vyasti and Samasti ?
>

Yes this is a good way of looking at it.

> Can I understand as follows:
>
> Atma in Vyasti is Jivatma.
> Jivatma + Bodies = Jiva
>
> (Sorry, if I am repeating the same question. I just
> want to be sure of the correct import, so I do not
> understand when I see these words again)
>

Yes.

> An additional question:
>
> Is Kutastha-Atman same as "Jivatman" (as referred
> above) ?
>
>

kutasthaatman is a synonym for paramatman.

> Would  you please explain this .  Who is that 'One'
> who can be un-embodied and have ego ?
>
> Till now, I have been interpreting that the "Subtle
> Body" (which does not include SELF) goes through
> transmigration. As we say that Consciousness is all
> pervading, whatever body + mind complex is there
> "Self" will reflect in it, then how can we say that
> "Jiva" will undergo transmigration ? If the above
> statement is true, how can we attribute "WILL" to
> reincarnate to the insentient "Subtle Body" ?
>

Please see my reply to Chandrashekharan from a couple of days ago. I was
wrong in my use of the word unembodied.  I meant the ego can exist without
a physical body.  But of course the subtle body is still a body.
>
> > > a) Is 'Jiva' different from 'Ego' or not ?
> >
> > Yes it is.
> > > b) I understand 'Apavada' meaning removal of
> > superimposition is the process
> > > of realization. In that context where is "EGO"
> > playing a role ?
> >
> > Suppression of ahamkara is a necessary step to lift
> > the veil of maya.
> >
>
> Can we say that because MIND is Maya, suppression of
> Ahamkara means separating the EGO from SELF (Jivatma).

The problem is not that the mind is maya but that it is misinterpreting
its input to the extent that it imagines itself to be a seperate entity.
The byproduct of that misapprehension is ahamkara.

If it were not possible for a thing of maya to overcome that
misinterpretation then moksha would be impossible because ultimately even
Vedas, Gurus and Devatas are maya.

>
> And 'Suppression of Ahamkara' is another word to 'Lift
> the Veil of Maya'
>

It helps but there must also be the positive conviction, perhaps shaky at
first but growing steadier that "I am Brahman."  If lack of ego alone
were enough, infants, beggars, the insane etc. could be considered
liberated.  The two aspects of sadhana, negation of what is unreal and
knowlege of what is real must go together.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/