Advaita terminology

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 13 Feb 2002, Srikrishna Ghadiyaram wrote:

> I see the word Kutastha-Atman being referred with
> respect to Sushupti Avastha, explaining that
> Kutastha-Atman is none other than Paramatman. So, I
> assume it is referring to Jivatman. However, as
> Jivatman is none other than Paramatman, I guess it is
> OK to say that Kutastha-Atman is Paramatman.
>

kutastha = lika mountain (i.e. highest) or all-pervading.

>
> My question is with reference to Transmigration and I
> am not concerned with EGO. My doubt is we often say
> "The Jiva undergoes transmigration". We do not say
> "The EGO undergoes transmigration."
>
> How can the sentient Jiva which is none other than
> Pure Atman undergo transmigration ?
>
> If it is not Jiva/Jivatman, how can the insentient EGO
> alone 'WILL' to transmigrate ?
>

Really it doesn't but it believes that it reincarnates.  It is its'
unfilled desires which make it do so.  As long as the jiva is ignorant of
its true eternal self it is carried along by its false identification with
that ahamkara.

> While I appreciate your patient replies to my doubts,
> I was thinking that the word Ahamkara meaning 'Pride
> or Egoism' which is one of the 16 modes of Manas is
> mis-used for Ahamkara which is EGO or Abhimana which
> is the prime modes of the MIND (Antahkarana) in your
> above explanation. In the explanation given above, the
> infants or beggers may not have Pride but they have
> the individuality (at least a seed); at least they do
> not say all is Brahman.
>

I keep going back to the example of a baby because that is the most vivid
in my mind at the moment. Now one thing my daughter is doing is kicking
out constantly and waving her arms and staring at her fingers.  In a way
she is doing sadhana!  She is wondering "How big is Shailaja.  Where does
she end and the outside world begin?"  I do not think you can say she has
a much of a sense of I or self yet but it is developing in the light of
her new experiences.

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