Comment on Jaldhar Vyas's writeup

[Hemant]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Hemant 
  To: ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG 
  Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 7:33 PM
  Subject: Comment on Jaldhar Vyas's writeup 


  The word Maya occurs variously in litterature. Of course English substitutes are inadequate but their pragmatic utility is undeniable.
  Maya in the Gita is quite different from the connotation Sankara attaches to it. Etymologically Maya is that which measures.Maya 
  to my mind cannot be equated with Ignorance or Avidya. Avidya is individual where as Maya is cosmic. Maya in Sankara is the
  Brahman's power of foisting name and form (Nama, Rupa) upon itself. It is neither real nor unreal nor even an unreal reality. Therefore to translate it as an illusory power, while being inadequate to convey the exact philosophical nuance, is pragmatically satisfactory.
           Secondly, the soteriological nature of Indian philosophy. The highest object of life being Moksha, the company of  saints etc.is extremely desirable (to get out of Maya). But Sankara goes further and prescribes Sannyasa for (serious) aspirants. This Karma Sannyasa is a necessary practical compliment of Sankara's doctrine  of Maya.
                                                                                                                            Yours truly.
                                                                                                                              Hemant
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