Duality

[Subrahmanian, Sundararaman V [IT]]

Sri Ravishankar wrote:
> -- as long as there is duality there is trouble. We see

dvaita in its fundamental sense means the perception of object as distinct
from subject, but having a relationship between them.  As you have rightly
said duality is the source of trouble.  Our scriptures say:  dvaitAt
(dvitIyat) hi (vai) bhayam bhavati.

But if we analyse carefully we will see that the subject-object-duality by
itself is not the cause of misery in life.  If one can live peacefully with
subject-object-duality nobody will study Vedanta.  But misery is caused by
another kind of duality which has subject-object-duality as its basis - that
is - seeker-sought-duality.

We are all seekers of one kind or the other.  We seek something that is
"outside" us.  There is a separation between us and what we want.  Without
this "outside object" we are not full.  We desire to possess it.  If we
don't possess it we are distraught.  If we possess it we are afraid that we
will lose it.  Therefore we hold on more tightly.  When we hold one thing
more tightly we lose others.  All these problems together are clubbed under
the term "bhayam" in the above mentioned line.  So as long as what I seek is
outside of me and without which I am not full, I have misery (bhayam, fear).

Of course the basis for the seeker-sought-duality is the
subject-object-duality.  Resolving one resolves both.  The only cure is to
know that we are already full which is the subject matter of Vedanta.

Regards,
SVS

PS:  Courtesy - Swami Dayananda Sarasvati's talks on Advaita Makaranda.