Advaita : Some Basic Explanations - 4

[Srikrishna Ghadiyaram]

Hari Om !!


--- hbdave <hbd at DDIT.ERNET.IN> wrote:
>
> Dear List Members,
> Here is the posting no. 4.
> Best wishes,
> -- Himanshu

> {\skt jiiva} -- or what we roughly call Soul. What
> we have called
>         {\skt aanandamaya ko.sa}, "Happy" previously
> is also called
>         {\skt cidaabhaasa}
>          = {\skt cit} the brain activity + {\skt
> aabhaasa} reflection,
>         just as the sun produces a reflection on a
> water surface,
>         {\skt brahman} creates an illusion of
> Consciousness in the brain.
>
>         That {\skt cidaabhaasa} plus the {\skt
> saak.sii} which is the cause
>         of it, together are called {\skt jiiva},
> Soul.
>         It is analogous to {\skt jalaakaa"sa},
> "image-space".
>         {Water in the pot is analogous to brain
> activity, pot is shariira}
>

In Tattva Bodha we see Item # 9 as follows:

sthula sarirAbhimAni jeevanamakam pratibimbam bhavati
sa eva jeevaha prakrityA swaswamat esvaram bhinnatvena
jAnAti.

The reflection (as it were) of Brahman (in sukshma
sarira) which identifies itself with the gross body is
called Jiva. This Jiva, by nature (ignorance) takes
Isvara to be different from himself.

avidyopadhihi san aatma jeeva ityuchyate.

The awareness (aatma) conditioned by the upadhi viz.
avidya is called Jiva.

(this translation is taken from the Chinmaya Mission
publication of Tatva Bodha)

Now, is the reflection referred above same as the
Chidabhasa explained by you ?

In posting # 3 you wrote:

------------

The "Happy" - {\skt aanandamaya} is also called {\skt
cidaabhaasa} -
a reflection of something on the "surface" of activity
of human brain,
which gives rise to an illusion (aabhaasa) of chetan
(chit), an active
principle. It is compared to reflection of Sun on a
water surface.

We shall use the words chidaabhaasa and aanandamaya
interchangeably.

------------------------

How is it that your explanation of Reflection referrs
to Anandamaya (Kosa) and Tattva Bodha referrs it as
Jiva ? I thought these two were different.

In one of my earlier clarifications I saught from you,
(when I quoted the sentences from Swami Sivananda's
"May I answer that?") I was clarified that this
reflection was Jivatma. Then I took it to be different
from aatma (Kutastha). Now that you are not explaining
in the same way, what is the locus of Jivaatma ?

Also, I see the other discussion about Kshara/Akshara
Purusha. In that connection when I was reading a
commentary on Vivekachudamani by Vyasasramam, in
Andhara Pradesh, I read that the aatma (Jivaatma)
itself is Kutastha, because it is in Maya. It is
mentioned that the Paramatma (Nirupadhika) is in
Sahasrara. Is it what is being debated as Uttama
Purusha ?

Is there another Knower of the aatma which is in our
heart ?  who is located in Sahasrara ?  or else where
?

Over all how many entities are we talking about ?

EGO, I-sense, Vijnamamaya Kosa, Reflection, aatma, and
Paramatma ?????

Sorry, if my questions are not clear or stupid but I
am not clear of the reflection explained in two
different views. Are these two reflections referring
to the same ? Who goes through Avastha traya and who
knows it ?

Kindly explain.

Om Namo Narayanaya !!

Srikrishna

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