Kashmiri Shaivism

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 7 May 2002, Shrinivas Gadkari wrote:

> Shrinivas:
> I do not see how you can ever prove that it is possible to reach
> a state from where there is no return to the world of duality.

Here again we have a problem of worldview.  What does one consider as
proof?  I have no proof that the moon is not made of green cheese.  (Well
some astronomers have said it isn't but how can I prove they are not
lying?)  I accept the testimony of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin etc. who
have been up there that it is not.  Of course I can't prove they are
telling the truth either.  There is a theory the moon landings were staged
in a Hollywood studio...I think you can see where I am going with this.

We are using words like brahman and jiva.  What do they mean to us?  Well
it means whatever parents or gurus or books etc. have taught us.  How did
they know?  From whatever they were taught and so on and so on through the
generations.  Eventually it comes back to the Vedas which being eternal
and apaurusheya can be considered n authoritative pramana.  If you don't
accept this as many don't then we cannot prove it.  But neither can you
disprove it.  In fact we should wonder how it is possible for such a
personto speak of brahman at all?

> Shrinivas:
>
> It is like this: you dwell in your inherent nature of bliss, due to
> your own impulse you desire to witness duality, by your maya shakti
> you project some images and experience them, in the process generate
> karma, and modify the images as per the karma, always resting in
> bliss intermittently.
>

When we say that Brahman is ananda it is because it is purna (full,
complete.)  dukha is caused by the absence of something.  Brahman is
everything in the material universe and more.  There is nothing lacking
because there is nothing else.  So how can such a being desire?

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