Cause of Creation

[Vaidya Sundaram]

Namaskaram.

----- Original Message ----- from Shrisha Rao
> > 4. Finally, if the upaadana kaarana is different from the nimitta
> >          kaarana, we already have a problem - one limits the other.
> > When
> >        there are two real, neither one can be infinite or limitless.
>
> But then again, if the Brahman is the upAdAna-kAraNa (as the clay is to
> the pot) of the world as well, the world as a whole would become real as
> well, destroying the concept that the Brahman alone is real while the
> perceived world is not.

 I have a question - if the world were actually created and if the Brahman
is sort of like clay (the upAdAna kAraNa of the world), then you would be
right, the world be real as well. But if the world were like a dream (not
really created as such, but only "as if"), and the dream were in your own
mind (it is real to you while in the dream), it is still possible to say
that "you (or your mind)" is the upAdAna kAraNa of the dream but that the
dream itself is real only as long as you are in the dream right?
 I mean only, the fact that advaita vedanta posits Brahman as the material
as well as efficient cause does not in any way dilute the other fact or
emphasis that all this really is maya right? So, the advaitic position that
Brahman alone ** is ** and the rest are only ** "as if"'s ** is not violated
just on the premises you stated right?

Corrections and comments appreciated.

bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
Vaidya.