Dvaita and Sophistry - Part 3(Inherent natures of jivas)

[kalyan chakravarthy]

Namaskaaram,

> > > > A pre-requisite for eternal transit is the eternal existence of
> > > > such dark worlds which again has not been indicated(definitely not
>by andHam
> > > > tamah).
> > >
> > > On the contrary, there is no indication that the transit is ever
>reversed.
> >
> > Sure there is.  Both Ish. 11 and 14 talk about "mrtyu tirtva" crossing
> > over death.  The "people who kill the Self" go into the asurya lokA
> > that are characterized by blinding darkness after death.  (Ish 3.)  But
>if
> > death can be crossed over then it logically follows that the blinding
> > darkness is not a permanent state.
>
>That amounts to equating mR^ityu with andhaM tamas, which is unsupported
>as the latter follows the former.  That death can be crossed over does not
>automatically imply that andhaM tamas can be crossed over as well.

There is nothing inherently wrong in saying that mR^ityu(or more importantly
being under the control of mR^ityu) is equivalent to andhaM tamas. For in
the katha upanishad it is said, *mR^ityoh sa mR^ityum gachchhati*(KU 2.4.)
One who sees multiplicity here goes from death to death. Elsewhere in KU
Yama also says that deluded people come under his sway again and again.(Note
that there is no mention of eternal hell here.)

This is very similar to saying that one who worships avidya goes to andhaM
tamas or one who has neglected Self-Knowledge goes to sunless worlds after
death. And so crossing over of death can indeed imply crossing over of
andhaM tamas. Incidentally this also answers your original question of
getting out of andhaM tamas as Sri Jaldhar has correctly pointed out.

>Further, there is no indication that the people referenced vide `mR^ityuM
>tIrtvA amR^itaM ashnute' are the same people who are stated to go to
>andhaM tamas.

Again, if the same person who used to neglect Self-Knowledge before or in
previous births, concetrates on the Self in the present(and future), then
there is nothing that stops him/her from achieving liberation. So there need
not be any such indication as asked by you, in the first place.


Best Regards
Kalyan




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