[Advaita-l] Is the notion of an ISvara compatible with advaita?

[Amuthan Arunkumar R]

namo nArAyaNAya

Dear SrI Jaldhar,

> I think the problem is maya often gets translated as
> illusion which
> suggests it doesn't really exist when it is more
> correct to say it is a
> lower order of reality.

what do you mean by a "lower order of reality". to
whom does it exist?

> For example.  Common sense tells you the Earth is
> flat and unmoving while
> the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. 
> However after studying a
> little Astronomy, one learns that in fact the Earth
> is revolving around
> the Sun.  Now can an astronomer still talk about and
> enjoy the "sunset"
> knowing that the sun is not really setting?  Of
> course he can.

if the analogy is properly extended, what you've
mentioned is true for a sAdhaka who has *still not
realised the truth*, but has heard about it from his
guru. 

but does this hold for a jN.Ani? i again refer to the
commentary of SrI rAmAnujAcArya (see my previous mail)
where this view i.e. the simultaneous knowledge of
brahman and mAyA (as is understood in advaita), is
refuted.

> Similiarly a jivanmukta knows that what was formerly
> seen as duality is in
> actual fact non-duality.  His perspective has
> changed not the world.  He
> does not need to feel contempt for the world or to
> treat it as
> insignificant.  He just knows its true nature.

the key question is not how a jN.Ani perceives the
world, but rather, in the first place, how can the
existence of a *world* be justified for a jN.Ani
according to advaita?

to put it in another way, what is the advaitin's
defence against SrI rAmAnujAcArya's criticism of
advaita in this context? (see my previous mail, where
i've provided a few references)

hari sarvatra,
aparyAptAmr.ta


=====
Amuthan Arunkumar R,
Department of Aerospace Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
 
Address : 327, Tapti Hostel, IIT Madras.

Ph : 9840482709

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