[Advaita-l] Pramanas - Sruti vs. Anubhava

[Annapureddy Siddhartha Reddy]

namaskAramu Siva Senani gAru and others (discussing this topic),
         I just wanted to summarize the views of SSS regarding the
pramANatva of shruti. The reference is the Method of Vedanta
(translated by A.J.Alston) ch.3, sec. 28, pg. 60. In this section, SSS
discusses how the vEda is the final means to attain (nirguNa) brahma.

Per SSS:
nirguNa brahma is not a pramEya as it is beyond jagat (and the term
pramEya makes sense only in jagat, where there is a pramAtR^i to start
with). Thus, vEda cannot be called the pramANa for nirguNa brahma.
vEda is pramANa in the sense that it removes avidyA (which itself
belongs to jagat). When this avidyA is removed, nirguNa brahma shines
by Itself. (In other words, all the pramANas, namely pratyakSha,
anumAna, and shruti have validity only in jagat, and can operate only
on entities in jagat, and not on nirguNa brahma. vEda, in particular,
operates on the entity called avidyA, and has the effect of removing
it. )

praNAm.

A.Siddhartha.