[Advaita-l] Science and Advaita

[Michael Shepherd]

Dear learned members,

May I humbly attempt a comment -- if not an answer -- to Shri
Bhattachariya's question ?

Ayamatmabrahma sarvanubhu... one power we possess is that of atman, the
ultimate observer. That is given us to recognise. So the scientist (and that
could be 'science' as 'knowing' at every level) proceeds by observation
above all. Under that experienced observation, the 'whys' and the 'hows' and
the 'whats' -- perhaps even the 'whos' -- may by grace reveal themselvesin
part, as the links in a chain of being whose ultimate truth in Brahman can
never be reached... but along the way, 'discoveries' uncover partial truths
of creation. These may be but aspects of prapancha; or they may be of value
to the whole human race..

Spiritual writings tell us 'from the top down'; I wonder if we undervalue
this ability of atman to observe purely the truth of that statement, both in
Creation and beyond it ?

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of Sunil
Bhattacharjya
Sent: 02 February 2009 22:45
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Science and Advaita



Dear Learned members,
 
How does the following statements fit in, in the current discussions?
 
1)
Why this world has been created?  Because He (Brahman) wanted to be many.
2)
How the world was created?  "Mayaya" ie. by Maya, the Lord's creative power.
 
Of course further elucidation of the "Why" and "How" is humanly impossible.

--- On Mon, 2/2/09, Dr D Bharadwaj <drdbharadwaj at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Dr D Bharadwaj <drdbharadwaj at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Science and Advaita
To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta"
<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009, 6:00 AM

Sri Kuntimaddi,

Very well said. True, as a matter of fact there is no
'why' of things for the mind to know. It takes only the 'how'
and 'what'. Why is too deep, profound and inscrutable.

Indian vedantic spirituality is well aware of this fact.
There is no pursuit of 'why' at all....only the 'what' and the
'how'.
The 'what' and the 'how' are usually 'known' by
observation witnessing.... the 'why' can be known usually by research
and
application of the 'mind' ...

The karya - karana explanations of 'nyaaya' are also an extended
'how' if we
look closely. They are the answers to kasmaat or kimartham.
Tarkam is NOT 'logic'.

Interestingly, Sanskrit language has no word for 'why' at all.
We use either kutah/ kasmaat [ from what] or kimartham [for what purpose].






Regards,
Dr. D. Bharadwaj
drdbharadwaj at gmail.com


On Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 6:32 PM, Michael Shepherd <
michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

> Dear Sadananda --
>
> Point taken ! But questions take us on usefully to that point where words
> 'turn back',  can go no further !
>
> Michael
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
> [mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of
>  kuntimaddi sadananda
> Sent: 02 February 2009 12:44
> To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Science and Advaita
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On Mon, 2/2/09, Michael Shepherd
<michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>
> Perhaps the simplest point is that science (generally) investigates How ?
> and Vedanta investigates Why ? Though of course, one set of anwers leads
to
> the other..
> .....
>
> Michael - PraNAms
>
> Not sure if the above statement is correct either. Vedanta points to us-
> from  vyavahaarika to paramaarthika - from relative to absolute- the
> process
> of how and why have to be transcended along with cause-effect relations in
> 'going' from one to the other, since it is not a process that can
be
> definable in terms of why or how, since descriptions falls short - yatho
> vaacho nivartante apraapya manasaa saha - the words and the mind cannot
> reach there.
> The transition is discontinuous; hence Shankara aptly calls that
> anirvacaniiyam, inexplicable - yet absolutely real.
>
> Hari Om!
> Sadananda
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