[Advaita-l] What is the meaning of illusion (accordingtoadvaita, obviously)?

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 6 Jan 2009, sriram wrote:

> I think the definition conceptual error will be more appropriate for maya
> than mithyathva.Maya is of varying degrees and its veiling power varies from
> individual to individual.But mithya is same for all -it is just mistaking
> one thing for the other and it is in a lower level and stops with sensory
> perception.Life is mithya is same for all.But living is maya.The same life
> experience may be painful or enjoyable according to one`s concept of what is
> happiness or sadness.Mithya can be held equivalent to transitory or
> ephimeral.

Ok good point.  However I should point out that "transitoriness" or 
"ephemerality" are just particular instances of the idea of mithyatva 
in the dimensions of time and space.  The scope of mithyatva is not 
exhausted by them.

perhaps we can say it like this.  Satya is the unshakable objective notion 
of truth.  Its manifestation is jnana.  Mithya is the unstable, subjective 
notions which is always liable to revision.  The outward manifestation of 
mithyatva is in various types of illusion or delusion

What do you think?

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>