[Advaita-l] definition and criteria of Truth

[V Subrahmanian]

Namaste.

Here are two more sets of 'three' pertaining to Satyam, Truth, Brahman:

1.  Brahman is taught to be free of

A. Desha pariccheda - space-wise constriction.
B. KAla pariccheda   -  time-wise constriction
C. Vastu-pariccheda  - object-wise constriction.

(trividhapariccheda shUnyam)

2. Brahman is free of three types of 'bheda' -

A. sajAtIya bheda -  There is no other object that is similar to Brahman
just as a coconut palm is there as other than another coconut palm.
B. vijAtIya bheda  -   There is no other object that is different from
Brahman just as a cocunut palm is different from any other object like a
stone.
C. svagata-bheda -  There are no divisions within Brahman unlike a tree,
although one, contains several parts like the trunk, branches, twigs,
leaves, etc.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v

On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 7:28 AM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>wrote:

> Namaste Subhanu ji,
>
> When Shri Guy is looking for the 'three lines of criteria of Truth' is it
> possible this is what is meant :
>
> In traditional Vedanta, it is said that the knowledge of Truth or of
> anything for that matter has to be free from the three defects:
>
> 1. apratipatti (non-apprehension) /  avidyA / ajnAnam  / AvaraNam  /
> covering / enveloping
>
> 2. vipratipatti  -  wrong-cognition otherwise called erroneous
> perception/anyathaa grahaNam/ vipareeta grahaNam/mithyAjnAnam/vikShepa /
> atasmin-tad-buddhiH  denoted by 'adhyAsa'  and
>
> 3. samshaya - doubtful cognition.
>
> I am not readily able to trace the Bhashyam sentences where the Acharya
> talks about the Truth as free from these three criteria in one place.  There
> may be places where He says:  'samshayAdi rahitam' .  But, as you are well
> aware, the Bhagavadgita 13.2 bhashya vaakyam which defines Avidya with its
> three manifestations:
>
> //tAmaso hi pratyayaH  AvaraNAtmakatvAt avidyaa viparItagrAhakaH,
> samshayopashThapako vA, agrahaNaatmako vA.../
>
> Is it possible that these are the three criteria that Truth is free of?
> This could be seen as the 'vyatireka' definition of Truth.
>
> Again,  that Taittiriya Bhashya vaakyam that all of us have been citing in
> this thread, is followed by an analysis by the Acharya to establish that
> Satyam is jnanam and anantam, that which is consciousness is free from
> ephemerality and finitude and that which is infinite has to be none other
> than consciousness and eternal.  Thus He has established there that Brahman
> is at once satyam, jnanam and anantam.  This could be seen as the 'anvaya'
> definition of Truth.
>
> Is this kind of analysis that Shri Guy is looking for?
>
> Your comments are welcome.
>
> Regards,
> subrahmanian.v
>
>
>