[Advaita-l] True or False?

[V Subrahmanian]

Namaste.

The reply to the question cannot be answered in a 'one-word' format as 'true
/ false'.  To be comprehensible, the reply has to be worded in the usual
explanation mode.

The scheme of the Mandukya Upanishad comes handy to address this. In this
Upanishad Brahman, Turiya, is presented as the One Consciousness appearing
as the microcosmic Consciousness called 'jiva' in his three states: waking,
dream and sleep as vishva, taijasa and prAjna.  Again, this very same One
Consciousness is  also presented as the macrocosmic Consciousness, Ishvara,
corresponding to the three states of waking, etc. as VirAt, Hiranyagarbha
and Ishwara.

Now, all these 'six' entities, called jiva and Ishwara, obtain in the
phenomenal three states of gross, subtle and causal.  The 'place' or
platform where these two entities operate, namely the world, jagat, is also
this One Conscousness only appearing as such (bhogya  prapancha).

However, the Upanishad goes on to present the One  Consciousness,
Brahman/Turiya, as transcending these three states/two entities and the
platform where these two operate, the jagat.  The seventh mantra shows the
Turiya as jiva-Ishwara-jagat vilakShaNa.  The jagad-vilakShaNatva is known
from the specific word: prapanchopashamam.  The nAntaH-prjnam, etc. words
show the Triuya as jiva-Ishwara vilakShaNa.

This brings us to the conclusion:


   1. The jiva Ishwara jagat triad exist in the phenomenal state.
   2. Turiya, Brahman, exists in this phenomenal state too.
   3. Turiya, Brahman, exists in the transcendental state too.
   4. In other words, while the triad exists *only* in the phenomenal, the
   Turiya exists *both* in the phenomenal and the transcendental.
   5. That makes the Turiya the Absolutely Real.
   6. And the triad only the relatively real.
   7. In Vedanta, therefore, Brahman is the Sat, Absolutely Real,
   pAramArthika satyam.
   8. The triad: jiva-jagat-Ishvara, vyaavahArika satyam (also called
   mithyA, unreal).
   9. It is possible to talk of the triad as satyam in the vyavahAra and
   mithyA, relative to the paramArtha.
   10. However, finally, as pointed out in the GaudapAda KArika, even this
   distinction (satya-mithyaa) is only vyAvahArika; the Truth cannot be called
   satyam or even pAramArthika satyam.  For, to call it pAramarthika satyam is
   only relative to vyAvahArika. Since the vyAvahArika itself is a non-entity,
   as there is no creation at all, the dvaitam of paaramarthika-vyaavahaarika
   itself falls.
   11. Maybe we can then we can use the name 'Advaitam'.  However, the
   kArikA itself points out elsewhere that even the name,word, 'Advaitam' is
   relative only to the word 'dvaitam'.
   12. If we have to completely free ourselves from all relativity, we have
   to keep quiet.

Best regards,
subrahmanian.v



On Sat, Dec 4, 2010 at 4:33 AM, Rajaram Venkataramani <rajaramvenk at gmail.com
> wrote:

>
> According to advaitam, could you please answer true or false to the
> following question?
>
>   1. Nirvisesha Brahman (Nirguna Brahman) is sat (real)
>   2. Savisesha Brahman (Saguna Brahman or Ishwara) is asat (unreal)
>   3. Jagat is asat (unreal)
>   4. Jivatvam is asat (unreal)
>
>