[Advaita-l] (no subject)

[Srikanta Narayanaswami]

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Re: [Advaita-l] किं श्रीमद्भागवतं प्रच्छन्नं बौद्धम् ?
There are lot of difference between Buddhism and Advaita.
There are also many "Shaka bhedas"in Buddhism.Before Mahayana became popular,the 
Hinayana which is believed to be only taught by Gautama  Buddha,held the 
"sarvastivada"that all things exist.This is like what our Dvaitin brothers 
hold.In it Buddha taught only the Astanga marga of good speech,good 
conduct,etc.Then it was divided into Vaibhasika and the Sautrantika views.The 
Vaibhasikas held that the grantha"Vibhasa"is the authority,which says that all 
things are real and they can be directly perceived and inferred.The Sautrantikas 
(relying on the sutras)notably Yogacara Vijnana vadins held that the things are 
only apparent,they cannot be directly perceived,but can only be inferred.They 
were called "ksanika Vijnana"vadins.Vasubandhu,and Dignaga belonged to this 
school.They say that only Jnana is real,but this also is not permanent.There is 
no substratum or Alambana for this jnana.It appears to be continuous,but they 
are fleeting.Shankara asks,then how memory can be formed without a basis?There 
must be a constant witness who must say they are not this.The Sunyavadins of the 
Nagarjuna group said that "Pratitya samutpada"(the theory of conditional 
co-origination")is the truth.It says that though we see the sprout comes out the 
seed,both are without self-nature.Therefore,sarve nissvabhavah"is the ultimate 
truth taught by the Buddha.Thouth the sprout comes out of the seed,they are 
changing.We cannot say which is the cause?The aggregates of 
Air,water,mud,fertiliser etc.are responsible for the sprout to come out of the 
seed.Similarly,in nature it is "sadhyasama",just as the seed-sprout 
illustration.
 
But,Shankara says that though these are only appearances,but the 
substratum(Brahman)is real.SriBhagavatam supports this.Though this world appears 
as if "Parichhinna"it is not without a substratum.The one appears as many,due to 
maya.Nothing appears without a reality behind.Even a Mayavi(magician)is 
necessary for the magic to take place.
N.Srikanta.