[Advaita-l] (no subject)

[abhishek sm]

Pranams,

When I was posed with this question this was the reply I gave on my
page. What I wanted to know was, whether my reply was in agreement
with our school of thought.

" The cycle is infinite. What has started may end but what hasn't
started need not. This too has a logic behind it- Your question is
"Due to which karma was "I" born the 1st time?", "What was the reason
for "my" 1st birth?".

Observe the one aspect in both questions- the use of "I" and "MY".
When you ask," What was the reason for my 1st birth?", you acknowledge
the fact that you existed before you were born as well. This is
observed when you say "MY birth". So it is confirmed that you existed
before your birth in an unborn form. This unborn form maybe anything.
It maybe something about which we have no idea at all. Nevertheless it
is evident that you existed. Existence is due to karma as we already
know. If so, it means that even in an unborn form you are still
susceptible to the laws of karma. Therefore, you manifest even in
unborn forms. This cycle is hence regressive and infinite. "


Regards,
Abhishek Madhyastha

On 5/26/12, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, May 26, 2012 at 11:56 AM, abhishek sm <abhishek046 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Pranams
>>
>> I'm a bit confused with a topic. The body obtained in each janma is
>> the result of actions performed in the previous janma. If so, then
>> what is the reason for the 1st birth when no action would have been
>> performed before? Does advaita offer an exclusive answer to this?
>>
>
> Dear Abhishek,
>
> All schools of Vedanta will have to appeal to 'anAdi avidyA/mAyA/Ishwara
> icchA' to address this problem.  In other words, there is no beginning that
> one can cite for the karma-body problem.  In Gaudapada kArikA this question
> has been discussed and one only concludes that it is mAyika and does  not
> brook enquiry.  One can only find a solution/end to the problem of
> karma-body-samsara chain by getting self-realization.  Then one will
> realize that one has never been a doer-enjoyer/experiencer.
>
> The best answer, however, is provided by Shankaracharya in the AdhyAsa
> bhAshya, the preamble  to the Brahma sutra Bhashya.  There the Acharya has
> established that taking oneself to be the body-mind is the product of
> avidyA/adhyAsa.
>
> The following too can be useful in thinking about this topic:
>
> Here is a quote from the book 'apacchedanyAya-vaiShamyam' published by the
> Purnaprajna Samshodhana Mandiram, Bangalore:
>
> On page 41 is found a statement by the Swamiji (presumably HH Sri Vishvesha
> Tirtha SwaminaH of the Pejawar Mutt):
>
> //srIcharaNAH: ayam vichAryo'msho vartate. 'aham manuShyaH, aham brAhmaNaH'
> iti
> jnAnAnAm manuShyadehasthito'ham ityarthakatve pramANatvam spaShTam. *yadi
> tu
> sAkShAtsambandhamabhisandhAya te pratyayAH tadaa teShAm bhramatvam
> bhAgavatAdigrantheShu spaShTatayA pratyapAdi.*//
>
> [The Swamiji: ..this aspect remains to be enquired into. The perceptions 'I
> am
> a human, I am a brAhmaNa' when they mean 'I am present in the human body'
> are
> quite valid. However, these very perceptions when had with a direct
> connection
> then, that such are only *error-generated ones is very clearly established
> in
> works like the bhAgavatam.]*
>
> This shows that this error(bhrama)-based fundamental conception that 'I am
> a
> human, etc.' forms the basis for one's samsara. And since this error-based
> perception/thinking gives rise to the whole world of 'other' beings, human
> and
> otherwise, and inert objects, it is only logical to say that this is only
> an
> extension of this fundamental error. This too is clear from the Bhagavatam.
> It
> is this theme alone that forms the basis for the exegesis of Shankara's
> works.
>
> To conclude, it may be said: The reply on terms of 'anAdi' is given as a
> preliminary explanation and to a more accomplished jignAsu the reply of
> 'adhyAsa/bhrama' is satisfying.
>
> Regards,
> subrahmanian.v
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