[Advaita-l] Real vs. Unreal

[Nithin Sridhar]

I feel the example of rope-snake that is widely used in Advaitic discourse
is not applicable the way you have put it. What I mean is, when Advaita
uses Rope-Snake example, it is only to explain the manifestation of the
world as an appearance just as snake is only an appearance and not a real
transformation. And for the time, it is apprehended as snake, it causes
fear. Similarly, for the time, Brahman is apprehended as Universe with
names and forms, there is bondage. Once, the false apprehension is removed,
reality alone remains. Hence, the validity of example should be limited to
just that.

But, other than that, I agree that world as objective reality/vyavaharika
satya is to be understood and should be dealt as such. It is for this
reason, we see that science has never be opposed to religion in India.

But, no drugs can grant jivanmukti. Many ayurvedic preparations, drugs,
alcohol can be used to achieve concentration in meditation which are also
used by Aghoris. But, they have their usage only in initial stages and
there is a danger of drugs controlling you, instead of you controlling them.

- Nithin


On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 11:32 AM, <rajaramvenk at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> We all see a pot where a pot is. We see a rope where a rope is. We may
> mistake a rope for a snake due to similarity but we don't mistake it a rope
> for a pot, man or silver. The universal nature of our objective experience
> (pot, pain etc.) should tell us that there is an objective reality
> underlying them. If we say that the underlying reality is false, we will
> fail to deal with them in an objective manner. The experiences of pain and
> pleasure are universal to all creatures and result from the underlying
> realities such as disease, desirable objects etc. Materialism based on
> realism is required to focus on medical research that remove pain and
> making iPhones that increase pleasure. Is it not?
>
> I agree that vedanta gyana known through meta-physical perspective through
> sastras and logic is necessary for liberation or eternal bliss. Even there
> we may make devices and drugs that give the experience of jIvan mukti by
> creating the required mental modification.  I see a convergence of physics
> and meta-physics in future. What do you scholars think?
>
> Best Regards
> RV
> Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
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