[Advaita-l] Real vs. Unreal

[H S Chandramouli]

H S CHANDRAMOULI

Dear all,

Let me add my 2 cents views on the subject of Mithya which i understand fro
VMjis mail has been discussed elaborately earlier.

Mithya has no doubt many definitions like nonindependant, nonpermanent etc.
But i think for understanding its implications it is useful to understand
it as a mixture of real ( that is   vastu ) and unreal ( that is  a-vastu )
. When we see a pot we say the "pot is".When we see a cloth we say " cloth
is ". Similarly " creation is ". As we are used to a particular way of
looking at and understanding our experiences, the normal meaning we give to
these statements is that pot,cloth, creation are the vastus and 'is"
denotes their existence. But according to advaitha doctrine, "is" is the
vastu and pot/cloth/creation are only visheshanas. Meaning thereby that
these are not vastus but only "adjectives" ( or makeup/appearence ) for the
vastu "is". The vastu "is" is Brahman/atma. The difference between a jnani
and ajnani is thus the following. Both nodoubt experience the creation. For
a jnani creation is not the vastu while it is so for ajnanis. Also when we
say creation usual understanding is everything external to us. But here we
should understand it as everything other than "is" and that includes the
jiva  also. I have found this to be very useful in understanding vedanta.

Regards


On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 10:36 AM, Venkatesh Murthy <vmurthy36 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Namaste Mitrani
> Previously we have discussed Satya and Mithya here. You can see in the
> archives. There is nothing like Mithya in Paramartha. Everything is Satya
> only. Even if you see a stone lying on the road it is the same Brahman like
> Brahman in you and me.  Because Advaitis have stressed Mithyatva very much
> it has become a negative philosophy. Everybody is saying Advaitis are
> Mayavadis. They are obsessed with Maya. They are thinking of Maya always
> instead of Brahman.
>
> vidyAvinayasampanne brAhmaNe gavi hastini .
> shuni chaiva shvapAke cha paNDitAH samadarshinaH .. 5\-18.
>
> The Pandita is seeing same Brahman in Brahmin, cow, elephant, dog,
> dogeating Chandala and in eveyrthing. Jagat is Satya because it has Brahman
> basis. Brahman is supporting the world. Now it is a positive philosophy.
> The same Upanishads are saying Neti Neti and also Sarvam Khalu Idam Brahma
> and Tvam Anandamayas Tvam Brahma Mayaha. We have to take the positive
> aspect. Instead of meditating on Maya we should meditate on Brahman.
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 9:33 PM, Nithin Sridhar <sridhar.nithin at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Oh Okay. :) In his speech, he clarifies on the definition of Satya and
> > Mithya.
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 9:20 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Nitin: Please check this Anugraha Bhashanam by Sringeri Shankaracharya
> > > Bharati Thirta Swamiji- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJGnpVIQ1-k
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, I cannot understand south Indian language. I am
> Gujarati.
> >  I
> > > will have to rely on translation of the above link and other discources
> > > like 'Understanding advaita and mithyA'
> > >
> > > Difference for Jivan mukta adn Videha mukta is perceived by us, not by
> a
> > > Jivan mukta or videha mukta. No change happens in his state of
> > > consciousness, it does not matter if body remains or not.
> > >
> > > Aum
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > OM
> > >
> > > Sujal Upadhyay
> > >
> > > "To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
> > > nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi
> > >
> > > He who has faith has all
> > > He who lacks faith, lacks all
> > > It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
> > > FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 7:53 PM, Nithin Sridhar <
> > sridhar.nithin at gmail.com
> > > >wrote:
> > >
> > > > Sujal ji,
> > > >
> > > > I agree with the last part that, for a Jivanmukta, the body or any
> > other
> > > > non-self does not exist as non-self, but he perceives them as Self
> > alone.
> > > > His perception of duality is superseded by the realization of Oneness
> > > > attained due to Jnana.
> > > >
> > > > I feel, the only difference between Jivanmukta and Videhamukta is
> that,
> > > the
> > > > former maintains an apparent existence apart from Brahman for sake of
> > > world
> > > > and the latter renounces even such an apparent existence.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 6:08 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Dear Nitin bhai,
> > > > >
> > > > > I think unreal does not mean mithyA. Or say what is the english
> word
> > > for
> > > > > asatya?
> > > > >
> > > > > Satya = Real / truth
> > > > > asatya = ?
> > > > > mithyA (in between) = ? - that which is transient experience.
> > > > >
> > > > > My English is poor
> > > > >
> > > > > Also what is the difference between anitya and mithyA?
> > > > >
> > > > > According to my understanding, anitya means that which is non-self
> > and
> > > is
> > > > > perishable. So if I destroy a cloth, it's irreversible end product
> is
> > > > ash,
> > > > > which is visible.
> > > > >
> > > > > While in snake-rope analogy, when snake disappears, it does not
> leave
> > > any
> > > > > trace, like it's curved path, etc.
> > > > >
> > > > > Adi Shankara in Tatva Bodh defines both anitya and mithya
> separately.
> > > > >
> > > > > In Jnana Drishti, the world is negated and not destroyed. that is
> > > > nirvikalp
> > > > > samadhi. Then there is another word, satvam khalu-idam brahma.
> 'Idam'
> > > :)
> > > > >
> > > > > Sri Ramana Maharshi says, when you look at shadow, then sun is not
> > > > visible,
> > > > > when you look at sun, you cannot see shadow. Similarly, when you
> > > clearly
> > > > > experience this world, you do not experience Brahman. when you
> > clearly
> > > > > experience Brahman which world is not visible.
> > > > >
> > > > > Body is Jnani is Jnana itself (consciousness). It is not physical
> > body,
> > > > but
> > > > > the substratum of entire universe is his body (i.e. Brahman).
> > > > >
> > > > > Aum
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > OM
> > > > >
> > > > > Sujal Upadhyay
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > > >
> > > > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > > >
> > > > > For assistance, contact:
> > > > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >
> > > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >
> > > > For assistance, contact:
> > > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > >
> > > For assistance, contact:
> > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >
> > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >
> > For assistance, contact:
> > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> -Venkatesh
> _______________________________________________
> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
>
> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
>
> For assistance, contact:
> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
>