[Advaita-l] Why does anything exist at all

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste Sri Chandramouli Mahodaya
You wrote -

 Reg If you say Brahman is Creator it will make Brahman the Author of this
Illusion. But Brahman cannot create Illusions. The Illusion is Maayaa only.

I feel the term illusion for Creation is not appropriate because it always
leads one to automatically infer, mostly due to our mental training , that
it is produced out of Nothing. It is more appropriate to train our mind to
think of Creation as appearance OF Brahman instead of illusion. It helps in
our sadhana also as it always keeps us aware of the Reality and checks our
response to our experience of the world. A suggestion made in good faith
and not to be misunderstood, even if you were not to agree with it.


But we read in the Karikas -

दुःखं सर्वमनुस्मृत्य कामभोगान्निवर्तयेत् ।


अजं सर्वमनुस्मृत्य जातं नैव तु पश्यति ॥ ४३ ॥

For this the Bhashya is -

कः स उपाय इति, उच्यते — सर्वं द्वैतमविद्याविजृम्भितं दुःखमेव इत्यनुस्मृत्य
कामभोगात् कामनिमित्तो भोगः इच्छाविषयः तस्मात् विप्रसृतं मनो निवर्तयेत्
वैराग्यभावनयेत्यर्थः । अजं ब्रह्म सर्वम् इत्येतच्छास्त्राचार्योपदेशतः
अनुस्मृत्य तद्विपरीतं द्वैतजातं नैव तु पश्यति अभावात् ॥

Adi Sankara has said here Sarvam Dvaitam Avidyaa Vijrumbhitam meaning All
Duality is caused by Avidya only. This Avidyaa is nothing but Maayaa.  This
Duality is also Dukha. And he is also saying Duality is Jaata. It is born.
But Duality is Maayaa. It is not really Born. It is an Illusion.


 Regards


 Chandramouli

>
> On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 3:19 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>
>> Namaste Sri Chandramouli
>>
>> You are correct but only at a temporary level. If you read Gaudapaada
>> Karikas you can see there is no Creation and no Destruction also. Nothing
>> is created. Nothing is Born. Nothing dies. Only Brahman is there. It is
>> never Born. It never dies. It is not correct to say Brahman is creating
>> something.
>>
>> But if someone says now there is Creation it must be Nothing only. Because
>> Nothing is created according to Gaudapaada.
>>
>> If you say Brahman is Creator it will make Brahman the Author of this
>> Illusion. But Brahman cannot create Illusions. The Illusion is Maayaa
>> only.
>>
>> On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 11:52 AM, H S Chandramouli <
>> hschandramouli at gmail.com
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > No sir. Advaita Sidhanta is very clear on this. Maaya is jada and
>> > cannot/does not  create on its own. Brahman/Consciousness/Atman is
>> > responsible for Creation. Since Brahman is presented as Actionless on
>> its
>> > own, Maaya is presented as the intermediary which acts with the
>> > backing/blessings of Brahman and is considered as the Shakti/Power of
>> > Brahman. Its status of existence  is considered Anirvachaniya because it
>> > cannot be apprehended directly but its existence  is inferred from the
>> > effect ( Creation ).
>> >
>> > There are a number of Sutras in BS in this regard for which the Bhashya
>> is
>> > very clear. I presume there is really no need to enumerate them here
>> again.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 10:02 AM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
>> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Namaste
>> >>
>> >> Creation cannot be from Shunya or Nothing. Because if Universe is
>> created
>> >> from Nothing the Universe also will be Shunya only. This is coming from
>> >> Sat
>> >> Karya Vada. The Effect and Cause cannot be different.
>> >>
>> >> The Universe is NOT Shunya but Maayaa only. Maayaa is the Creator.
>> Brahman
>> >> is not Creator. Brahman cannot Create or Destroy anything. If Brahman
>> >> creates Universe the Universe will be Paramartha Satya but it is not
>> the
>> >> case.
>> >>
>> >> On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 11:20 AM, H S Chandramouli via Advaita-l <
>> >> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> > Namaste. As per advaita sidhanta, Creation is not from Nothing nor
>> from
>> >> > Maaya either. Creation is from Brahman only, but only an Appearence
>> in
>> >> > Brahman. Meaning thereby that it has a lower level of Reality as
>> >> compared
>> >> > to Brahman itself. Maaya is considered as an intermediary step
>> between
>> >> > Brahman and Creation and of the same order of Reality as Creation.
>> For
>> >> > purposes of analysis , It is formally considered as the source for
>> >> Creation
>> >> > ( instead of Brahman ) since it is of the same level of Reality and
>> >> lends
>> >> > itself to be easily integrated into any analysis of Creation. Loosely
>> >> > worded explanation of course.
>> >> >
>> >> > On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 5:13 AM, D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ <
>> >> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> >> > >
>> >> > > शब्दजालं महारण्यं चित्तभ्रमणकारणम्
>> >> > >
>> >> > > We have to understand what the scientists mean by nothing.
>> >> > >
>> >> > > There is an "achala paripurNa" school in Andhra which calls
>> reality as
>> >> > > "batta bayalu" = open space.
>> >> > > They also call it as nothing.
>> >> > >
>> >> > > regards,
>> >> > > Sarma.
>> >> > >
>> >> > > On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 5:53 AM, Swami Sarvabhutananda via
>> Advaita-l <
>> >> > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> >> > > >
>> >> > > > How can something come from nothing!
>> >> > > > On 14 Dec 2014 22:09, "Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l" <
>> >> > > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> >> > > >
>> >> > > > > Namaste,
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > >
>> >> >
>> http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141106-why-does-anything-exist-at-all
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > > This article is saying -
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > > 'Their admittedly controversial answer is that the entire
>> >> universe,
>> >> > > from
>> >> > > > > the fireball of the Big Bang to the star-studded cosmos we now
>> >> > inhabit,
>> >> > > > > popped into existence from nothing at all. It had to happen,
>> they
>> >> > say,
>> >> > > > > because "nothing" is inherently unstable.'
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > > In Advaita we say the Universe is produced by Maayaa. But
>> Maayaa
>> >> is
>> >> > not
>> >> > > > > Nothing. It is Not Sat and Not Asat also. Science is still
>> lagging
>> >> > > behind
>> >> > > > > Advaita because Scientists are saying Universe is arising from
>> >> > Nothing.
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > > --
>> >> > > > > 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
>> >> > > > >
>> >> > > > _______________________________________________
>> >> > > > 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
>> >>
>> >
>>
>> --
>> 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
>>
>

-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh