[Advaita-l] Advaita-1)Body is the disease

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 3:40 PM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> While it is true that Advaita holds that
> delusion-bondange-realization-liberation happens only to Brahman and that
> this is only apparent and not absolute, yet for the sake of giving out the
> method of knowledge-liberation, there arises a need to talk of
> delusion-bondage.  We have explicit statements to this effect in the
> commentaries of Shankaracharya.  One such is in the Br.up.1.4.10:
>
> While commenting on the line 'tad yo yo devAnAm pratyabudhyata...' of the
> mantra 1.4.10, which means: whoever among the devas, RShis and humans
> realized Brahman as his Self, becomes Brahman' Shankara says: /
>
> /the distinction between these beings as devas, RShis and humans is only
> from the worldly view and not from the view of Brahman-realization.
> ...therefore owing to the thinking that arises due to the body-mind
> apparatus that the distinction across devas, RShis and humans is
> recognized.  However, in each of these beings (devas, etc.) it is Brahman
> alone that was before the realization as 'I am Brahman', by wrongly
> identifying itself with the body-mind apparatus of devas, etc.//
>
> paramArthatastu tatra tatra brahmaiva agrE AsIt prAkpratibodhAt,
> devAdisharIreShu, *anyathaiva vibhAvaymAnam*. tadAtmAnameva avEt tathaiva
> cha sarvamabhavt.
>
> This expression *anyathaiva vibhAvaymAnam *is the confirmation that
> according to Shankara it is Brahman that is deluded into identifying itself
> with the bodies of devas, etc. prior to getting the realization of its true
> nature as 'I am Brahman' and thereby realizing its infinite nature.
>

Here is another sentence from Shankara's commentary on the Br.up.1.4.10
that shows Brahman is the one that is deluded and that alone is the one
that becomes enlightened:

//This, the Brahman (Self) that is perceived as being in this body, was
indeed - this word is emphatic - Brahman, and all, in the beginning, even
before realiization.  *But owing to ignorance it superimposes on itself the
notion that it is not Brahman, and that it is not all, and consequently
thinks, through mistake, that it is an agent, possessed of activity, the
experiencer of its fruits, happy or miserable, and transmigrating.*  But
really it is Brahman different from all the foregoing and is all.  Being
somehow awakened by a merciful teacher who told it that it was not subject
to transmigration, 'It knew only Itself', its own natural Self, that is,
which is free from differentiations superimposed by ignorance.  This is the
meaning of the particle 'eva' (only).//

p.108 of Sw.Madhavananda's translation.  The above is the commentary for
the very mantra's words.  Here we find the entire journey from ignorance to
knowledge captured in a crisp manner.


Thus, according to Shankara it is Brahman that is deluded and it is Brahman
alone that acquires the knowledge/realization 'I am Brahman'.  Many
non-advaitins object to the proposition that Brahman is subject to
ignorance.  Many others who have not understood Shankara's bhashya too
object to the idea that Brahman is deluded.  However it is to be borne in
mind that Advaita, following the Upanishads, does not mean to say that
Brahman is really deluded.  The delusion and the freedom from it is only
apparent.  There is neither bondage nor liberation in absolute terms.  It
is only a prakriyaa that is brought in to account for the apparent bondage
that is experienced and liberation that is sought after.  The ultimate
truth, in the words of GaudapAda is:

न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिः न बद्धो न च साधकः ।
न मुमुक्षुर्नवै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ G.K. 2.32
There is neither dissolution nor creation, none in bondage and
none practicing disciplines. There is none seeking Liberation
and none liberated. This is the absolute truth.

regards
subrahmanian.v





Just to answer the doubts, theories of creation are explained. Later on
> they are negated by words such as 'that which is not being and not non
> being', 'without speech', etc. Upon removal of Brahman, noting new is
> found. The consciousness 'I' remains the same, but instead of
> individuality, now it is totality.
>
> 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 Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 9:14 AM, Swamisarvabhutananda <
> swami.sarvabhutananda at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > OM
> > Sarvajna Brahman can never ever be ignorant!
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> > > On 11-Jan-2014, at 8:45 am, Srirudra <srirudra at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dears
> > > It is said that Brahman out of ignorance created body .Does it mean
> that
> > Brahman is also subject to avidhya? I think this may not be a correct
> > understanding.Kasmin Bhagavo vignyaya sarvam  idham vigyanatham bhavathi
> > says Mundaka Upanishad.That is Brahman is knowledge.For a jivathma it may
> > be acceptable.Just to explain certain difficult to understand
> propositions
> > we should not give our own interpretations and complicate the issues
> dealt
> > with by the Upanishads.It equally applies to Bhashyas
> also.R.Krishnamoorthy.
> > >
> > > Sent from my iPad
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