[Advaita-l] avidya is Agantuka

[H S Chandramouli]

Sri Ravi Kiran Ji,


What a pleasant coincidence. You had pointed out that in the Bhashya on BU
4.3.22, Sri Bhagavatpada had termed avidyA ( अविद्या ) as adventitous ( आगन्तुक
) and raised a question as to whether anywhere else in Shruti/Bhashya a
similar mention is made. I was listening to the talk delivered last
saturday by Swami Paramarthananda Ji in the series on Vichara Sagara
authored by Sadhu Nishchal Das. The topic was vedantic epistemology. In
this two types of Vritti ( वृत्ति ) are recognized which are generally
termed antaHkaraNa vritti ( अन्तःकरण वृत्ति ) and avidyA vritti ( अविद्या
वृत्ति ). However Sadhu Nishchal Das terms these sUkShmasharIra vritti
( सूक्ष्मशरीर
वृत्ति ) and kAraNasharIra vritti ( कारणशरीर वृत्ति ) respectively. At this
stage Swami Paramarthananda Ji recalled that Sri Bhagavatpada also has,
while defining kAraNasharIra ( कारणशरीर ) in his prakarana grantha Tattva
Bodha, referred to it as avidyA ( अविद्या ). The verse is as follows


<< कारणशरीरं किम् ?-


अनिर्वचनाद्यविद्यारूपं शरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रं सत्स्वरूपाज्ञानं

निर्विकल्पकरूपं यदस्ति तत्कारणशरीरम् । >>


Translation by Swami Tejomayananda


<< That which is inexplicable,beginningless, in the form of ignorance, the
sole cause of the two bodies ( gross and subtle ), ignorant of one's own
true nature, free from duality- that is the causal body >>



Swami Paramarthananda Ji explained that Sri Bhagavatpada has here termed
kAraNasharIra (कारणशरीर ) and avidyA ( अविद्या ) as synonymous.


The context in which kAraNasharIra ( कारणशरीर ) is most relevant is
Sushupti ( सुषुप्ति ) which is also what is under discussion in BU 4.3.22.
Thus the term avidyA ( अविद्या ) in BU 4.3.22 referred to as
adventitous ( आगन्तुक
) should be understood as kAraNasharIra ( कारणशरीर ) which is also
adventitous ( आगन्तुक ) for the Jiva in the state of Sushupti ( सुषुप्ति ).


Regards

On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 5:17 PM, Ravi Kiran via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste
>
> In the bhashyam to Br.Up.4.3.22, it is said that ..
>
> प्रकृतः स्वयञ्ज्योतिरात्मा अविद्याकामकर्मविनिर्मुक्त इत्युक्तम्,
> असङ्गत्वादात्मनः, आगन्तुकत्वाच्च तेषाम् ।
>
> It has been said that the self-effulgent Ātman which is being described is
> free from ignorance, desire and work, for it is unattached, while they are
> adventitious.
>
>
> Are there any other places (Sruti / bhashyam ), where we can find such
> mention ?
>
> Thanks
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