[Advaita-l] Shankara and DrishTi-SrishTi vAda - eka jeeva vaada

[Anand Hudli]

Dear Shri Venkatraghavanji,

Thanks for the good explanation. I liked it. The reason why any advaitin in
general cannot *explain* the world as tuccha (nonexistent) is that his
theory will be very cryptic and not understandable by people who have not
realized Brahman, for instance disciples, opponents of other schools, etc.
The only statement that can be made with this view is- "Brahman is the sole
reality, everything else nonexistent". This is true, but obviously, it is
not a suitable explanation for a disciple, for example, and certainly not
for an opponent in a debate. This closes the door on any further
explanation, debate, etc. That is the reason why advaitins will have to
explain the world as mithyA (not sat, not asat) and proceed in interacting
with others. Here, there are two options available. One is to say the world
is vyAvahArika satya, and the other is to say the world is prAtibhAsika
only, like a dream. PrakAshAnanda picks the second option, for the reasons
given in the VSM.

Anand