[Advaita-l] Creation by Brahman - only a nimitta - Vishnu Purana - Sridhara Swamin

[Kalyan]

Namaste

This is actually a below-the-belt attack on the sAmkhyas.

Here are the advaitin's positions-

1. Brahman is the instrumental cause
2. Brahman is devoid of action
3. Moving power is inherent in mAyA (about which the advaitin refuses to explain)
4. At the same time, the advaitin accuses the sAmkhya that the inactive purusha of the sAmkhya cannot cause pradhAna to move

In the first place, 1 and 2 are contradictory.

Secondly, 1 and 3 are contradictory. The advaitin is unable to decide whether the instrumental cause is brahman or mAyA.

3 is no explanation for action because mAyA is indescribable and inexplicable. If advaitin is saying that he cannot explain how action comes about, he must grant the sAmkhya the same leeway.


//whereas the latter gets the sentiency from Brahman, because
 of proximity and thereby creation is initiated//


Proximity to brahman is an undefined concept in advaita because, brahman is not located at any point in space.

 
On a final note, whether any interaction can occur between real and unreal entities is a question worth pursuing. How can the real affect the unreal? Is the mechanism unreal or real? If the former, then there is no interaction. If the latter, then there is advaita hAni.


Regards
Kalyan


 In Advaita the thesis is thus
 stated:
 BSB 2.2.7 
 After showing the defect in the Sankhya theory (which
 provided examples), the Vedantin states his own
 mechanism:
 
 
 परमात्मनस्तुस्वरूपव्यपाश्रयमौदासीन्यम् , मायाव्यपाश्रयं च प्रवर्तकत्वम् — इत्यस्त्यतिशयः ॥
 ७ ॥
 
 
 
 [AudAsInyam, Brahman is of the
 nature of inactivity inherently and the driving urge for
 creation from the standpoint of maya. ]
 A gloss, Ratnaprabha, clarifies:  
 
 अस्मन्मते
 कल्पिताकल्पितयोरविरोध
 इत्यतिशयः     In
 Vedanta, the 'relation' or 'interaction' is
 between a real and an unreal and hence there is no
 contradiction.  
 Thus, the question of interaction
 does not arise. When it is said 'sannidhimAtrena',
 there is nothing that Brahman expects or gets from Maya,
 whereas the latter gets the sentiency from Brahman, because
 of proximity and thereby creation is initiated. When it is
 said 'Brahman is the nimitta kAranam', the sankalpa
 to create, etc. is the contribution of Maya. 
 regardssubbu   
  
  
 
 
 
 
 Regards
 
 Kalyan