[Advaita-l] The Foundations of Adhyāsa - 5.2 (The Siddhānta: The Self is not the Body) (Part II)

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sat, Nov 3, 2018 at 5:16 AM Srinath Vedagarbha via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste,
>
> I think I can add something here from the traditional point of view.
>
>
> >
> In advaitic model, to address the problem of how non-material Atma can have
> any causal efficacy on material objects, the solution proposed is that of
> to deny the existence world of material objects themselves. Only Atma is
> posited as the final conclusion. So called causal effects are mere
> imagination (adhyAsa) only and not  really there to solve the issue. Note
> this position is quite diametrical opposite to materialistic view, where
> the Atma is denied while persisting material world.
>

Brahman, Nishkriya, 'creates' by mere presence

In the Vishnupuranam occurs a long description of creation. The following
verses are especially interesting in view of their unique advaitic flavor:

प्रधानपुरूषौ चापि प्रविश्यात्मेच्छया हरिः  ।

क्षोभयामास संप्राप्ते सर्गकाले व्ययाव्ययौ  ॥ १,२.२९ ॥


यथा *सन्निधिमात्रेण* गन्धः क्षोभाय जायते  ।

मनसो नोपकर्तृत्वात्तथासौ परमेश्वरः  ॥ १,२.३० ॥


स एव क्षोभको ब्रह्मन् क्षोभ्यश्च पुरूषोत्तमः  ।

स संकोचविकासाभ्यां प्रधानत्वेपि च स्थितः  ॥ १,२.३१ ॥

विकासाणुस्वरूपैश्च ब्रह्मरूपादिभिस्तथा  ।

व्यक्तस्वरूपश्च तथा विष्णुः सर्वेश्वरेश्वरः  ॥ १,२.३२ ॥


Then the supreme Brahman, the supreme soul, the substance of the world, the
lord of all creatures, the universal soul, the supreme ruler, Hari, of his
own will having entered into matter and spirit, agitated the mutable and
immutable principles, the season of creation having arrived, // in the same
manner as fragrance affects the mind from its proximity merely, and not
from any immediate operation upon mind itself:// so the Supreme influenced
the elements of creation. Purushottama is both the agitator and the thing
to be agitated; being present in the essence of matter, both when it is
contracted and expanded. Vishńu, supreme over the supreme, is of the
nature of discrete forms in the atomic productions, Brahmá and the rest
(gods, men, &c.)

The significant points above are:

1. Brahman has no active role in creation; its role is merely passive.

2. The example of fragrance affecting the mind by its mere proximity
without the operation on the part of the mind is applicable to the Advaitic
Brahman.

3. Brahman is able to influence the elements required for the creation
process by mere presence.

4. What comes out in creation is Brahman itself in those forms. Brahmaa,
etc. gods and all jivas are Brahman alone in those forms.
5. This is Brahman becoming 'many'.

Whether we deny the creation or retain it, the point is that Brahman does
not do anything whatsoever in keeping its 'relationship' with the created
world of jaDa and chetana. Its mere presence, sannidhimaatrena, as the
Vishnu purana says, enlivens the world of jaDa and chetana.

Again says the Vishnu Purana:

स एव सृज्यः स च सर्गकर्ता स एव पात्यत्ति च पाल्यते च  ।

ब्रह्माद्यवस्थाभिरशेषमूर्तिर्विष्णुर्वरिष्ठो वरदो वरेण्यः  ॥ १,२.७० ॥


He himself is the created world, he is the creator, the sustainer and the
sustained. He is the One, secondless Brahman, Vishnu the Supreme. [This is
the vivarta vada of Vedanta.]


तन्निबोध यथा सर्गे भगवान्संप्रवर्तते  ।

नारायणाख्यो भगवान्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामाहः  ॥ १,३.३ ॥

उत्पन्नः प्रोच्यते विद्वन्नित्यमे*वोपचारतः*  ॥ १,३.४ ॥


The Bhagavan called by the name 'Narayana' is himself *born* as Brahma the
Pitamaha, the Grandsire. Such 'becoming' as Brahma is spoken of only
metaphorically for there cannot be any real 'becoming' for Brahman.


Brahman becoming many is also aupachaarika says the VP.


For a detailed post on the above topic see:
https://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2018-January/048187.html


By 'sannidhimaatrena', the scripture denies any sort of agency to Brahman.

regards
vs

>
> Dvaita Vedanta has a different take altogether, where both side of the
> equation is persisted without denying one or the other. This is achieved by
> accepting an active agency which acts as an  'agent' between non-material
> chaitanya and material world under who's agency all transactions between
> material and non-material happens. That 'Agent' is Brahman. That's the
> spirit behind shruti's assertion 'tEna vinaH truNamapi na chalati' .  Then
> the question shifts to how does 'non-material' Brahman have any causal
> efficacy on material objects? The answer cannot possibly come from logic,
> because since the entity we are talking is vEdavEdya only (and not
> pratyaksha gammya) anumAna based on pratyaksha falls short here. Shruti is
> very clear in answering that question -- iccha mAtra prabhO shriti. If the
> creation (of material objects/world) is said to be from Brahman's iccha
> shakti, then what to speak about causal efficacy about the world of
> material objects?
>
>
>