[Advaita-l] How is an object perceived.

[Kuntimaddi Sadananda]

PraNAms to all.

Many years ago I had written my own understanding of VedantaParibhasha(VP).

I am just revisiting the issue of perception.

I was reading the book by Prof. Bina Gupta, Perceiving in AdvaitaVedanta', where she presents the analysis of VP. In the introduction shewrites, "Although there aredifference of opinions among the Advaitins as to how an object becomes manifestto the subject, most of them recognize the two-fold function of a mental-modeentitled in an external perception: the removal of the veil of ignorance thathides the object from the subject and the association between the subjectconsciousness and the object. (She gives reference to Madhusudana Saraswati'swork). Then she says ' A slightly modified account of the process involved inperception, however, is set forth in VP and explained by Paribhasha Prakashika.She says, 'The view that is propounded in modification of the above accountespouses a mere literal coincidence of the object-consciousness and thecognizer-consciousness. The cognizing subject is here understood to beco-extensive with the mind, which is the limiting adjunct of the cognizingsubject. In a perceptual process, the subject co-extensive with the mind andits modes extends itself to the object and coincides with it. This is possiblebecause the consciousness limited by the mental -mode and the consciousnesslimited by the object become one or united.

Personally I do not seeany difference.

Question is always -how does the perception of an objectoccur? 

We have a) The all-pervading consciousness, b) the mind c)chidaabhaasa - at the subject level.

And from the object point -we have object form which can be sensedand forms corresponding vritti a modification in or of the mind. Theall-pervading consciousness now can get reflected by the Vritti. That makes onebe conscious of the vRitti or indirectly the perceived object outside.Simultaneously and spontaneously a subject vRtti or aham vRitti (which is anego-vRitti) also raises claiming the knowledge as 'I know this is a pot' whenpot is perceived. This is a general description.

It is assumed that the mind perceives the illuminatedconsciousness of the Vritti and the knowledge of the contents of the Vrittibecomes known to the mind - as phala vyaapti. 

The details and the sequence is rather clouded here. Trying tounwrap this process to have some clear understanding if possible. 

Also, how is process differ from the point of Shree MadhusudanaSaraswati? 

Any thoughts on this?

Just exploring.

Hari Om!

Sadananda