[Advaita-l] How is an object perceived.

[H S Chandramouli]

Pranams Sri Sadananda Ji,

VP probably is the first attempt to present in a rigorous form the advaita
epistemology speciffically with reference to PramANAs..Hence all other
references to pramANa epistemology in the earlier works could be considered
to have been superseded by VP in this regard. Practically all
advaitaic works since the advent of VP adopt the views expressed therein as
far as pramANAs epistemology  are concerned. This is my understanding.

Reg  << I should have Shreeman Sastriji write up somewhere.>>,

May not be necessary. Translation and commentary by Sri Divan Ji cited by
the Professor is essentially the same. I preferred the version of Shastri
Ji simply because I could just Copy-Paste it  !!

Regards



Regards

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On Mon, Apr 13, 2020 at 4:55 PM H S Chandramouli <hschandramouli at gmail.com>
wrote:

> The main point of difference Prof Bina Gupta is trying to highlight is
> that in the view of MS, the Subject stays in the body without extending to
> the location of the object and hence there is no question of the
> Consciousness associated with the respective entities becoming one or
> united. While in the view of VP, the Subject extends upto the location of
> the object alongside the vritti, and  Subject Consciousness and object
> Consciousness become one or united at the location of the object.
> Regards
>
>
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> On Mon, Apr 13, 2020 at 4:21 PM H S Chandramouli <hschandramouli at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Pranams Sri Sadananda Ji,
>>
>> A partial response.
>>
>> Reg  << Personally I do not seeany difference >>,
>>
>> I am copyig below relevant part of the translation of Sishanta Bindu of
>> Sri Madhusudhana Saraswati by Sri SN Shastri based on the talks on the same
>> by Sri Krishnamurthy Shastrigal.
>>
>> << Thus this is the method here. (This is how cognition of an object
>> takes place). The internal organ (mind) which is inside the body, which
>> pervades the whole body, which is created out of the subtle elements
>> with a preponderance of sattvaguna, which is a modification of
>> nescience, and which is extremely clear like a mirror, stretches out
>> through the eyes and other sense organs, pervades objects such as a pot
>> which are capable of being known, and takes the form of that object, just
>> like molten copper (poured into a mould). Like the light of the sun, it
>> (the
>> mind) can suddenly contract or expand. (The light covers small as well as
>> big objects). The mind, being a substance with parts, is capable of
>> undergoing changes. It is inside the body, pervading it, and extends,
>> without any break, up to the object such as pot, which it covers (by
>> taking the form of the object), like the eye (just as the vision of the
>> eye
>> extends from the eye to the object without a break). The part of the mind
>> which is within the body, which is called the ego, is known as the agent.
>> The part that extends like a stick from the body to the object, which is
>> called the cognition resulting from a mental modification (vritti-jnaana),
>> is known as the action. The part of the mind that pervades the object is
>> what makes the pot, etc., the object of knowledge. It is called the
>> capacity
>> to manifest.
>> 87. Because of the capacity of the mind with these three parts to receive
>> a reflection (like a mirror), consciousness becomes manifested (reflected)
>> in it. Though the consciousness so manifested is only one, it is given
>> three different names, based on the three-fold division of the mind in
>> which it is reflected. The part that is limited by the portion called the
>> agent is known as the knower. The part limited by the portion referred to
>> above as the action is called the means of knowledge. The part covering
>> the object, described above as the capacity to manifest, is called
>> knowledge. The object to be known is the Brahman-consciousness which
>> is the substratum of the object and which is unknown. The same, when
>> known, is the phala or result >>.
>>
>> Differences from VP are evident.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>>
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>>
>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2020 at 8:38 PM Kuntimaddi Sadananda via Advaita-l <
>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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