[Advaita-l] Is empathy a function of ahamkara?

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

Apologies for a small correction

I think you meant mamakAra presupposes (require as a precondition)
ahaMkAra, surely, given that the *latter* is the prathamodhyAsa.




On Thu, 6 Aug, 2020, 6:54 AM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula, <
raghavkumar00 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Namaste Venkatraghavan ji
>
> Thank you for the articulation.
>
> In one para, you wrote -
>
> "However, we can accept that ahamkAra presupposes mamakAra. As said in the
> panchapAdika by padmapAdAchArya - अहमिति तावत् प्रथमोऽध्यासः."
>
> I think you meant mamakAra presupposes (require as a precondition)
> ahaMkAra, surely, given that the former is the prathamodhyAsa.
>
> Also in
> The notion that "something belongs to me" is presupposed by an entity
> called "I", with which the thing in question is assumed to have a
> connection, leading to the notion - "This is mine".
>
> I presume you are using the word 'presuppose' in the sense of 'presume'?
>
> The usual meaning  -
>
>
> https://www.google.com/search?q=presupposes&oq=presuppose&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l4.3540j1j7&client=ms-android-huawei-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
>
>
> Om
>
> Raghav
>
>
>
> On Thu, 6 Aug, 2020, 6:12 AM Venkatraghavan S via Advaita-l, <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
>> Namaste,
>> I think what was meant in the original answer was that ahamkAra in advaita
>> is defined as chidachit granthi:, or the intimate admixture of
>> consciousness with the inert mind, which leads to the notion "I" - अहमिति
>> तावत् प्रथमोऽध्यासः.
>>
>> The question is interesting and deserves enquiry - is the emphasis of the
>> query - is "suffering" a function of ahamkAra? Or that suffering is
>> considered to be "one's own"*,* a function of ahamkAra?
>>
>> Given the rest of the email, where one's own suffering is contrasted with
>> others', it appears the intent of the questioner is the latter.
>>
>> Also, what is meant by the term "function of"?
>>
>> It cannot mean a "result of", in the sense that the notion that something
>> is "one's own" is not a result of the ego. The notion of "मम" is not a
>> product of "अहं". As AchArya says in the adhyAsa bhAShya, both are a
>> result
>> of the anyonya adhyAsa of Atma and anAtma "अहमिदं ममेदमिति नैसर्गिकोऽयं
>> लोकव्यवहारः".
>>
>> Thus, from that perspective, ahamkAra is not a cause of mamakAra.
>>
>> However, we can accept that ahamkAra presupposes mamakAra. As said in the
>> panchapAdika by padmapAdAchArya - अहमिति तावत् प्रथमोऽध्यासः.
>>
>> The notion that "something belongs to me" is presupposed by an entity
>> called "I", with which the thing in question is assumed to have a
>> connection, leading to the notion - "This is mine".
>>
>> The second part of the email, then extended the original question to say,
>> and I am paraphrasing as I understood it, if that was not the intent,
>> please correct - "one's own suffering is a function of ahamkAra, what
>> about
>> the sadness on seeing others suffer? If one dismisses them as products of
>> maya, does that leave no room in advaita for karuna? Can one act to help
>> others knowing that all suffering is unreal"?
>>
>> Advaita is not saying that one should not feel karuNa towards others - All
>> that it is saying is that suffering - whether one's own or others' -  is
>> mithyA. If you can do something to assuage it, do so. If you cannot, rest
>> in the knowledge that it is ephemeral and it will end.
>>
>> Both actions to address the issue and forebearance are mithyA.
>>
>> Thus, advaita does not advocate the cessation of action - rather, it asks
>> one to see the truth - that one is not an actor. Actions may continue for
>> the mind and the body - or not, as the case may be -  but in reality, the
>> self is not acting - even when the mind feels the greatest compassion and
>> the body acts in accordance to assuage others' suffering.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Venkatraghavan
>>
>> On Tue, 4 Aug 2020, 18:40 smallpress via Advaita-l, <
>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>
>> > One’s own suffering can be seen as a function of ahamkara, caused by
>> > errors of avarna and vikshepa. What about the sadness on seeing others
>> > suffer, such as the recent killings of Black Americans, even children,
>> > innocent victims.I suppose you can call it karuna. How do we accomodate
>> > this feeling of empathy, sadness, karuna for the sufferings of others?
>> And
>> > how do we act in providing comfort if we see their suffering also as
>> maya.
>> >
>> > Thank you.Soma
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