[Advaita-l] Define MAYA ?

[Sri B]

Interesting discussion.  Will it be appropriate to understand Maaya as the cosmic mind? There are few similarities between manas and maayaa. In Individuals the mind operates the two levers of - veiling (Avarna) and projection (Vikshepa), resulting in avidya. Similarly at the cosmic level, Maayaa operates the same set of levers causing avidya. Both mind and maayaa are mithya (dependant reality, it is neither real or unreal). Both operate on the substratum - Atma and Brahman respectively. Maaya and Mann are synonymous, similar to Atma and Brahman, which is used interchangeably. The difference is in our usage, wherein Atma, Mann are referring to an Individual and Brahman and Maayaa is at a cosmic level. 	
            

1.     Definition       Mann can be defined as subtle world – sukshma prapancha; Thoughts in the waking state and dreams in the dream state.Maaya can be defined as gross world – sthula prapancha; as Prakrithi is the world of objects
2.     Power of creation Or Shakthi:           Projections of the Mann is called jiva- srsti, which is pratibhasika / subjective reality.     Prakrithi is a projection of the Maaya, which we refer as Isvara-srsti, which is vyavaharika / empirical reality

3.     Resides           Mann is part of sukshuma sarira operating at an individual being i.e. microcosmic            Maaya is operating at the cosmic or universal level i.e. macrocosmic.

4.      Manifestation Swarupam:    Mann manifests itself as ahankara (ego);     Maaya manifests as the prakrithi

5.     Existence Is Mithaya:  Mann has no independent existence; it functions on the substratum of Atma;       Maaya has no independent existence; it operates on the substratum of Brahman;

6.     Expression is Vikshepam:       Mann expresses itself as thoughts, i.e. multiplicity or plurality. It is through thoughts that a human being connects / interacts with the prakrithi; that connection is established as actions through the medium of sense organs    Maaya expresses itself as multiple forms in the prakrithi; as various forms of matter, sentient and insentient; realm of karma

7.     Originality is compromised by Avarnam        Mann in its pure form is verily the Atma; chitt shudhi ensures single pointedness, destruction of ahankar, which is oneness with Atma.      Maaya is in its pure sense is verily the Brahman; if form and the synthetic plurality is removed then what remains is the Brahman

8.     Abides Layam: Mann’s final resting place is the Atma.         Maaya’s final resting place is The Brahman.

9.     Attribute:  Mann is neither real nor unreal         Maaya is neither real nor unreal
Regards
Sridhar








> On 9 Jun 2020, at 2:03 pm, K Kathirasan via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> Namaste, 
> 
> One of my favourite definitions come from the Pancadashi. Here is the verse: 
> 
> tucchānirvacanīyā ca vāstavī cetyasau tridhā ।
> jñeyā māyā tribhirbodhaiḥ śrautayauktikalaukikaiḥ ॥ 5.130॥
> 
> Maya is looked upon in three ways. From the point of view of knowledge and Shruti it is negligible; for empirical reason it is indefinable and for the ordinary people it is real.
> 
> Kathirasan K
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On 8 Jun 2020, at 4:45 PM, Mahadevan Iyer via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Pranams Atman,
>> I came across many definitions & descriptions of Maya.
>> 
>> 1. As per Wikipedia (
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(religion)#Advaita_Vedanta)
>> 
>>> *Māyā is the empirical reality that entangles consciousness.* *Māyā has
>>> the power to create a bondage to the empirical world, preventing the
>>> unveiling of the true, unitary Self—the Cosmic Spirit also known as
>>> Brahman.*
>> 
>> 
>> 2. *MAYA – The seed-state as POTENTIAL ENERGY. *
>> 
>>> Due to the connection between the PURE CONSCIOUSNESS (BRAHMAN) and MAYA,
>>> the phenomenon called ISHWARA as CREATOR naturally transpires.
>> 
>> ( *Brahman with Maya = Ishwara* )
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> Due to the connection between the PURE CONSCIOUSNESS (BRAHMAN) and AVIDYA
>>> (IGNORANCE), the phenomenon called the individual (JIVA) naturally
>>> transpires.
>> 
>> ( *Brahman with Avidya = Jiva* )
>> 
>> 
>> 3. MAYA - That which is *wielded by ( attribute of ) Ishwara to create Jiva
>> & Jagat*.
>> 4. Maya is *Brahman with apparent Avidya*, which causes Ishwara.
>> 6. Maya is the *Cosmic dream of Brahman.* ( but brahman is nirguna )
>> 7. Maya is *Ignorance from Ishwara perspective* ( like avidya is ignorance
>> from Jeeva perspective )
>> 8. *Maya is Anadi*, hence it has no inception. But *has an end through
>> Moksham*.
>> 
>>  - Is Maya a noun or a verb ?
>> 
>> 
>>  - Avidya is clearly understood as the ignorance of Jiva. The locus of
>>  avidya is in the jiva's mind. But what about Maya ? Could we say that the
>>  Maya is the ignorance of Ishwara ?
>> 
>> 
>>  - Kindly convey the best definition for MAYA ?
>> 
>> *Hari Om,*
>> Mahadevan Iyer
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