[Advaita-l] Fwd: Avidya and Maya are synonymous for Shankara

[v.subrahmanian]

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From: v.subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, December 5, 2022 at 3:05:07 PM UTC+5:30
Subject: Re: Avidya and Maya are synonymous for Shankara
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta 
<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>, Advaitin <advaitin at googlegroups.com>


IIn the Mandukya karika bhashya Shankaracharya equates Maya with Avidya:

सङ्घाताः स्वप्नवत्सर्व आत्ममायाविसर्जिताः ।
आधिक्ये सर्वसाम्ये वा नोपपत्तिर्हि विद्यते ॥ १० ॥ 3.10
घटादिस्थानीयास्तु देहादिसङ्घाताः स्वप्नदृश्यदेहादिवन्मायाविकृतदेहादिवच्च 
आत्ममायाविसर्जिताः, *आत्मनो माया अविद्या,* (Atman's maya = avidya) तया 
प्रत्युपस्थापिताः, *न परमार्थतः सन्तीत्यर्थः। * (Unreal from the absolute 
standpoint, paramarthika).
While Kalika uses the word Maya (Atma maya) Shankaracharya explains it as 
Avidya.
In another Karika Bhashya Shankaracharya cites the Bhagvad Gita words of 
Bhagavan'Maya:

प्राणादिभिरनन्तैस्तु भावैरेतैर्विकल्पितः ।

मायैषा तस्य देवस्य ययायं मोहितः स्वयम् ॥ १९ ॥  2.19
यदि आत्मैक एवेति निश्चयः, कथं प्राणादिभिरनन्तैर्भावैरेतैः 
संसारलक्षणैर्विकल्पित इति ? उच्यते शृणु — मायैषा तस्यात्मनो देवस्य । यथा 
मायाविना विहिता माया गगनमतिविमलं कुसुमितैः सपलाशैस्तरुभिराकीर्णमिव करोति, 
तथा इयमपि देवस्य माया, यया अयं स्वयमपि मोहित इव मोहितो भवति । *‘मम 
माया दुरत्यया’ (भ. गी. ७ । १४) 
<https://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Gita?page=7&id=BG_C07_V14&hl=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE> इत्युक्तम् 
॥*

One can see the similarity in both the verses: the first one is very 
patently about the jivatma concocting the world. The second cited instance, 
below, gives us the idea that this is Ishwara created one. Shankaracharya 
in both the cases holds the creation to be e unreal and not existent from 
the paramarthika point of view. In the first bhashya Shankara says: *आत्मनो 
माया अविद्या,*(Atman's Maayaa = Avidya). In the second cited Bhashya 
Shankara says: मायैषा तस्यात्मनो देवस्य. Thus for Shankara, whether it is 
Atman's maya or Atman's avidya, it makes no difference. In both the 
Bhashyas, Shankaracharya says that the creation is like that of a 
magician's presentation: 1.स्वप्नदृश्यदेहादिवन्मायाविकृतदेहादिवच्च  2. यथा 
मायाविना विहिता माया गगनमतिविमलं ...

Om Tat Sat  

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