[Advaita-l] Paul Hacker on Avidya in Brahma Sutras

[V Subrahmanian]

On Fri, May 27, 2022 at 8:09 PM Michael Chandra Cohen via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Sri Vinodh, Yes indeed - neither mAyA nor avidyA exists outside perception
> - no different than dream, perception only.




> Conventional Vedanta however posits eshwara's mAyA that survives the fall
> of avidyA.
>

This is correct in this sense that when a Jiva overcomes Avidya and becomes
enlightened and therefore liberated, Ishwara and his connection with the
world and all the other jivas does not end.  All the other jivas continue
to be in Samsara and Ishwara's relevance is definitely there for all of
them. This is the conventional stand of Advaita. Only if this is admitted
the possibility of one Jiva becoming enlightened and teaching the others is
possible. The others who are in the path of realisation are yet under the
protection and guidance of Ishwara.  It is Ishwara that has enabled the
connection between the jivas and the enlightened Jnani.  The delay for the
enlightened one to get videha Mukti is only until his prarabdha is over.
Advaita does not accept prarabdha to Ishwara because Ishwara is never a
Jiva according to Advaita. Ishwara is nitya (pravaha/parinami) Sarvajna in
Advaita.

In the Brahma sutras there is a discussion on a Jnani taking one or many
more births to exhaust his extremely great Punya prarabdha and his taking
births is ordained by Ishwara. Such a Jiva is called 'Aadhikarika purusha',
like Veda Vyasa who was a sage by name Apantara tamas.

regards
subbu



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