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

[V Subrahmanian]

Even in the case of snake perception we can easily see that it is due to
rope ignorance. It is the rope-knowledge alone that removes the snake
illusion.

Unless there is a preceding avidya we cannot account for the erroneous
perception. Thus even in the analogy there is a Karana Avidya (ignorance
about the rope) that precedes the Karya avidya (erroneous perception of the
snake).  The karana vidya removes both the karana avidya and its karya,
adhyasa. Hence  what Shankaracharya says in that crucial statement 'tametam
evamlakshanam adhyasam..'  it is implicit  that the adhyasa is 'sa-kAraNa
adhyasa'  that is experienced.  Without a kAraNa (adhishthana vishayaka
ajnanam), the kArya adhyasa - anyathA grahanam, cannot happen.

regards
subbu


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