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

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste.

On Tue, May 17, 2022 at 8:16 PM Michael Chandra Cohen via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

<<  However, this is a recent study that better informs this thread of
discussion. I think it is a worthy support for some of SSS's contentions
and I implore all forum members to give it some thought.
best regards.

https://www.academia.edu/79198170/The_Reliability_of_Hacker_s_Criteria_for_Determining_%C5%9Aa%E1%B9%85kara_s_Authorship
>>,

The article deals principally with authorship of various prakarana granthas
attributed to Sri Bhagavatpada. I presume this is in response to my post
citing references to such works which contradict contention of Hacker

<<    For instance,  Hacker states,

"If follows from what has been discussed up to this point that S. does not
materialize avidyA. As a result the adjective jada, which is constantly
added to avidyA from PadmapAda onward ... is missing in S. Moreover, the
epithet *bhavarupa, *which can be found in Advaita texts from JnAnottama
onward, is missing"  >>

Sri SSS himself, while dismissing authorship claims of most of such works
generally attributed to Sri Bhagavatpada, readily admits that Upadesha
Sahasri is indeed the work of Sri Bhagavatpada. In holding this view, he
draws upon the fact that this work is repeatedly cited by Swami
Sureswaracharya in his own works. And Sri SSS is by his own admission an
ardent follower of Swami Sureswaracharya.

Swami Sureswaracharya contends in BUBV 1-4-442 that ajnAna derives its
status of apparent existence (bhAvarUpa)  from the सद्वस्तु (sadvastu ).

<<  मिथ्याज्ञानस्य  वस्तुत्वं  येनैव  स्यात्सदात्मना II  अज्ञानस्यापि  तेनैष
सत्यत्वं  केन  वार्यते ?  II  >>

<<  mithyAj~nAnasya  vastutvaM  yenaiva  syAtsadAtmanA II  aj~nAnasyApi
tenaiSha  satyatvaM  kena  vAryate ?  II  >>

In support of this, Swami Sureswaracharya refers to and cites the Upadesha
Sahasri verse 18-46 as BUBV 1-4-443 wherein he adds in the fourth pAda that
such a view is as espoused by his predecessors, meaning Sri Bhagavatpada.
The first three pAdAs are a repeat of verse 18-46 of Upadesha Sahasri.

<<  रज्जुसर्पो  यधा  रज्ज्वा  सात्मकः  प्राग्विवेकतः I  अवस्तुसन्नपि  ह्येष
इति पूजैरपीरितम्  II  >>

<<  rajjusarpo  yadhA  rajjvA  sAtmakaH  prAgvivekataH I  avastusannapi
hyeSha  iti pUjairapIritam  II  >>



Undoubtedly, Hacker got his data wrong in concluding that

<<  "If follows from what has been discussed up to this point that S. does
not
materialize avidyA. As a result the adjective jada, which is constantly
added to avidyA from PadmapAda onward ... is missing in S. Moreover, the
epithet *bhavarupa, *which can be found in Advaita texts from JnAnottama
onward, is missing"  >>

Presumably his subsequent observations are heavily influenced by this wrong
starting point.
Regards

On Tue, May 17, 2022 at 8:16 PM Michael Chandra Cohen via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste and pranam to all who responded to my initial post. I am having
> server issues and am otherwise overwhelmed with formulating suitably
> thoughtful replies.
>
> However, this is a recent study that better informs this thread of
> discussion. I think it is a worthy support for some of SSS's contentions
> and I implore all forum members to give it some thought.
> best regards.
>
>
> https://www.academia.edu/79198170/The_Reliability_of_Hacker_s_Criteria_for_Determining_%C5%9Aa%E1%B9%85kara_s_Authorship
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