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

[H S Chandramouli]

Pranams Sri Cohen,

Sri SSS has translated Upadesha Sahasri into kannada with a brief
commentary. The verses 45 and 46, Chapter 18 cited in my earlier posts
appear as verses 43 and 44 in this text. I am copying below the verses and
the translation/commentary  by Sri SSS in kannada rendered into English by
myself.

<< अविद्यामात्र एवातः संसारोऽस्त्वविवेकतः I कूटस्थेनात्मना
नित्यमात्मवानात्मनीव  सः II >>  II 43 II

<<  avidyAmAtra evAtaH saMsAro.astvavivekataH I kUTasthenAtmanA
nityamAtmavAnAtmanIva  saH II  >>  II 43 II

Translation by Sri SSS  <<  Therefore let samsAra be considered as avidyA
only, it always derives its existentiality from the kUtastha Atman, appears
to exist in Atman >>

Anvaya  (entries shown within brackets to be added for completion)  <<  अतः
संसारः अविद्यामात्र एव (आत्मनात्मनोः) अविवेकतः (प्रतीयते इति) अस्तू I  सः
नित्यम्  कूटस्थेन आत्मना आत्मवान् आत्मनि (स्थित) इव  II  >>

<<  ataH saMsAraH avidyAmAtra eva (AtmanAtmanoH) avivekataH (pratIyate iti)
astU I  saH nityam  kUTasthena AtmanA AtmavAn Atmani (sthita) iva  II  >>

Commentary of Sri SSS  << This is the real answer to the question ** To
whom is samsAra bandha **. As told earlier, it is only when the three
--Self, ahamkAra and AtmAbhAsa appearing in ahamkAra—are not distinguished
 separately and understood, mithyAjnAna of the nature of ** I am
knower/karta/bhOkta** takes place >>.

<<  रज्जुसर्पो  यधा  रज्ज्वा  सात्मकः  प्राग्विवेकतः I  अवस्तुसन्नपि  ह्येष
कूटस्थेनात्मना  तथा  आत्माभासाश्रयश्च II   >>  II 44 II

<<  rajjusarpo  yadhA  rajjvA  sAtmakaH  prAgvivekataH I  avastusannapi
hyeSha  kUTasthenAtmanA  tathA  AtmAbhAsAshrayashcha II  >>  II 44 II

Note :: The term आत्माभासाश्रयश्च AtmAbhAsAshrayashcha is an addition
appearing in this text. It is a significant addition.

Translation by Sri SSS  <<  Just as the rope-snake derives its being from
the rope alone prior to discrimination (viveka), even so though asatya it
derives its being from the kUtastha Atman. As Ashraya for AtmAbhAsa
(ahamkAra also similarly derives its being from the Atman)  >>

Anvaya  (entries shown within brackets to be added for completion)  << यथा
रज्जुसर्पः विवेकतः प्राक्  रज्वा सात्मकः तथा एषः (संसारः) अवस्तुसन्नपि
कूटस्थेनात्मना (सात्मकः) I  आत्माभासाश्रयः (अहङ्कारः) च (तथैव
कूटस्थेनात्मना सात्मकः) I  >>

<<  yathA rajjusarpaH vivekataH prAk  rajvA sAtmakaH tathA eShaH (saMsAraH)
avastusannapi kUTasthenAtmanA (sAtmakaH)  I  AtmAbhAsAshrayaH (aha~NkAraH)
cha (tathaiva kUTasthenAtmanA sAtmakaH)  I  >>

Alternate anvaya  <<  यथा रज्जुसर्पः विवेकतः प्राक्  रज्वा सात्मकः तथा एषः
आत्माभासाश्रयश्च (=आत्माभासाश्रयोपि) अवस्तुसन्नपि कूटस्थेनात्मना (आत्मवान्)
I  आत्माभासाश्रयः (अहङ्कारः) च (तथैव कूटस्थेनात्मना सात्मकः) I >>

<<  yathA rajjusarpaH vivekataH prAk  rajvA sAtmakaH tathA eShaH
AtmAbhAsAshrayashcha (=AtmAbhAsAshrayopi) avastusannapi kUTasthenAtmanA
(AtmavAn) I  AtmAbhAsAshrayaH (aha~NkAraH) cha (tathaiva kUTasthenAtmanA
sAtmakaH) I  >>.

Commentary by Sri SSS  << This is the answer to the question  ** What is
the reason for either the ahamkAra or samsAra which do not really have an
existence to appear to be existent ** . Similarly all mithyA objects such
as rope-snake etc derive their capacity to appear to exist from the sattA (
सत्ता) of their respective adhishthAnam like rope. The being of anAtma is
essentially the Being of Atman alone, they do not have a being separate or
apart from that. Only due to this, as soon as the discrimination between
Atman and anAtma (आत्मानात्मविवेक AtmAnAtmaviveka ) arises, it resolves
into the Atman >>.

You will notice the difference in the textual meaning as given above by Sri
SSS from the one presented by you from The Method of the Vedanta. My
understanding of the verses is not discounted by Sri SSS. It is upto you
how you look at it.
Regards

On Thu, May 19, 2022 at 3:35 AM Michael Chandra Cohen <
michaelchandra108 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Chandramouli Sir, It is agreed by all that Upadesha Sahasri is a work of
> Bhagavat Pujya. The one Sureswara reference you cited was discounted by SSS
> in my last correspondence. Sureswara's reference to US18.47 is translated
> by Alston in a manner not consistent with bhavarupa avidya - footnote
> included:
>
> rajju-sarpo yatha rajjva satmakah prag vivekatah avastu sann api hy esa
> kutasthenatmana tatha
> "[46] Just as the rope-snake, (though unreal), possesses being by virtue
> of the rope until it is discriminated from it, so also does the (complex
> of) the Self, receptacle and reflection (possess being) by virtue of the
> changeless Self (until it is discriminated from it).1"
>
> fn1 The words ‘Self, receptacle and reflection’ have been drawn in from
> the following verse according to the interpretation of the present verse
> given by Svami Satchidanandendra in The Method of the Vedanta (London,
> 1989), p.335 and p.432.
>
>
>>>>
>>>>