[Advaita-l] Does the mukta/jnani see the world?

[Michael Chandra Cohen]

Does the mukta/jnani see the world?
from: Sri Swami Satchidanandendra Saraswati (SSSS), Sugama (SKT - Version);
Section 71 (tr. Hishi Ryo ji):
(English tr. follows)
विनष्टत्वात् कथं भेदज्ञानानुवृत्तिः ? तदभावे च कथं
शिष्येभ्यस्तत्त्वज्ञानोपदेशः ? तदनुवृत्तौ स्वयमज्ञस्य कथमाचार्यत्वम् ?
बाधितानुवृत्तिस्वीकारेऽपि कथं मिथ्याविषयत्वनिश्चये सत्युपदेशाय प्रवृत्तिः ?
कथं च नित्यनिवृत्ताज्ञानस्य भगवतोऽर्जुनं प्रति गीतोपदेशः ?
तस्माद्विद्याविद्यास्वरूपविभागोऽयमसमञ्जस एवेति न प्रतिभातिति चेत् । अत्र
प्रष्टव्यो भवान् । किं द्वैतसत्यत्वबाधकमद्वैतज्ञानमङ्गीकृत्येदं प्रश्नजालं
प्रतायतेऽथवा अनभ्युपगम्येति । तत्र प्रथमे कल्पे तावन्न प्रश्नो नापि
चोत्तरम् । न ह्यद्वितीय तत्त्वज्ञाने सति पुनरपि किञ्चित् चोद्यम् भवति ।
द्वितीये तुकल्पेऽज्ञदृष्ट्या सर्वोऽप्ययं व्यवहारोऽवकल्पत एवेति न
कस्यचिदाक्षेपस्यावकाशः ।
न ह्यद्वैतसिद्धान्ते ज्ञानोत्पत्त्यज्ञानबाधगुरुशिष्यभेदोपदेशादिकं परमार्थ
इत्यभ्युपगम्यते प्रपञ्चसद्भावतनिवृत्ती वा पारमार्थिके इति ।
द्वैतज्ञानसन्दूषितचित्तानां तु शिष्याणा क्रमेण बोधनायेदं सर्वं
प्रक्रियारचनमिति नात्र किंचिदसामञ्जस्यम् यथाऽऽह भगवान् भाष्यकारः
"एकस्मिन्ब्रह्मणि निरुपाधिके नोपदेशः, नोपदेष्टा, न च उपदेशग्रहणफलम्"इति।
Interpretation/Translation:
How can there be a continuance of duality (knowledge of difference,
bhedajñānānuvṛttiḥ)) after it has been sublated ('eliminated')? And because
it has been sublated (i.e. absence of wrong knowledge), how can there be
any instruction of knowledge of reality to students? And in the case
(bhedajñānānuvṛttiḥ) continues, how can such an ignorant assume to be a
teacher? Even when such a continuation of what has been sublated
(bādhitānuvṛtti) is accepted, how can there be an engagement ('activity) of
teaching the Truth when the subject matter has been (already) determined to
be wrong? And how was the teaching in Bhagavad Gita by the Lord to Arjuna
possible who is eternally devoid of it [i.e. ignorance]? Therefore, one
should ask if this division of knowledge and ignorance is (itself) proper.
(Consequently), are these questions (objections) from the perspective of
Non-Duality ('by acceptance of non-reality) that contradicts duality, or is
(non-duality) not at all accepted? In the former, there is no need for a
question or response, as there is no question or response from the
perspective of Non-Duality/Brahman. In the second case, however, all these
questions are conceived from the perspective of ignorance, so there is
(also) no room for these (valid) questions (or objections).
According to Advaita SiddhAnta, i.e. from the perspective of ultimate
reality (paramArtha), [concepts such as] liberation, avidyA gets (really)
eliminated, a distinction between teacher and disciple etc. is certainly
not accepted. Rather, the cessation (sublation) of understanding the
world/duality (as 'real') is considered the ultimate truth.
(However) for disciples whose minds are (still) influenced by dualistic
notions (i.e. ignorants), this prakriyA (i.e. adhyAropApavAda) is gradually
shaped towards their liberation. There is nothing inappropriate, as the
revered bhAShyakAra says:
"(Nevertheless, in case you think that) when the one unconditioned Brahman
is realized as the only reality, there is neither instruction nor
instructor nor the result of comprehending the instruction (BrUP 2.1.20 Bh.
Sw. MADVH)."