[Advaita-l] [advaitin] A smart inference by Shankara

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Namaste Chandramouli ji.

The word "positive" can be used for denoting "bhAvarUpa". That is not the
issue as long as it is understood that bhAvarUpa is
bhAva-abhAva-vilakshaNa. All the respectable names which you have taken
would certainly have meant bhAva-abhAva-vilakshaNa by their usage of
"positive".

Sri Goda Venkateswara Shastrinah, in his talks covering Advaita Siddhi,
> terms avidyA/ajnAna as **positive** entity (using the English word) at many
> places. He specifically mentions, concerning bhAva-vilakshaNa of avidyA,
>  that the word **bhAva** here should be understood as Brahman, and that it
> is meant to distinguish them as both are termed anAdi.
>

The word bhAva includes Brahman within its connotation. It does not
exclusively refer to Brahman as it is evident from Advaita Siddhi. If we
were to exhaustively define bhAva, then it refers to Brahman,
vyAvahArika-avidyA-kArya, prAtibhAsika-avidyA-kArya and it excludes the
four abhAvAs.

Please see the following from Advaita Siddhi:

1. न च – अभावविलक्षणाविद्यादौ भावविलक्षणत्वमसम्भवि, परस्परविरोधादिति –
वाच्यम् ; भावत्वाभावत्वयोर्बाधकसत्त्वेन तृतीयप्रकारत्वसिद्धौ
परस्परविरहव्यापकत्वरूपविरोधासिद्धेः, परस्परविरहव्याप्यत्वरूपस्तु विरोधो
नैकविरहेणापरमाक्षिपति ।

Here, there is bAdhaka sattva for bhAvatva of avidyA by the anumAna --
विनाशी #भावः सादि:, #घटवत्. This shows that ghaTa has bhAvatva. Thus,
vyAvhArika-avidyA-kArya has bhAvatva.


2. #ज्ञाननिवर्त्यत्वसमानाधिकरणाभावविलक्षणत्वेनाविद्यायाः सादित्वसाधने
‘अजामेकाम्’ ‘अनादिमायये’त्यादिशास्त्रविरोधः, अनादित्वसाधकेन
ज्ञाननिवर्त्यत्वे सति भावविलक्षणत्वेन सत्प्रतिपक्षश्च,
#भावत्वस्योपाधित्वञ्च.

Here, AchArya states bhAvatva as the upAdhi in the anumAna presented by the
opponent. The anumAna uses shuktirUpya as the drishTAnta (refer
BAlabodhinI). By the definition of upAdhi -- sAdhya vyApakatve sati sAdhana
avyApakatvam -- bhAvatva is accepted to be present in shuktirUpya. Thus, it
is concluded that prAtibhAsika-avidyA-kArya has bhAvatva.

3. Brahman has bhAvatva. That goes without saying. I need not give
instances therefor.

You can refer to LaghuchandrikA and BAlabodhinI, the two texts on which I
based my opinion.

It is a subtle point. I would welcome further comments on this. And I would
request a conclusion.

Regards.
Sudhanshu Shekhar.

>