[Advaita-l] Role of antah-karaNa-vritti in vishaya-pratyaksha

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Namaste Raghav ji.

//The question was about how such a vedAnta paribhAShA pratyaxa pariccheda
model falls foul of certain current observations.//

This model is not unique to VedAnta ParibhAshA. It is discussed in VivaraNa
- प्रकाशस्वभावं सावयवमन्तःकरणमदृष्टेन्द्रियादिसहकृतं ध्रुवादिविषयपर्यन्तं
दीर्घप्रभाकारेण परिणमते; तेजसः शीघ्रातिदूरगमनदर्शनात्, परिणामद्वारेण
चकर्तृकर्मसम्बन्धोऽवस्थाविशेषः इत्याह--स च प्राप्‌नोतिक्रियाहितेति।।

This is again rooted in TaittirIya bhAshya where AchArya says - स्वरूपं
ज्ञप्तिः न ततो व्यतिरिच्यते । अतो नित्यैव । तथापि
*बुद्धेरुपाधिलक्षणायाश्चक्षुरादिद्वारैर्विषयाकारपरिणामिन्याः
ये शब्दाद्याकारावभासाः*, ते आत्मविज्ञानस्य विषयभूता उत्पद्यमाना एव
आत्मविज्ञानेन व्याप्ता.

So, pratikarma-vyavasthA is well recognized in bhAshya, VivaraNa and other
texts.

However, one must appreciate that it is only for manda-adhikArI and is not
accepted in DSV wherein ajnAta-sattA of vishaya is not admitted. As MS says
categorically  in Advaita Siddhi in DSV - प्रतिकर्मव्यवस्थायाः
संप्रयोगादिहेतुत्रयजन्यत्वरूपाध्यासतटस्थलक्षणस्य च *मन्दाधिकारिविषयत्वात्* ।

With this background, the following problem can be solved.

If there is a dead star (a remnant of a supernova), say, a 1000 light years
> away, its last rays of light reach us just now and pratyaxa pramA occurs
> just now.. At yet, at this instant, there is no luminous star  at that
> distant region where the star had been shining until 1000 years ago, for
> the antaHkaraNa to extend till there and cover it.
>

As we know, this extension of antah-karaNa is admitted only in shabda and
rUpa pratyaksha. For other three objects of senses, this extension is not
admitted. VedAnta ParibhAshA says - तत्र घ्राणरसनत्वगिन्द्रियाणि
स्वस्थानस्थितान्येव गन्धरसस्पर्शोपलम्भान् जनयन्ति । चक्षुःश्रोत्रे तु स्वत
एव विषयदेशं गत्वा स्वस्वविषयं गृह्णीतः, श्रोत्रस्यापि चक्षुरादिवत्
परिच्छिन्नतया भेर्यादिदेशगमनसम्भवात् ।

Now, any model is formulated based on our experience. I believe that the
problem of perception of dead star cannot be handled by this model without
some clarification. Similarly, the difference in timing of perception of
sound and light in case of lightning cannot be explained without some
clarification in the model.

So, my clarification to the model is described in this PDF
https://sudhanshushekhar.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/e0a4aae0a58de0a4b0e0a4a4e0a58de0a4afe0a495e0a58de0a4b7-e0a4aae0a58de0a4b0e0a495e0a58de0a4b0e0a4bfe0a4afe0a4be-3.pdf

The sum and substance of clarification is as under:

1. The extension of chakshu-indriya (shrotra-indriya) from
golaka-sthAna-within-body to vishaya happens only when there is stimulation
thereof by tat-kAla-avachchhinna-prabhA (dhvani) coming from vishaya
(rUpa/shabda), due to reflection/origination.

2. As long as there is presence of tat-kAla-avachchhinna-prabhA (dhvani),
so long one has to accept the presence of tat-kAla-avachchhinna-rUpa
(shabda). This is fala-bala-kalpya.

3. antah-karaNa rides over elongated indriya and makes
tat-kAla-avachchhina-rUpa (shabda) as the vishaya in etat-kAla.

Thus, we have the perception of dead star in pratikarma-vyavasthA. And we
can explain perception in case of lightning.

The key presumption is continuance of presence of
tat-kAla-avachchhinna-rUpa (shabda) in etat-kAla. The access to
tat-kAla-avachchhinna-rUpa (shabda) is owing to excitation of
chakshu/shrotra by tat-kAla-avachchhinna-prabhA (dhvani). This is validated
by acceptance yogI-pratyaksha of past and also by modern science which
accepts continuous presence of past, present and future (it is only the
question of accessibility - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrqmMoI0wks).

I feel quite convinced by this clarification. I had some discussion in this
regard and no sustainable objection could be adduced.

Regards.
Sudhanshu Shekhar.