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

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

On Sat, 24 Aug, 2024, 1:07 pm Raghav Kumar Dwivedula, <
raghavkumar00 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Namaste Sudhanshu ji
> Thank you for sharing your write-up.
>
> My understanding is that the tat-kAla-avacchinna-rUpa can equivalently be
> phrased as, "the extension of the antahkaraNam is to be taken as both
> space-wise and time-wise (in proportion to the distance)". This is as we
> all know an intrinsic feature of pratyaxa (in both modern and traditional
> models) viz., that when we look in to space, we (proportionately) look back
> into time.
>
> Even when we look at the Sun, that we are looking at the past is accepted
> in all models of perception.
>
> Also, given that even anumAna agrees that we are only given slices of
> space-time to experience, I agree that there is no particular challenge
> here even to the traditional epistemological model of SDV.
>
> In dRSTireva sTShtiH, as you said, there is no problem since ajnAta-sattA
> is not there for viShayas.
>
> Om
> Raghav
>
> On Sat, 24 Aug, 2024, 9:38 am Sudhanshu Shekhar, <sudhanshu.iitk at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>
>