[Advaita-l] Both kAraNa-tva and sAkshi-tva of Brahman are avidyA-krita

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Hari Om,

SkAshI is defined as avidyA-upahita-chaitanya. Verses 1.4.371 onwards in
BrihadAraNyaka BhAshya VArtika deals with the concept that both sAkshi-tva
and kAraNa-tva of Brahman are avidyA-krita. I have made an attempt to
translate the verses through the commentary by Anandagiri SwAmI and also
present my understanding. *Learned members may point out errors, if any*.

*The sum and substance of these verses is as under:*

   1.

   ajnAna is the material cause of this world. Brahman is stated as the
   cause of this world on account of superimposition of ajnAna.
   2.

   Just as causality of Brahman is caused by avidyA, the sAkshi-tva of
   Brahman is also caused by avidyA. Both sAkshi-tva and kAraNa-tva of Brahman
   are avidyA-krita. (कारणत्ववत्साक्षित्वमपि स्वाज्ञानकृतमित्युक्तमेव
   प्रसङ्गात्प्रकटयति)
   3.

   SAkshI has only avidyA as the upAdhi. The flawless definition of sAkshI
   is avidyA-upahita-chaitanya. PramAtA has buddhi also as upAdhi. (मात्रशब्देन
   बुद्धयुपाधिकमातृत्वव्यावृत्तिः)
   4.

   AtmA is non-dual on account of immutability. Still, on account of
   ignorance, it is superimposed and imagined as sAkshI.
   5.

   On account of impure intellect, there is non-perception of self-luminous
   Brahman. (ब्रह्म यद्यपि स्वप्रकाशं तथाऽप्यनधिकृतानामशुद्धबुद्धीनां
बुद्धयशुद्धेरस्वप्रकाशमसदिव
   भात्युलूकानामिव सवितेत्यर्थः)
   6.

   The sAkshi-tva is on account of tAdAtmya with chit-AbhAsa in ajnAna.
   Mere ajnAna is not sufficient for sAkshI, there has to be chaitanya as
   upahita as well. (नाज्ञानमात्रात्साक्षित्वं किंत्वाभासेनापि
   भाव्यमित्यर्थः)

*VArtika and commentary:*

BhagvAn SureshwarAchArya says the following in BrihadAraNyaka BhAshya
VArtika 1.4.371 onwards:

अस्य द्वैतेन्द्रजालस्य यदुपादानकारणम् ।। अज्ञानं तदुपाश्रित्य ब्रह्म
कारणमुच्यते ।। ३७१ ।।

Brahman is said to be the cause (of this world) on account of
superimposition of that ignorance which is the material cause of this
magical duality.

कर्माद्यपेक्षस्यापि देहानपेक्षस्यैव स्रष्टुः कारणत्वे देहवदज्ञानमपि
नापेक्ष्यमित्याशङ्कयाऽऽह — अस्येति । प्रतिपन्नस्य
द्वैतस्येन्द्रजालवदविचारितरमणीयस्याभावेतरकार्यत्वेनोपादानापेक्षस्यानुरूपमुपादानमज्ञानमिति
तदुपादाय ब्रह्म "तत्कारणमि”ति श्रुतिस्मृत्यनुसारिभिरभ्युपेयं न हि
कूटस्थासङ्गाद्वयं ब्रह्म जगदाकारेणाज्ञानमनादाय परिणामि भवति न च
तस्याकारणत्वं श्रुतिस्मृतिवादेषु तत्कारणत्वोक्तेरित्यर्थः ॥ ३७१ ॥

Even though the creator has an expectation of karma, He has no requirement
of body. And hence, just as He does not require a body, there would be no
expectation of ajnAna for Him. Apprehending such a possible query , the
VArtikakAra starts this verse.

This perceptible duality, which is like a magical show, and appears so on
account of non-discrimination, is an effect and it is distinct from abhAva.
Since it is an effect and is distinct from abhAva, it has a requirement of
similar material cause, which should be distinct from abhAva. That material
cause is ajnAna.

Brahman is stated by Shruti, Smriti etc to be the cause of this world. It
is stated so on account of superimposing that ajnAna in Brahman. If one
does not superimpose ajnAna in Brahman, then immutable, non-dual,
unattached Brahman cannot be modifiable in the form of the world. And that
would violate the causality of Brahman vis-a-vis the world.

अज्ञानमात्रोपाधित्वादविद्यामुषितात्मभिः ।। कौटस्थ्यान्निर्द्वयोऽप्यात्मा
साक्षीत्यध्यस्यते जडैः ।। ३७२ ।।

AtmA is non-dual on account of being immutable. However, with only avidyA
as the limiting adjunct (upAdhi), such non-dual AtmA is imagined as sAkshI
on account of superimposition by people deluded by ignorance.

कारणत्ववत्साक्षित्वमपि स्वाज्ञानकृतमित्युक्तमेव प्रसङ्गात्प्रकटयति -
अज्ञानेति । आत्मा कूटस्थत्वात्सर्वप्रकारद्वैत
संगतिरहितोऽप्यविद्यातिरस्कृतात्मभिरविवेकिभिः साक्षीति कल्प्यते
साक्षित्वस्याज्ञानमात्रकृतत्वादित्यर्थः । मात्रशब्देन
बुद्धयुपाधिकमातृत्वव्यावृत्तिः ॥ ३७२॥

Just as causality of Brahman is caused by ignorance, the witness-hood of
Brahman is also caused by ignorance. This is demonstrated by VArtikakAra in
this verse.

AtmA is immutable, and is hence devoid of any kind of attachment with
duality. Still, by non-discriminating people who are rejected by ignorance,
such immutable AtmA is imagined as sAkshI. The meaning is this -
witness-hood of AtmA is caused by ignorance.

The usage of the word “mAtra” is to distinguish sAkshi-tva from
pramA-tritva. While sAkshI has only avidyA as the upAdhi, pramAtA has
buddhi as an extra upAdhi.

ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिरसद्धीपरिमोषणात् ।। तमोरूपामिवाऽऽभाति
भानुर्नक्तंदृशामिव ।। ३७३ ।।

साक्षिणः स्वप्रकाशत्वात्तस्य ब्रह्मत्वमप्यात्मत्वात्स्वप्रकाशमतो
ब्रह्मानुभवः सदा स्यादित्याशङ्कयाऽऽह - ज्योतिषामिति । तद्देवा ज्योतिषां
ज्योतिरित्यादिश्रुतेरादित्यादीनामपि प्रकाशकं ब्रह्म यद्यपि स्वप्रकाशं
तथाऽप्यनधिकृतानामशुद्धबुद्धीनां बुद्धयशुद्धेरस्वप्रकाशमसदिव भात्युलूकानामिव
सवितेत्यर्थः ॥ ३७३ ॥

SAkshI is self-luminous. And hence the Brahman-hood of SAkshI should be
self-luminous on account of being the Self. Accordingly, there ought to be
continuous Brahman-experience. Apprehending such a possible query -
VArtikakAra states:

Brahman, which is the illuminator of even illuminators such as the Sun etc,
is self-luminous. Still, just as Sun appears as non-luminous and
non-existent to nocturnal creatures such as owls, the self-luminous Brahman
appears as non-existent and non-self-luminous on account of impurity of
intellect to ineligible persons having impure intellect.

मोहतत्कार्यनीडं यत्कूटस्थाभासरूपकम् ।। ज्ञानं तदविनाभूतः परः साक्षीति
भण्यते ।। ३७४ ।।

परस्मादन्यस्यैव तर्हि साक्षिता मोहमाहात्म्यादन्यत्रापि
तद्योगादित्याशङ्कयाऽऽह — मोहेति । अज्ञाने तत्कार्ये च स्थितं
यच्चिदाभासात्मकं ज्ञानं तेन तादात्म्यं गतः परः साक्षीत्युच्यतेऽन्यस्य
चेतनस्याभावादतो नाज्ञानमात्रात्साक्षित्वं किंत्वाभासेनापि भाव्यमित्यर्थः ॥
३७४ ॥

Then someone other than Brahman should have the witness-hood. On account of
the glory of ignorance (mOha), witness-hood can be associated somewhere
else as well. Apprehending such a possible query, VArtikakAra states -

There is an AbhAsa of chaitanya, chit-AbhAsa, in ajnAna as well as in
effects-of-ajnAna (such as buddhi). This chit-AbhAsa is the essence of
jnAna. Supreme Brahman is stated as sAkshI on account of tAdAtmya with such
chit-AbhAsa.

Since there is no conscious entity other than Brahman, mere ajnAna cannot
have witness-hood but chit-AbhAsa (in ajnAna) is also required to be
accepted.

Regards.

Sudhanshu Shekhar.