[Advaita-l] what is the technical definition of Drik in Advaita?

[Vikram Jagannathan]

Namaskaram!

Vedanta Paribhasha too refers to a two-fold aspect of perception - due to
jiva-sakshi and Ishvara-sakshi - with their corresponding upadhi of
individualized antahkarana and collective Maya.

The difference whether the sakshi is avidya upahita Chaitanya or pure
Chaitanya is a perspective of vyavaharika versus paramarthika standpoint.
There can be no other entity other than Chaitanya who can be a sakshi, as
Chaitanya alone is, well, chaitanya and anything else mentioned is only
jada. This is the avidya-upahita-chaitanya or even jada-upahita-chaitanya
for the Chaitanya to witness the jada. At the same time, Chaitanya being
one and non-dual doesn't have any internal or external distinction for It
to witness. Hence this sakshi Chaitanya is indeed the pure Chaitanya Itself
with no iota of difference between them.

In this sense, the sakshi is verily Brahman and not different (sakshi
brahmaiva naparah).

prostrations,
Vikram



On Fri, May 31, 2024 at 12:38 PM V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> In the Drk-Drshya Viveka, the very first verse:
>
> रूपं दृश्यं लोचनं दृक् तद्दृश्यं दृक्तु मानसम् ।
> दृश्या धीवृत्तयः साक्षी दृगेव न तु दृश्यते ॥ १॥
>
> equates the sakshi with the drk and says that this drk/sakshi is never
> objectified.
>
> We are reminded of the Lalita Sahasra Nama:  vishva-sAkshini sAkshi
> varjita.  This Consciousness is the witness of the entire universe but
> never becomes the object for any other witness.
>
> The last verse of the  Drk-Drshya Viveka:
>
> प्रातिभासिकजीवस्य लये स्युर्व्यावहारिके ।
> तल्लये सच्चिदानन्दाः पर्यवस्यन्ति साक्षिणि ॥ ४६॥
>
> equates the sAkshi with Brahman.
>
> On Fri, May 31, 2024 at 10:53 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > Namaste
> >
> > I think we have to make a distinction in the definition of the concept of
> > Sakshi:
> >
> > 1. That it is associated with one body mind complex and hence is relative
> >
> > 2. That it is the same unchanging consciousness in every body and hence
> > absolute.
> >
> > For the second one we have this passage of the Brahmasutra bhashya:1.1.4"
> >
> > अहंप्रत्ययविषयत्वादुपनिषत्स्वेव विज्ञायत इत्यनुपपन्नम् । न,
> तत्साक्षित्वेन
> > प्रत्युक्तत्वात् । न ह्यहंप्रत्ययविषयकर्तृव्यतिरेकेण तत्साक्षी
> सर्वभूतस्थः
> > सम एकः कूटस्थनित्यः पुरुषो विधिकाण्डे तर्कसमये वा केनचिदधिगतः
> >
> > He it is the Aupanishada Purusha that is meant by the term sAkshi.  It is
> > 'sarvabhUtastha, samah, ekah, kUTastha nitya, PuruSha.
> >
> > अहं साक्षीति यो विद्याद्विविच्यैवं पुनः पुनः । स एव मुक्तः सो विद्वानिति
> > वेदान्तडिण्डिमः ।।१८।। Brahmajnanavali maalaa.
> >
> > Here the sAkshitvam is upalakshanam for Brahman.
> >
> > warm regards
> > subrahmanian.v
> >
> >
> >>
> >>
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