[Advaita-l] abhinna-nimitta-upAdAna-kAraNatva-of-Brahman

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Hari Om respected members,

it is important to understand as to what exactly is the meaning of terms
'upAdAna-kAraNa' and 'nimitta-kAraNa'. Further, it should be understood as
to how exactly are 'pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa' and 'nimitta-upAdAna-kAraNa'
different? Is clay-pot an example of pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa or
vivarta-upAdAna-kAraNa?

I have made a study of these issues and presented my understanding in the
form of a write-up which can be accessed at
https://sudhanshushekhar.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/abhinna-nimitta-upadana-karanatva-of-brahman.pdf

I request the learned members to go through the same and share their views.
I will be grateful if the infirmities therein are mentioned.

Some key ideas are as under:

1. upAdAna-kAraNa - स्व-तादात्म्य-वति कार्य-जनन-हेतुत्वम् उपादानत्वम्

2. pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa - परिणामो नाम उपादानसमसत्ताककार्यापत्तिः and
स्वविषयकाज्ञानानपेक्षस्य तद्भाव:

3. vivarta-upAdAna-kArana - विवर्तो नाम उपादानविषमसत्ताककार्यापत्तिः and
विवर्ताधिष्ठानत्वं च विवर्तकारणाज्ञानविषयत्वमेव

4. nimitta-kAraNa - उपादान-गोचर-कार्य-अनुकूल-ज्ञान-वत्त्वम्

5. The feature of tAdAtmya/ananyatva/non-difference/avyatireka of kArya
vis-a-vis upAdAna-kAraNa is a generic feature of both
pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa as well as vivarta-upAdAna-kAraNa. Whether the
drishTAnta is taken of mrittikA-ghaTa or of rajju-sarpa, the emphasis in
bhAshya is to show the ananyatva of karyA with Brahman.

6. Clay is the pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa of pot. Clay-lump is not the
pariNAmI-upAdAna-kArana of pot.

7. Clay is not the vivarta-upAdAna-kAraNa of pot. (Discussion on
PanchadashI verse 13.47)

8. ChikIrshA and kriti have no entrance in the defintion of nimitta-kAraNa.

9. Nimitta-kAranatva and kartritva are synonyms.

10. avidyA-upahita-Brahman is upAdAna-kAraNa and nimitta-kAraNa. Shuddha
Brahman is not the kAraNa. विशिष्टकारणताया एवाद्वैतमतेऽपि विवक्षणात्‌ ,
अनावृतचिन्मात्रकारणताया अनङ्गीकाराच्च |


S. No.

pariNAmI-upAdAna-kAraNa

vivarta-upAdAna-kAraNa

1

There is tAdAmya of upAdeya with upAdAna.

There is tAdAmya of upAdeya with upAdAna.

2

There is kArya-janana-hetutva in upAdAna.

There is kArya-janana-hetutva in upAdAna.

3

upAdeya and upAdAna have sama-sattA.

upAdeya and upAdAna have vishama-sattA.

4

There is no expectation of ajnAna-of-upAdAna in the birth of upAdeya.

There is an expectation of ajnAna-of-upAdAna in the birth of upAdeya.

5

There is a vikAra in upAdAna. (BSB 1.4.26)

There is no vikAra in upAdAna.

6

In the mrittikA-ghaTa example, mrittikA is pariNAmI-upAdAna-kArana.

In the shukti-rajata example, shukti-avachchhinna-chaitanya is the
vivarta-upAdAna-kAraNa.

Regards.
Sudhanshu Shekhar.