[Advaita-l] Can the self be called anirvachaniya?

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste Jaldhar Ji,

In advaita SiddhAnta, anirvachanIya is not used in the sense of inacapable
of being defined in words. It is to be understood as inacapable of being
categorized as * सत् (sat)* or *other than सत् (sat)*. The Bhashya, in
three places, states as below

// तत्त्वान्यत्वाभ्यामनिर्वचनीय //

// tattvAnyatvAbhyAmanirvachanIya //.
Regards

On Wed, Sep 11, 2024 at 9:20 AM Jaldhar H. Vyas via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> We have a new mwmber Jeff whose introduction simply said
>
> > Anirvacanīyo'ham
>
> and prior to adding him to the list (for the long delay in doing this I
> apologize) I had an exchange with him about the validity of this
> statement.
>
> I say it is not.  In the vyavaharik state ones self is known as having a
> certain name such as Jaldhar and a certain rupa such being of a particular
> height, particular weight, particular facial features etc.  Even if you
> don't know a particular self at the moment it is always possible to know
> given an accurate  description.  The income tax authorities have an
> uncanny ability to know selves even when they do not wish to be known :-)
>
> But what about in the paramarthik state?  Here the self is not the limited
> ego but known as the limitless eternal Brahman.
>
> He said:
>
> > Turiyam is indescribable (avyapadeśyam).
>
> and
>
> > anirvachanIya also means incapable of being explained in words.
>
> And this is true.  Shruti says of brahman neti neti "[It is] not this not
> this"  Brahman cannot be defined by words.  But it can be known by words.
> The very vakya that contains neti neti goes on to say atha nAmadheyaM
> satyasya satyamiti "it is called the truth of truth"  And their are many
> other positive statements such as ahaM brahmAsmi.  The difference is
> between the senses of "know" as definition and description.  I gave the
> example of the mathematical constant pi.  Most people reading this will
> know it as appeoximately 3.14 or 3,141597 or maybe a few digits more.
> Computers can calculate pi to millions of digits but even the most
> powerful computer is inadequate to  know all the digits.  But pi can be
> used and described inmathematical equations nonetheless.
>
> The self is always knowable.  Only maya can be called anirvachaniya
> because it is nevet known; in fact it is the absence of knowledge through
> obfuscation and delusion.
>
> --
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
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