[Advaita-l] Avidya is MithyA - says a Vedantin

[V Subrahmanian]

It is being repeatedly clarified that the Avidya (mUlAvidyA) which is held
to be BhAvarUpa, does not enjoy the Absolute Existence status that only
NirguNa Brahman enjoys.  And that such avidyA is mithyA.  Here is an
instance where an Advaitins specifically says so:

In the commentary to the Atmapurana verse:


आत्मनोऽनवलोकेन स्वरूपाज्ञानसत्त्वतः ।
अविद्यायाश्च सत्त्वेन स्वप्न एषोऽपि कीर्तितः ॥ २१२ ॥

(In the deep sleep - since Atman is not realized as such owing to the
svarUpa ajnAna ensuing, as avidyA too exists, it (the deep sleep) is termed
dream (in the Aitareya Upanishad which says all the three states are three
dreams).

While explaining this the commentary says:


श्रुत्युक्तस्वप्नपदमत्राऽपि संगमयति – आत्मन इति । स्वरूपाज्ञानसत्त्वहेतोः
आत्मनोऽनवलोकेनाऽप्रबोधेनाऽस्फुटाया *अविद्यायाश्च मिथ्याभूतायाः*
साक्षिभास्यायाः सत्त्वेन एषोऽपि स्वप्नः सुषुप्तिरपि स्वप्नः श्रुतौ कीर्तितः
। प्रबोधाभावे सति मिथ्यावस्तुदर्शनं स्वप्न इति लक्षणयोगादिति भावः ॥ २१२ ॥

The kArya Avidya (adhyAsa, vikShepa) that exists in the waking and dream,
does not exist in deep sleep explicitly.  The inexplicit, asphuTa, avidyA
which is mithyA, which is illumined by the sAkshi, does exist then.

It is noteworthy that the avidyA is termed mithyA.  It is not accorded the
much feared 'satyam' status that is exclusively reserved for Brahman.

Om Tat Sat