Guest guest Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hari Om,We have been trying to understand the essence of Advaita Vedanta in these postings. The individual (jiva) under the influence of of avidya takes the world to be real, considers itself to be the doer(Karta), experiencer (Bhokta) and knower (gnata) although these features are not real. It performs prescribed deeds (vihita karma)and commits interdicted actions (nishiddha karma), and undergoes cyclic existence (samsarati) to experience their fruits. It has to realize its true nature as identical with the true nature of Isvara ie., the Self. This is known as Self-realization. Maya and Avidya will be removed thereby and consequently the jiva will become free from the characteristics of being a doer, an experiencer and a knower---the characteristics which are illusorily projected by maya-avidya and which constitutes samsara. Self-realization (Atmanubhava) is only the mental state in the form of the identity of Brahman and Atman inspired by the reflection of the Self in the mind. It removes maya-avidya, the root cause of samsara of the jiva. Maya-avidya is falsely present in the Self. Its removal implies its reduction to its substratum, viz. the Self. The Upanishads refer to the Self as free from any relation to phenomenal elements and also as real, conscious, bliss and infinite. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad first refers to the Self as having two forms, gross and subtle and states that the gross one consists of earth, water and fire, and the subtle one , of air and ether. Having thus described the Self as consisting of these two forms, the Upanishad proceeds to deny them thus: "Subsequent to the ascription of the two forms to the Self, since the Self is to be presented as free from any relation to the world, there is an instruction regarding the nature of the Self as 'Not this, Not this' (neti neti)." These two negative particles deny the existence of the two forms ascribed to the Self and thereby instruct the latter as free from any relation to the world. (to be continued) G.Balasubramanian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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