Identification of Atman and Brahman

[Samkhya]

Dear all,

 

Even if we grant that an immanent cause of the universe exists, on what ground are we entitled to identify it with Atman, and thereby to state that the immanent cause is spiritual in nature?

[Guest guest]

the philosophical answer lies in maya. if we are living in an material manifestation of what is not absolutely real, our minds will be limited to that also. this physical world is bound by the law of time. perhaps time has no beginning or no end in the spiritual world?

or if the material world was its own cause, then what is this life force that's inside each of us? the conscious will to 'be'...? that is purely spiritual, and the will to 'be' is why creation began.

[Samkhya]

Thank you for answering me, but I see no actual argument in the first part of your answer.

 

The use of the concept of maya makes me think that you to Advaita... ?

[Guest guest]

im not sure what advaita philosophy is exactly, ive never researched it. but there are extremes of thought which need to be mixed with a bit of common sense and practicality. vivekananda did say that the world is not exactly maya, or total illusion. i guess we'd need to understand that the term maya is referring not to us being in an 'illusion' per se, but being part of a manifest creation bound by its own set laws. it is a manifestation of the spiritual world, supposedly. i dont know if this helps you, or makes any sense. perhaps it doesnt at all, but its just my view from the things ive read up on. for me it makes sense, and i find that the spiritual world answers what we cannot. that there is a living soul inside us that we can feel and listen to, provides for me, an answer for what god himself is. pure living consciousness.

[Guest guest]

i meant to say, it is a manifestation BY the spiritual world, or by God.