Jnana Yoga : The Path of Knowledge

On the other hand, the change of a phenomenon into something else, as milk into cheese, is known as vikara. Sankara takes a position between the se two - ajatavada and Vikaravda. He agrees that Brahman does not change. It remains the same. But, for some reason or other, it appears to change; not like milk into cheese, but rather as a rope appears to change into a snake. There fore, Snakara expounded the vivarta, or mayavada theory, which proclaims that it is through or by maya, or illusion, that Brahman manifests itself. It is by the power of maya that the One-without-a-second, Brahman, appears as the many. Sympathetically, Sankara proposes the doctrine of maya, which makes non-existence existent. He says, in effect: “All right, I’ll admit for the time being that the world is real – relatively real. It is as real as the snake superimposed on the rope is real. But when the light of awakened consciousness shines on this world, you will know it is not the snake. You will know its real nature.”

To discriminate, to distinguish the real from the unreal – that is the theme of monism, or advaita, as interpreted by Sankaracharya. The real and the unreal have to be distinguished. “What sort of monism is that?” you may ask. Therein lies the distinction between the philosophy of Sankaracharya and that of his grand-guru, Gaudapada. Sankara assumes the existence of the unreal. Under the influence of maya we are bound to see duality. Sankara accepts this as a premise.

The vivartavada, or illusion theory, as expounded by Sankaracharya classifies statement as vyavaharika, fact or relative truth, and paramarthika, fundamental truth. A fact is a reproduction of a happening, while truth is that which never changes. A fact may not be true, but it is a fact because it has happened. Always try to distinguish between relative truth and fundamental truth. Try to understand these two aspects of any entity. See how a thing happens, go back to its cause, and when you analyze how a thing happens, go back to its cause, and when you analyze that cause you will know that only one reality, not many, exists. The man in the rope-snake story did not answer any of the questions about the snake because he knew there was no snake. The snake – consciousness was illusion, maya. Maya is this: we see a snake where ther eis no snake. Where there is only One, we see many.

Sankara accepts the statements and experiences of people as vyavaharika, fact or relative truth, and logically leads them to the realization of paramarthika, or fundamental truth. Through logic give up vyavaharika. Then give up logic, give up every thing! Logic is for enjoyment, not for liberation. Logic is within maya, too. Brahman cannot be infinite, omnipresent and omniscient if anything else exists. Think it over. Man walks from one “ truth” to another. All readings are relative. All readings of the final Truth are just readings. When the Absolute is realized, it transcends all operations.

Hindu Controversy, no doubt, consolidates one’s opinion, and there fore it is good. Amidst all the good and the bad, avoid reaction. When you reach the top you will know that, good or bad, there is no difference. Both must be ousted. All is illusion. To a straict monist projection never took place. There cannot be any maya. Where would it take place? There is nothing but Brahman. Sankara said: “How can I tell you what maya is? I take your statement as maya, and lead you right.”   

If you admit of anything outside the sole reality of Brahman, you are a dualist. Whether your Ideal be personal or impersonal, a God, force, or a Christ, you are a dualist. In fact , if you admit of any creation at all, you are a dualist. Sankara said that if you must know something about this world go to Kapila ( the founder of the Sankhya philosophy with its Purusha and the twenty-four categories of evolution). As long as you are under the influence of maya, he said, go to Kapila if you want an explanation. Sankara taught that the world is maya or relative truth. It is a fact because it has happened, but it is not Truth and it has no real existence. Read Previous   Read Next