[Advaita-l] Re: "Uncaused Cause" (was Re: [advaitin] Swami Chinmayananda on "God")

[bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com]

I respect Swami Chinmayananda for his great contributions to
Vedanta, but most philosophers would find problems with his
arguments for the existence of God as they appear in a dialog
posted to the advaitin list. (I have also CC-ed the advaita-l
list since the interests of the lists are the same in this
regard.)

praNAms Sri Karthik prabhuji
Hare Krishna

I think, swamiji here,  was not talking with another vEdAntin about kArya
(effect)-kAraNa (cause) theory...he was talking to an atheist.  Swamiji
used the initial steps in vEdAnta to teach a tyro in adhyAtma vidya  that
*god* is the primary cause (mUla kAraNa) behind this effect as creation.
In this context, I'd say swamiji's answer is appropriate.

But when it comes to traditional teachings of advaita, yes, you are right
prabhuji, there is no kArya as such apart from kAraNa...whatever kArya is
there that is only for name sake (vAchAraMbhaNam vikAro nAmadhEyaM).  In
the strict sense of advaita, there is nothing which may be called as an
effect...it is only a name/vikAra & unreal.  what is illustrated as *cause*
in the cause & effect theory, that is the only reality.  I think swamiji
would have endorsed this view if he was talking to an traditional advaitin.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar