[Advaita-l] Paper on SSS

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

On 4/12/07, prem d p <prem_d_p at yahoo.co.in> wrote:
> namaste...
>
>   dear sri rama,
>
>   my main and indeed only motive in studying this paper and requesting for
>   clarifications is a better understanding of adi shankara.
>
>   request for clarifications - section 2:
>
>   2.1 - definitions: epistemic & ontic
>
>   - as pointed out by you the terms shall be allowed to assume their full
>   significance to the total context of the text, and so i reserve my comments to a
>   later stage.
>
>   2.1.3 - ".... fundamental error is a superposition of an observer on the real."
>
>   Atman is defined to have a permanent sAkshi-bhAva, it is sakshi to the last
>   sublation or nirasa of even the Seen.
>
>   Brahman (beyond description) is defined to be Existence, Consciousness,
>   Bliss.
>
>   These descriptions for the Absolute, are the nearest we can come to an
>   absolute silent contemplation of them. In the light of this, how is your
>   statement above to be approached?
>
>   2.1.3 - page 7 - "And the ego-sense is indeed the fundamental problem"
>
>   This I am able to fully appreciate. But how is this to be linked to your statement
>   on 'superposition of observer'.

Good point! What I meant by observer in this context was the ego or
the internal organ, as I tried to make clear with some examples.
Indeed the ego itself is the observed, as pointed out by the example
given by me from the Naishkarmya Siddhi. As you point out, using
"observer" is misleading since, aatman is the saakShi, and I myself
use it in that sense in some other places. Very sloppy writing on my
part! I will correct that. I should really be saying that the
superimposition of the ego, or something like that. Let me think about
how to phrase it better. I am going to be off on work the next week,
but if I get a chance, I'll correct that and upload a new version.

Thanks!

Rama