[Advaita-l] Re: Advaita vEdAnta - Unit (11)

[Shyam]

Advaita pertains to a paramarthic truth - What is True
is Brahman alone, one without a second.
At a vyavaharic level, it is not opposed to science.
The watchmaker theory is very much in tune with the
vedanta - anything "put together" must have a
efficient cause.
Evolution is accepted in vedanta - but the focus is
different. According to Darwin, evolution is about
survival. In its most basic sense atoms and chemicals
interact - per chance life begins - and from this
point on its a eternal struggle for this created life
form to survive and perpetuate its species - helped by
this innate survival instinct more refined bodies are
fashioned. - I do not know which is more far fetched -
this or adam,eve and the apple!
In Vedanta evolution is about dissolution of the
I-sense and "dis"covery of one's true nature - so good
deeds beget better shareeras and environs in future
births each leading the jiva progressively in the
direction of that rarest of entities - the human birth
and even in this one endowed with viveka and
mumukshutvam - the very gateway to moksha. This too is
"evolution" isnt it? While better births than a human
one is accepted from the standpoint of enjoinment of
fruits such as devas etc these are decidedly inferior
as one has to again be reborn once the "frequent
flier" miles expire.

Again all these theories have limited value for a
vedantic student/seeker - the focus must forever be on
what is satyam - theories about what is in the realm
of mithya should only be understood to the extent they
help one account for what is seemingly seen - to be
discarded once their puport is served.

Humble pranams
Hari OM
Shyam
 

--- Kris Manian <krismanian at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks to Shyam and Krisnamurthy Ramakrishnan. You
> have explained it well
> and I think I have grasped it:-) Avidya is indeed
> beginning less.
> 
> I have another question. So Advaita does not believe
> in evolution and is founded on
> Intelligent design? Am I correct?
> 
> If it is out of scope please ignore.
> Pranam
> Kris
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 11
> Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:31:17 -0800 (PST)
> From: Shyam <shyam_md at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Re: Advaita vEdAnta - Unit
> (11)
> To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
> 	<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> Message-ID:
> <20070206173117.28448.qmail at web53407.mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> Pranams
> The issue of beginning and end is all in the realm
> of
> time and space.
> >From the point of view of the jiva, there is
> ignorance
> about his true nature which is none other than
> Brahman.
> Like any other ignorance this did not commence at a
> particular point in time.
> Time itself(the concept of it) is a product of the
> very same ignorance.
> Even in ordinary terms when i say i have ignorance
> of
> "russian", the ignorance is a beginingless
> ignorance.
> If i knew Russian then i cant get ignorant about it
> at
> some point in time.
> There is no "entity" that "develops" ignorance at
> some
> point in time.
> The Universe is better thought of in terms of being
> a
> manifestation than a creation in that sense.
> The Universe is time stretched out across space. In
> reality there is nothing being created nor anything
> being destroyed.
> What is potential becomes manifest only to become
> latent.
> Brahman alone is.
> So ignorance is beginingless and hence alone jivas
> are
> beginingless. 
> 
> But ignorance, while it is beginingless, does
> fortunately have an end.
> And the end is with the dawn of knowledge.
> A jiva's ignorance about his true nature disapperas
> as
> soon as the right knowledge dawns.
> 
> So jiva and Brahman are One.
> The jiva owes his "existence" to a notion of being
> separate from Brahman.
> This notion is due to (beginingless) ignorance.
> This notion will end when knowledge dawns.
> 
> Trust this clarifies.
> 
> Hari OM
> Shri Gurubhyo namah
> Shyam
> 
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