[Advaita-l] A note on ‘Avidya lesha’ 'अविद्यालेशः’ (Part 3) Concluded

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sat, Apr 3, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Anand Hudli <anandhudli at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> सर्वज्ञात्मगुरवस्तु - विरोधिसाक्षात्कारोदये लेशतोऽप्यविद्याऽनुवृत्यसंभवाज्
> जीवन्मुक्तिशास्त्रं श्रवणादिविध्यर्थवादमात्रम् । शास्त्रस्य
> जीवन्मुक्तिप्रतिपादने प्रयोजनाभावात् । अतः कृतनिदिध्यासनस्य
> ब्रह्मसाक्षात्कारोदयमात्रेण सविलासवासनाऽविद्यानिवृत्तिरित्यपि कञ्चित्
> पक्षमाहुः ॥
>
> The Guru SarvajnAtman provides another view: It is impossible for even a
> little bit
>
> (lesha) of avidyA to continue after the dawn of realizaton of Reality
> (Brahman),
>
> which is opposed to avidyA. Therefore, the shAstra of jIvanmukti is only an
> arthavAda
>
> (eulogy or praise) relating to the injunction (vidhi) regarding shravaNa,
> etc., for example
>
>  in the upaniShad statement "आत्मा वारे द्रष्टव्यः श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो
> निदिध्यासितव्यः" Br. Up.
>
> There is no purpose in explaining jIvanmukti by the shAstra. Therefore, for
> one who
>
> does nididhyAsana, just by the dawn of realization of Brahman there is the
>
> disappearance of avidyA with its effects and impressions.
>
>
>
> Namaste Anand ji,

Thanks for the additional inputs in this regard.  Wanting to get a little
more clarity on the above view of SarvajnAtman, upon looking into the
vyAkhyAnam of the SiddhAntaleshasangrahaH, this is found:

सत्यं जीवन्मुक्तिशास्त्रं श्रवणादिविध्यर्थवाद इति ।  अर्थवादेऽपि
सालम्बनार्थवादत्वसम्भवे निरालम्बनत्वायोगात्, लोके रज्ज्वादितत्त्वज्ञानेन
सर्पाद्यध्यासस्य समूलस्य निवृत्त्यनन्तरमपि सर्पाद्यध्याससंस्कारवशात्
कञ्चित्कालं भयकम्पाद्यनुवृत्तिदर्शनेन, तत्त्वज्ञानस्य
अविद्यादिसंस्काराविरोधित्वाच्च, मूलाविद्याद्यध्यासजनितसंस्कारवशात्
जीवन्मुक्तौ न अनुपपत्तिः - इति सूचयति - इत्यपीति ।

The purport is this: It is true that the scripture on jIvanmukti is an
eulogy in order to extol the injunction of shravana, etc. Here are three
reasons why this vyAkhyAtaa Sri Achyutakrishnananda Tirtha considers the
above view of SarvajnAtman need not be the final word in the matter:

1.   sAlamba....[not very clear to me]

2. It is seen that even after the truth, rope, is known, and the
superimposed snake is dispelled, owing to the samskAra of the adhyAsa, for
some time, the effect called shivering, etc. continues.

3.  Tattva jnAna is not the virodhi of अविद्यादिसंस्कार.

Owing to these three reasons, the jIvanmukti that ensues owing to the
samskAra-s born of the mUlAvidya, and adhyAsa is not unreasonable to be
admitted. In order to indicate this Sri Appayya Dikshitar says: इत्यपि
कञ्च्चित् पक्षं आहुः.  From the word 'kanchit paksham = 'a' view or 'some
another' view' of Appayya Dikshitar it appears to the vyAkhyAtaa that it is
not a really approved view.

Personally, what weighs in favour of this commentary on SarvajnAtman's this
view is Bhagavatpada's statement that we have oft quoted and seen in the
recent posts from the BSB 4.1.15. The kind of authority and reasoning with
which Shankaracharya says this is something that cannot be overruled.  This
is my personal view.

I thank you once again for the interest in the topic.

Best regards,
subrahmanian.v