[Advaita-l] FW: Avidya, Jnanis and SSS' views

[Anand Hudli]

Dear Devanathan-ji,
You wrote:
>Your usage of term ‘Jnana-Karma’ samuccaya is problematic and sounds
>non-Mandanaite to me. As you may know, Brahma Siddhi postulates
>sapta-sambhanda between Karma and Jnana in as means to liberation. The
seven
>relations between Jnana and Karma are

Please see the following text in Brahmasiddhi (brahma kANDa) where Mandana
discusses the role of yajnas in AtmasAkShAtkAra. Here, an objection is
raised to say that abhyAsa (repeated contemplation) combined with shama,
dama, etc. is needed for realization of the Self, but not yajnas and
other scriptural karmas.  Mandana says:
satyam | tathā cordhvaretasāṃ cāśramiṇāṃ vināpi tairviśuddhavidyodaya iṣyate
| kiṃ tu kālakṛto viśeṣaḥ |
True, for the sannyAsin (who takes up sannyAsa directly) from Brahmacharya,
there is the rise of knowledge (of the Self) without the (performance of
yajnas, etc.). But there is a difference in time taken (to reach the goal).
sādhanaviśeṣāddhi sā kṣipraṃ kṣiprataraṃ ca vyajyate | tadabhāve cireṇa
ciratareṇa ca |
>From the special means (sādhanaviśeṣa) of yajnas, etc., the knowledege (of
the Self) rises very quickly. In the absence of (such special means), the
rise of knowledge could be slow or very slow.
It is important to note here what the commentator shankhapANi says.

etaduktam bhavati - kevaläbhyäsaçciratareëa vidyämabhivyanakti
yajïädiñvekaikasahitaù çéghram sarvasahitaù çéghrataramiti |

This is what (maNDana ) says: Just repeated contemplation (on the upanishad
statements) gives rise to knowledge (of the Self) very slowly. When combined
with yajnas and other Vedic karmas, it gives rise to such knowledge quickly,
and when combined with everything (i.e. yajnas, etc, and shama, dama, etc.),
very quickly.



This position of Mandana is clearly favorable to the jnana-karma-samuccaya
view, even if he does not explicitly use the word samuccaya.



Mandana cites the Brahma sUtra 3.4.26 in support of his view of karma.

taduktam ---
‘sarvāpekṣā ca yajñādiśruteraśvavat’ | (Brahma sUtra 3.4.26)
eṣo 'rthaḥ ---
‘yajñena dānena'iti śravaṇātkarmāṇyapekṣyante vidyāyāmabhyāsalabhyāyāmapi,
yathāntareṇāpyaśvaṃ grāmaprāptau siddhyantyāṃ śaighryāyākleśāya vāśvo
'pekṣyate |

All scriptural rites are necessary, as per the shruti prescribing yajnas.
This is as in the case of a horse (Brahma sUtra 3.4.26). This is the
meaning. From the (BrihadAraNyaka upaniShad 4.4.22) statement, "The
BrAhmaNas seek to know It by the study of the Veda, by yajnas, by charity,
...", Vedic karmas are necessary for attaining knowledge of the Self, even
if it (knowledge) is attained through repeated contemplation (abhyAsa), just
as, even if one can reach the village (destination) by plodding on, still it
is necessary to use a horse for speed (in reaching the destination) and to
avoid hardship.



Anand