[Advaita-l] A Vichara on the terms 'Avidya' and 'Maya' Part 1

[Jaishankar Narayanan]

Dear All,

I want to add one more reference here. In IshavAsya mantra 12 bhASya
explaining the word asambhUtim Shankara says

asambhUtim - sambhavanam sambhUtih sA yasya kAryasya sA sambhUtih
tasyAh anyA asambhUtih prakritih kAraNam avidyA avyAkrtAkhyA tAm
asambhUtim avyAkrtAkhyAm prakritim kAraNam avidyAm kAmakarmabIjabhUtAm
adarshanAtmikAm upAsate....


asambhUti: being manifest/born is sambhUti, an effect that has this
(quality of being manifest/born) is sambhUti. what is other than this
is  asambhUti, Prakrti, cause, avidyA (ignorance) called avyAkrtA (the
unmanifest). Those who worship this asambhUti known as unmanifest,
prakrti, cause and avidyA  which is the seed of desire and
activities....

Here Shankara is clearly using the terms avidyA, prakrtih etc
synonymously. Also in In IshavAsya mantra 8 bhASya explaining the word
shuddham shankara says

shuddham nirmalam avidyAmalarahitam iti kAraNasharIrapratishedah..

Here Shankara is equating avidyA with kAraNasharIra.

Those who hold that avidyA is abhAva and mAyA is different from avidyA
should explain these statements properly.

with love and prayers,

Jaishankar