[Advaita-l] What is the difference between Maya and avidhya ?T

[Venkatraghavan S]

On 23 Sep 2016 9:57 a.m., "Ravi Kiran" <ravikiranm108 at gmail.com> wrote:
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>
> Thanks Venkatraghavan Ji
>
> The mention of upAdAna kArana (instead of nimitta kArana), bhAva rUpa
(Ashrita in Brahman), existence of causal potentiality much before any
adhyAsa occurs, laya, beeja shakti wrt mUlAvidyA, possible content-wise
difference between tUlAvidyA and mUlAvidya?, gives rise to many
clarifications, as some doubts related to persistence of avidyA beeja in
kArana sharIra which is not removed by  jnAna of adhishThAna, but requires
samAdhi like abhyAsa to completely remove it.

All things you mention in this paragraph are true for jnAna virodha avidyA
also. If there are specific issues that require clarification, please ask.

> Your responses on mUlAvidyA are much clear (as it only means jnAna
virOdhi avidyA, which is destroyed through jnAna of adhishThAna ) and there
are no further clarifications, if this being the definition.
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 1:30 PM, Venkatraghavan S <agnimile at gmail.com>
wrote:
>>
>> Namaste Ravi Kiran ji,
>> I haven't followed the thread , but some suggested answers n line.
>>
>> On 22 Sep 2016 2:55 p.m., "Ravi Kiran via Advaita-l" <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>
>> > If there is any further explanation /elaboration behind this mention -
that
>> > mUlAvidya, which is bhAva rUpa (Ashrita in Brahman), is removed by
Sruti
>> > vAkya janita tattvajnAna alone without need for other abhyAsa, pl
share the
>> > links or articles.
>>
>> The bhAva rUpa of avidyA is also vyAvahArika only, not pAramaArthika.
The removal of mUlAvidyA is like the removal of any mithyA vastu - through
jnAna of adhishThAna. Any mithyA vastu has some bhAva rUpa in vyavahAra
right? How do we say that is sublated?  Same way for avidyA too. Whether it
is bhAva rUpa or abhAva rUpa, when jnAna arises it ceases to be. (and it
never was nor will be).
>>
>> > > And interestingly they say for the adhyAsa upAdAna is this
mUlAvidyA, when
>> > > adhyAsa goes ( i.e. correct knowledge of rope in place of snake) the
>> > > knowledge of rajju jnana will not destroy the mUlAvidyA but at that
sandhi
>> > > samaya (juncture) the sarpa etc. get laya (merged) in their cause
i.e.
>> > > mUlAvidyA that is all.
>> > >
>> >
>> > Interesting..if laya (merge) is accepted, isn't there a possibility to
>> > emerge back/manifest at a future time ? how it is explained as
Atyantika
>> > avidyA nivrutti ?
>>
>> I am not sure what Sri Bhaskar is talking about. So I am only answering
your last question above, Atyantika avidyA nivritti is because avidyA like
any mithyA object is traikAlika bAdha pratoyogi. So once jnAna arises one
realises that avidyA never was, is, will be. Whether it is bhAva or abhAva
does not make a difference.
>>
>> > which also implies mUlAvidya cannot be destroyed like tUlAvidyA (upon
>> > attaining tattva jnAna), but there is some mystic component (beeja
shakti,
>> > doing its part to release souls?)
>>
>> mUlAvidyA is indeed destroyed upon jnAna, so this consideration is moot.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Venkatraghavan
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