[Advaita-l] Significance of Mula Avidya

[Praveen R. Bhat]

Namaste Sriramji,

On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 11:54 AM, Venkata sriram P via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> I think Madhusudana Saraswathi defines 'bhAva' rupa as something different
> from 'abhAva' in His
> monumental work 'Advaita Siddhi'.  I have not read that work but heard
> someone saying.
>
> अनादिभाव रूपत्वे सति ज्ञानविवर्त्या अविद्या । भावत्वं च अत्र
> अभावविलक्षणत्वमात्रं विवक्षितम्


Thanks; ​I think this ​was also mentioned by Anandji in one part of Advaita
Siddhi.


> A scholar while supporting the above view says that if bhAva rUpa of
> ajnAna is accepted as an
> existing entity, then it affects the main principle of advaita as one has
> to accept two truths (entities) ie.,
> Ignorance & Brahman which violates the basic principle of advaita vedanta.
>

Yes, this is why some people take the other extreme of abhAvarUpa.
Instead, by bhAvarUpa, only mithyAtva is meant, not pAramArthikasatyatva.​
In any case, mAyA/ avidyA is kAryAnumeyA.


> So, the meaning of 'ajnAna' as 'bhAva-rupa' implies acceptance of it's
> presence just like presence of
> shasha in chandra.
>

​True, that is why instead of asserting bhAvarUpAvidyA, it is said
yat​kiMchidbhAvarUpAvidyA.

gurupAdukAbhyAm,
--Praveen R. Bhat
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