[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Brahmakara vritti refuted

[Vikram Jagannathan]

Namaskaram Michael ji,

I need to study the full vivruti of this verse in detail before drawing
final conclusions. However, at first glance it seems inappropriate to
extend that explanation to the case of brahmakara‑vritti. As Sudhanshu ji,
Raghav ji, and Subbu ji have pointed out, brahmakara‑vritti is distinct
from all other antahkarana‑vrittis. According to our siddhanta, while a
typical antahkarana‑vritti (i.e. ordinary intellectual process or thought)
cannot objectify Atman-Brahman, only brahmakara‑vritti is capable of
indirectly revealing Atman-Brahman by effectively sublating the ignorance
covering its true nature.

I also wish to refer to SBG 5.15 and 5.16:

In SBG 5.15 Bhagavan says:
“अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं” ("Knowledge is covered by ignorance.")

In SBG 5.16 Bhagavan says:
“ज्ञानेन तदज्ञानं नाशितम्” ("That ignorance is destroyed by knowledge")
“ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्” ("Knowledge reveals the Supreme [Atman-Brahman]")

In translation, these statements suggest that:
- Knowledge (1) is covered by ignorance
- That ignorance is destroyed by knowledge (2)
- Knowledge (3) reveals the Supreme (Atman-Brahman)
We also know that the very nature of the Supreme (Atman-Brahman) is pure
Knowledge (4).

Thus, the term “Knowledge” is referenced — explicitly or implicitly — in
four times. The key question is: Are all these references to “Knowledge”
identical, or do they denote distinct aspects? Consider the following:

a. Knowledge (1):
The knowledge that is covered by ignorance cannot itself be capable of
overcoming ignorance; otherwise, ignorance would not be able to cover it.
Thus, Knowledge (1) is not antagonistic to ignorance.

b. Knowledge (2):
When it is said that ignorance is destroyed by knowledge (2), this
indicates that Knowledge (2) must be antagonistic to ignorance. Therefore,
Knowledge (2) cannot be the same as Knowledge (1).

c. The Nature of Knowledge (2):
Since ignorance covering Knowledge (1) is subsequently destroyed by
Knowledge (2), it follows that Knowledge (2) must have an origination — it
is acquired, born, gained, dawned or generated by some cause capable of
removing a pre-existing ignorance. Hence, Knowledge (2) is mutable and
temporary.

d. Knowledge (3):
The statement that “Knowledge (3) reveals the Supreme” suggests that
Knowledge (3) cannot be identical to Knowledge (1); if it were, then
Knowledge (1) would reveal the Supreme regardless of any covering
ignorance. Thus, Knowledge (3) must be the same as Knowledge (2) — that is,
a mutable, originated knowledge which, by dispelling the ignorance
obscuring Knowledge (1), allows the revelation of the Supreme.

e. The Nature of Knowledge (1):
Per our siddhanta, the Supreme (Atman-Brahman) is of the nature of pure,
immutable Knowledge (jnāna Brahman). In this view, the revelation of the
Supreme is tantamount to the unveiling of the pure Knowledge (Knowledge
(1)).

In summary, we seem to have two distinct kinds of “Knowledge” mentioned:

A. Knowledge (1) and Knowledge (4):
This represents the jnana svarupa of Atman-Brahman — immutable,
unconditioned, unrelated and non-antagonistic.

B. Knowledge (2) and Knowledge (3):
This represents a distinct, originated knowledge — a mutable aspect that
arises, is antagonistic to ignorance and is capable of dispelling ignorance.

If A corresponds to the true nature of Atman-Brahman, could you please
clarify the nature of B? Our later acharyas describe this originated,
modified knowledge as a special type of vritti-jnana — a modification of
the antahkarana. The explanation of these verses found in the Gudhartha
Dipika is particularly illuminating.

As a side note, it is significant that in 5.15 Bhagavan explicitly states
“अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं” (“knowledge is covered by ignorance”), thereby
underscoring that positive ignorance has the capacity to obscure (avarana)
knowledge.

prostrations,
Vikram



> On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM Michael Chandra Cohen <
> michaelchandra108 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Therefore, having known this (tasmād evaṁ viditvā), one should direct
>> memory (smṛtim yojayet) towards the non-dual (advaita)." Mandukya Karika
>> 2.39
>>
>> HH SSS Vivrti:
>> There is no need for acquiring an awareness-modification (vṛtti-lābhaḥ) of
>> the Self (ātman) for its knowledge (vedanam). For, in the case of the
>> Self (ātman), which is already self-evident (sva-yam-prasiddhaḥ),
>> knowledge (vedanam) does not require the generation of an
>> awareness-modification (vṛtti-sampādana) related to its object (viṣaya).
>> Even though the Self (ātman) is directly present, immediately evident
>> (avyavahitaḥ), and the very essence of the inquirer
>> (jijñāsuḥ-svarūpa-bhūtaḥ), yet, due to the superimposition of name and
>> form (nāma-rūpa-viśeṣa) imagined by ignorance (avidyā-kalpitaḥ):
>> (1) To those whose intellect is deluded (hṛta-buddhi), it appears as if
>> unknown.
>> (2) It seems as if separated from itself due to the obstruction caused by
>> duality (dvaita-bhāva-vyavahita-iva).
>> (3) It appears as if something distinct from oneself (sva-smāt anya iva).
>> Thus, the false cognition of the reality of duality
>> (dvaita-bhāva-satyatva-buddhiḥ) alone is what must be eliminated
>> (nivartayitavyā), not an effort made towards the cognition of the Self (ātma-vedane
>> yatnaḥ kartavyaḥ).
>>
>> from HH SSS, Mandukya Rahasya Vivṛtti (MRV2-38), Pages 390-258 Chatgpt
>> Translation
>>
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> .
>

On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Surewshwaracharya in the Taittiriya Bhashya Vartikam admits of the
> Avidya-dispelling VRtti explicitly, without any ambiguity:
>
> The context is the Taittiriya Upanishad Brahmanandavalli statement: yo
> veda nihitam guhAyAm paramE vyOman, so'shnutE sarvAn kAmAn saha
>
> This means: whoever realizes that Brahman seated in the cave of the
> intellect, attains complete fulfillment. Explaining this Sureshwara says:
>
> तमोरजोविनिर्मुक्ततद्वृत्त्या चोपलभ्यते । ब्रह्मातो निहितं बुद्धौ मनसैवेति
> च श्रुतिः ॥ १०८ ॥
>
> Brahman is apprehended by that vRtti, the transformation of the intellect,
> that is free of tamas and rajas (that is, with pure Sattva).  The pramANa
> for this is: manasA eva idam ApnOti, neha nAnAsti kinchana - occurring in
> the KaTha and Brihadaranyaka upanishads:  this Brahman is apprehended
> through the instrumentality of the mind/intellect alone. Naturally any
> function of the mind/intellect is by default through a vRitti.  This vRitti
> alone is called akhanDAkAra vRtti.   By citing that KaTha, Brihadaranyaka
> shruti's Sureshwara is also endorsing that the Shruti is the pramANa for
> the akhaNDAkara vRtti.
> निगूढमस्यां तद्ब्रह्म कामाविद्याद्युपप्लवात् । प्रत्यग्धियोऽनुपश्यन्ति
> तस्माद् बुद्धिर्गुहोच्यते ॥ १०९ ॥
> In this very next verse Sureshwara confirms the application of the vRtti:
> In this intellect cave is hidden the Brahman by the screen of desire and
> avidyA (the sequence taught in the Brihadaranyaka is: the fundamental
> avidyA > kama > karma.  Avidya pertaining to one's true nature (AvaraNa)
> gives rise to the vikShepa of being finite and the desire to fulfill
> oneself and this in turn leads to action. Sureshwara gives this logic and
> says: Those who have turned inward, pratyak dhiyaH, which is essentially
> the culmination in akhaNDAkAra vRtti in apprehending the Atman Brahman and
> hence alone the intellect is termed guhA, cave, says Sureshwara.
> warm regards
> subbu
>
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM Michael Chandra Cohen <
> michaelchandra108 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Therefore, having known this (tasmād evaṁ viditvā), one should direct
>> memory (smṛtim yojayet) towards the non-dual (advaita)." Mandukya Karika
>> 2.39
>>
>> HH SSS Vivrti:
>> There is no need for acquiring an awareness-modification (vṛtti-lābhaḥ) of
>> the Self (ātman) for its knowledge (vedanam). For, in the case of the
>> Self (ātman), which is already self-evident (sva-yam-prasiddhaḥ),
>> knowledge (vedanam) does not require the generation of an
>> awareness-modification (vṛtti-sampādana) related to its object (viṣaya).
>> Even though the Self (ātman) is directly present, immediately evident
>> (avyavahitaḥ), and the very essence of the inquirer
>> (jijñāsuḥ-svarūpa-bhūtaḥ), yet, due to the superimposition of name and
>> form (nāma-rūpa-viśeṣa) imagined by ignorance (avidyā-kalpitaḥ):
>> (1) To those whose intellect is deluded (hṛta-buddhi), it appears as if
>> unknown.
>> (2) It seems as if separated from itself due to the obstruction caused by
>> duality (dvaita-bhāva-vyavahita-iva).
>> (3) It appears as if something distinct from oneself (sva-smāt anya iva).
>> Thus, the false cognition of the reality of duality
>> (dvaita-bhāva-satyatva-buddhiḥ) alone is what must be eliminated
>> (nivartayitavyā), not an effort made towards the cognition of the Self (ātma-vedane
>> yatnaḥ kartavyaḥ).
>>
>> from HH SSS, Mandukya Rahasya Vivṛtti (MRV2-38), Pages 390-258 Chatgpt
>> Translation
>>
>> --
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "advaitin" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to advaitin+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com.
>> To view this discussion visit
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/CAAz9PvEAH8k%3DiHkCghVKO-AbyyQkrs0gULWowMLCrO3rzgcn5A%40mail.gmail.com
>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/CAAz9PvEAH8k%3DiHkCghVKO-AbyyQkrs0gULWowMLCrO3rzgcn5A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
>> .
>>
> --
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> .
>