[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Brahmakara vritti refuted

[Vikram Jagannathan]

Namaskaram Michael ji,

<< Samyak jnana is opposed to it's opposite - viparita & samshaya jnanan.
It cannot be ekatvam or else it would not qualify as an ever-changing
vritti. At the same moment, samakala eva, as the dissolution of viparita
jnanam, Ekatvam consumes all distinctions. >>

Looks like you disagree on the 5th point, while agreeing on the 4 earlier
points.
Agreement: Samyak jnana, distinct from Brahman-svarupa-jnana, arises
through Sruti pramana, operates within the triputi framework, and serves as
the antagonistic jnana that removes ignorance.
Disagreement: 5th point - "The content of this samyak jnana is the oneness
(ekatvam) of Brahman-Atman - Brahman-Atman-ekatvam (BAE) jnana."

To quote the 5th point from PTB, Bhagavan Bhashyakara says -

In BU-Intro:
"संसारहेतुनिवृत्तिसाधनब्रह्मात्मैकत्वविद्याप्रतिपत्तये । सेयं ब्रह्मविद्या
उपनिषच्छब्दवाच्या"
"the knowledge of the identity of the individual self and Brahman, which is
the means of eradicating the cause of this world (ignorance). This
knowledge of Brahman is called 'Upanisad'"
Note: BAE jnana removes ignorance. This is the Sruti pramana jnana.

In BSB-Intro:
"अस्यानर्थहेतोः प्रहाणाय आत्मैकत्वविद्याप्रतिपत्तये सर्वे वेदान्ता
आरभ्यन्ते"
"It is for the annihilation of the cause of this error and for attaining
the knowledge of the oneness of the Self that all Vedanta teachings are
initiated."
Note: Purpose of all Vedanta teachings is to gain BAE jnana for the removal
of ignorance.

In BSB-1.1.4:
"मिथ्याज्ञानापायश्च ब्रह्मात्मैकत्वविज्ञानाद्भवति"
"The annihilator of mithyajnana, arises from the knowledge of the oneness
of Brahman and Atman."
Note: BAE jnana removes mithyajnana.

In SBG-6.29:
"योगयुक्तात्मा समाहितान्तःकरणः सर्वत्र समदर्शनः सर्वेषु
ब्रह्मादिस्थावरान्तेषु विषमेषु सर्वभूतेषु समं निर्विशेषं
ब्रह्मात्मैकत्वविषयं दर्शनं ज्ञानं यस्य स सर्वत्र समदर्शनः"
"The person who is united in yoga, whose antahkarana is completely
absorbed, is one who, everywhere, has equal vision. In all things — whether
in Brahma and similar objects, in the stationary or the moving, in the
diverse beings — he sees, without any difference, the vision and knowledge
concerning the oneness of Brahman and Atman. Such a one is equally seeing
everywhere."
Note: BAE jnana is samyak jnana and leads to sama-darshana.

In AU-Intro:
"अतः केवलनिष्क्रियब्रह्मात्मैकत्वविद्याप्रदर्शनार्थमुत्तरो ग्रन्थ आरभ्यते"
"Therefore the following text is commenced in order to reveal the knowledge
of the oneness of the Self and Brahman that is absolute and actionless"
Note: Purpose of the Upanishad is to reveal the BAE knowledge.

in KU-1.1.20:
"स्वाभाविकस्याऽज्ञानस्य संसारबीजस्य निवृत्त्यर्थं
तद्विपरीतब्रह्मात्मैकत्वविज्ञानं ... वक्तव्यमित्युत्तरो ग्रन्थ आरभ्यते"
"For the purpose of the cessation of inherent ignorance — the seed of
saṃsara — it is necessary to expound the opposite (तद्विपरीत) knowledge of
the oneness of Brahman and Atman; thus, the highest treatise is commenced."
Note: BAE jnana is the opposite of the ignorance and is capable of removing
ignorance.

Kindly review and provide references from PTB where Bhagavan Bhashyakara 1)
explicitly denies that samyak jnana - the opposite one that removes
ignorance - is not the ekatvam jnana or 2) explains this samyak jnana is
something other than the ekatvam jnana. On the other hand, if you feel
convinced and agree on the 5th point, please proceed in reviewing the
remaining 5 points.

prostrations,
Vikram

On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 6:24 AM Michael Chandra Cohen via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste Vikram,
> Excellent, I appreciate the style of your presentation.
>
> //5. The content of this samyak jnana is the oneness (ekatvam) of
> Brahman-Atman.//
> Samyak jnana is opposed to it's opposite - viparita & samshaya jnanan. It
> cannot be ekatvam or else it would not qualify as an ever-changing vritti.
> At the same moment, samakala eva, as the dissolution of viparita jnanam,
> Ekatvam consumes all distinctions.
>
> “Thus also it is a fact that, although the knowledge of the Self results in
> instantaneous liberation, yet its instruction is imparted with the help of
> some relationship with some conditioning factor.” BSB1.1.12
> Thus, a clear distinction between samyak jnanam and atma jnanam
>
> //Specific technical details can be found in Vedanta Sara as well.//
> Yes, I am sure but seeking confirmation outside of PTB is the essence of
> the problem. If we strictly limit our understanding to PTB, these issues
> should not arise.
> 🙏🙏🙏
>
>
>
>
>