[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Request for Review: 21 Foundational Axioms of Advaita Siddhānta

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Namaste Chandramouli ji.

//These confirm my understanding. They also address some other points made
by you. For the benefit of readers not familiar with Sanskrit, I request
you to give the exact translations for the portion cited by me. While I can
give the summary meaning to the extant I understand, I may not be able to
give exact translation.//

I will summarise your points. Please confirm whether they have been
correctly reproduced:

   1. sAdi-adhyAsa and anAdi-adhyAsa division is accepted.
   2. All adhyAsa are not effect.
   3. There is "an" anAdi-adhyAsa, which is not effect.
   4. aham-adhyAsa is jIva.
   5. jIva is anAdi.
   6. aham-adhyAsa is spoken by VivaraNa as "first" in terms of
   understanding, and not in terms of time.
   7. Atma-anAtma adhyAsa, termed naisargika in the adhyAsa bhAshya be
   understood as anAdi, and not sAdi.

*Translations of cited portions:*


> //  तर्ह्यहङ्कारः किमुपादानः ? किंनिमित्तः ? किंस्वरूपः ? किम्प्रमाणकः ?
> किंकार्यः ? किमिति सुषुप्तौ नास्तीति चेत्, उच्यते –
> *अहङ्कारस्याऽनाद्यनिर्वचनीयाऽविद्या **उपादानम्*, अविद्यायाः
> परमेश्वराधिष्ठितत्वं निमित्तम्, ज्ञानशक्तिक्रियाशक्तिद्वयं स्वरूपम्,
> कूटस्थचैतन्यं प्रमाणम्, *कर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वादिकं* *च* *कार्यम्* । //
>

Then, what is the material cause of ahamkAra? What is the nimitta-kAraNa of
ahamkAra? What is the swarUpa of ahamkAra? What is the pramANa for
ahamkAra? What are the effects of ahamkAra? Whether it exists in deep sleep
or not?

In response to these, it is said -

1. Beginningless anirvachanIya-avidyA is the material cause of ahamkAra.
2. The nimitta-kAraNa of ahamkAra is the locus-hood of avidyA in
Parameshwara.
3. The swarUpa of ahamkAra is the conglomerate of kriyA-shakti and
jnAna-shakti.
4. The pramANa for ahamkAra is immutable chaitanya.
5. The effects of ahamkAra are kartritva, bhOktritva etc.

Highlighting is mine. This may be read in conjunction with the following
> citation from SiddhAnta Bindu , Shloka 1. This further clarifies what the
> previous quotes above convey.
>
> //  तस्मात्पूर्वपूर्वाध्यासमूल एवायमुत्तरोत्तरोहङ्काराध्यासः
> बीजांकुरवदनादिः । अविद्याध्यासच एक एवानादिः । //  tasmAtpUrvapUrvAdhyAsamUla
> evAyamuttarottaroha~NkArAdhyAsaH bIjAMkuravadanAdiH | avidyAdhyAsacha eka
> evAnAdiH  //.
>
> The same meaning is conveyed by the citation from Prabodha-Parishodhini
> commentary on Panchapadika given by you.
>
Therefore, subsequent ahamkAra-adhyAsa is rooted in prior-adhyAsa and is
beginningless like that in the case of seed and seedling. And only
avidyA-adhyAsa alone is beginningless.

*Please state your concurrence to my summarization of your view and the
translations. I will offer my comments subsequent thereto.*

Regards.
Sudhanshu Shekhar.