Re:existence

[Guest guest]

Re: the following query of Sri Venu Manohar-

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An example from the Nyaya Sutras:

"There is no reality in a web seperated from its threads."

However, while the web 'exists', isnt its 'existence' different from

the 'existence' of the thread?

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This is exactly the example chosen by BhAshyakArar in

SrIBhAshya to illustrate our basic premise of

SarIrAtma-bhAva:

 

If a web consists of threads of three colors,the colors

exist only where that thread in the web runs.It doesn't

influence the other colors:thus the three threads are

existing mutually exclusively and also as constituents of

the web.And the Web also exists as a specific entity.

Thus Prakriti,whose nature is constant physical change,

and Jiva whose nature is shrinking and expansion of

knowledge,and Brahman who is unchanging,exist together

in every object of creation as One Entity,without

losing their individual existences.

 

As regards the defn of "existence":

 

according to Sankara,only that which is unchanging

in absolute terms "exists"; that is,only Brahman.

 

according to ViSishTAdvaita,anything which gives

raise to a reaction,exists.Thus if you encounter

a tiger in your dream,your mental and physical

reactions are exactly the same as you'd be having

if you have the misfortune to do so in the waking

state.So the existence of the tiger in its own

space and time conditions cannot be denied.

If you see water in a mirage,you DO see it

even if you can't drink it.So you can't say

it doesn't exist.As to why these things occur

reasons are given in the Upanishads and UDaiyavar

explains each phenomenon plainstakingly in

the BhAshya.

 

<yathArtham sarva-vijnAnam ity vEdavidAm matam>

 

EmberumAnAr TiruvaDigaLE SaraNam!

BHARAT