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Shankara on all "Isms"

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Sri Sundar wrote:

 

Mithyavada would then be translated as 'Unrealism', rather

than 'Illusionism', the latter word used merely as an approximate

illustration or simile. I do not think Shankara has ever used Mithya as

equivalent to Maya, the latter being an inherent Power' or 'Shakti' of

Brahman. Realism in Vedanta is then 'Satyavada'.

 

Mithya is that which is subject to the 6 modifications

(ShaDvikAra) - (asti, jAyate, vardhate, vipariNamate, apakShIyate,vinashyati

- exists, takes birth, grows, matures, decays, dies).

 

Would anyone have a reference as to when the word 'Mayavada'

was used and by whom?

 

 

Namaste Sundarji,

Thank you for that scholarly note. Though we try to pin

the great thinkers to a certain *vada or other it is a fact that they escape

our petty classifications and remain unique. The greater the philosophy

the more it sustains varient interpretation. Each succeeding generation

finds them their contemporaries.

 

Best Wishes, Michael.

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Namaste Sunderji,

 

I do possess two tamil Saiva Siddhanta texts where the word 'Mayavada'

occurs. The first one is a 13th century text by the name of Sankarpa

Nirakaranam written by Umapati Sivacharya. The other one is Thirumanthiram

by Thirumular dated much earlier than the former text.

 

best regards,

K Kathirasan

>

> Sunder Hattangadi [sMTP:sunderh]

> Friday, April 02, 2004 11:33 PM

> advaitin

> Re: Shankara on all "Isms"

>

> advaitin, ombhurbhuva <ombhurbhuva@e...> wrote:

> > Namaste All,

> >

> > On the question of Shankara and the 'isms' am I right

> > in thinking that *vada is the sanskrit for *ism as in

> > vijnanavada, satkaryavada etc.

> >

>

> Namaste Michaelji,

>

> Good point, and I agree with you. Strictly speaking,

> Shankara's should be spoken of as 'Mithyavada', and NOT 'Mayavada'.

>

> Mithyavada would then be translated as 'Unrealism', rather

> than 'Illusionism', the latter word used merely as an approximate

> illustration or simile. I do not think Shankara has ever used Mithya

> as equivalent to Maya, the latter being an inherent Power'

> or 'Shakti' of Brahman. Realism in Vedanta is then 'Satyavada'.

>

> Mithya is that which is subject to the 6 modifications

> (ShaDvikAra) - (asti, jAyate, vardhate, vipariNamate, apakShIyate,

> vinashyati - exists, takes birth, grows, matures, decays, dies).

>

> Would anyone have a reference as to when the word 'Mayavada'

> was used and by whom?

>

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder

>

>

>

> Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

> Atman and Brahman.

> Advaitin List Archives available at:

> http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

> To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

> Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

>

>

> Links

>

>

>

>

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advaitin, K Kathirasan NCS <kkathir@n...>

wrote:

> Namaste Sunderji,

>

> I do possess two tamil Saiva Siddhanta texts where the

word 'Mayavada'

> occurs. The first one is a 13th century text by the name of Sankarpa

> Nirakaranam written by Umapati Sivacharya. The other one is

Thirumanthiram

> by Thirumular dated much earlier than the former text.

 

Namaste Kathirasanji,

 

Many thanks for the references. Do the texts refer to

Shankara, or to Maya and Mithya as equivalent words?

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

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Namaste Sunderji,

 

Both texts do not quote Shankara explicitly but in Sankarpa Nirakaranam, the

author refutes all other schools of thought to establish Saiva religion as

the Siddhanta supported by Saiva Agamas and Vedas. Hence it is called Saiva

Siddhanta. The author had also taken pains to use mantras from the

Upanishads to support his siddhanta thereby refuting Advaita (or Mayavada).

While studying the text I realized that the author wasn't refuting Shankara

but rather the Advaitins of his times and his country. I have yet to do an

in-depth study of the text, therefore I won't be able to share anything

more.

 

Another thing that might interest Advaitins would be a verse from

Thirumanthiram (i.e. verse 2179) where the author makes a distinction

between Vedanta & Mayavada based on the number of tattvas. Here is the

translated verse:

 

Tattvas six and ninety are the over-all;

Out of them, six and thirty are the Tattvas for Saivas;

Eight and twenty for Vedantins;

Four and twenty for Vaishnavas;

Five and twenty for Mayavadins.

 

 

best regards,

K Kathirasan

>

> Sunder Hattangadi [sMTP:sunderh]

> Monday, April 05, 2004 10:52 AM

> advaitin

> Re: Shankara on all "Isms"

>

> advaitin, K Kathirasan NCS <kkathir@n...>

> wrote:

> > Namaste Sunderji,

> >

> > I do possess two tamil Saiva Siddhanta texts where the

> word 'Mayavada'

> > occurs. The first one is a 13th century text by the name of Sankarpa

> > Nirakaranam written by Umapati Sivacharya. The other one is

> Thirumanthiram

> > by Thirumular dated much earlier than the former text.

>

> Namaste Kathirasanji,

>

> Many thanks for the references. Do the texts refer to

> Shankara, or to Maya and Mithya as equivalent words?

>

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder

>

>

>

> Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

> Atman and Brahman.

> Advaitin List Archives available at:

> http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

> To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

> Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

>

>

> Links

>

>

>

>

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advaitin, K Kathirasan NCS <kkathir@n...>

wrote:

> Namaste Sunderji,

>

> Both texts do not quote Shankara explicitly but in Sankarpa

Nirakaranam, the

> author refutes all other schools of thought to establish Saiva

religion as

> the Siddhanta supported by Saiva Agamas and Vedas.

 

Namaste,

 

A question had been raised privately whether Shankara had

called Maya as 'shakti' of Brahman.

 

I referred to Gita 4:6 -

 

ajo.api sannavyayaatmaa bhuutaanaamiishvaro.api san.h .

prakR^iti.n svaamadhishhThaaya sambhavaamyaatmamaayayaa .. 4\-6..

 

[.....akShINaj~nAnashaktisvabhAvaH api san.....

Shankara]

 

and to Saundaryalahari verse 1, line 1:

 

shivaH shaktyaa yukto yadi bhavati shaktaH prabhavitu.n.........

 

I would appreciate members' comments whether these references

confirm Shankara using Maya and Shakti as equivalent.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

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