Solipsism

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Namaste All,

 

It is occasionally mentioned without further analysis that 'nature is

jada'. Yes that is apparently the case but if we take it to be the

ultimate truth then we may be backed into a position of solipsistic

idealism. Before going into that it is important to state what the

Vedantic position on the perceptuality of objects or how it is that, the

apparently inert object, comes to be an item of awareness of that

object as it really is, 'out there'.

 

(from Vedanta Paribhasa on Perception)

Objection: What, then, is the criterion (prayojaka) of perceptuality

according to the tenets of Vedanta?

Reply: Do you inquire about the criterion of the perceptuality of

knowledge or of the object? If it be of the former, we say it is the

unity of the Consciousness reflected in the means of knowledge with

the consciousness limited by the object. To be explicit:

Consciousness is threefold - as associated with the object (visaya),

with the means of knowledge (pramana) and with the subject or

knower (pramtr). Of these, Consciousness limited by a jar etc, is the

Consciousness associated with the object; that limited by the mental

state is the Consciousness associated with the means of knowledge;

and that limited by the mind is the Consciousness associated with the

subject. (end quote)

 

What is happening is that the same Consciousness is inflected in 3

ways as knowing, the knower and the known. What brings them all

together is what has been called connaturality i.e. they share the same

nature. If that connaturality is neglected then the only consciousness

in the picture will be that of the perceiver and the shining in the

consciousness of the perceiver of the object will be due to the

perceiver's consciousness alone. Thus the object will remain trapped

in the magic circle of the subject alone, solus ipse (sole itself). You

cannot from there go, as some do, to claim that all is consciousness

because by virtue of your base position there is no exterior reality.

 

'I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself the king of infinite

space' (Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Patron of Solipsism)

 

Best Wishes,

Michael.