Guest guest Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Hi, I lost a week somehow...Anyway, ever since the first time I read the Kashyapa Sutras and Swamiji's commentary I have been confused by his discussion of maya in terms of the three definitions in Shree Vidya. I finally think I have discovered the source of my confusion, and I suspect, from reading the transcripts of the chat that I am not alone. In Swamiji's commentary, he defines three kinds, or views, of maya. The difficulty (ok, MY difficulty) is that, to me, maya carries a powerful connotation - that of illusion. The key, I think, to correctly understanding the three positions, and Swamiji's comments, is to think of maya only in its definition of "manifestation". The three positions of maya become untangled when, instead of reading "maya", I read instead, "manifested existence". It's a mouthful, but it makes clear the position of Sankhya philosophy, as it relates to manifested existence, as "the many looking to the many", since Sankhya doesn't address anything beyond the division of prakriti and purusha, and accepts (I'm pretty sure...but might want to check) the reality of this manifestation, as the joint activity of prakriti combined with the conscious awareness of purusha. "The many looking to the One," is how Tantric philosophy relates to manifested existence. It accepts this universe as the real manifestation of the Divine Mother. The only idea of illusion, I believe, applies only so far as we mistake the seeming for the totality, failing to see Her in it all. "The One looking to the One," the Vendantic view of manifested existence, recognizes all of manifestation as illusion, as unreality, as maya (in its more commonly used sense), understanding the truth of existence as one indistinguishable unity of pure consciousness. Trying to understand Swamiji's commentary, carrying around this idea of maya as illusion was driving me crazy...It just didn't make sense! I feel better now... Jai Maa! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Namaste Chris, Thanks for sharing your understanding! Swamiji explains these three levels of Maya in the Lalitha Trishati classes (early on). It really helped to clarify my thinking listening to Him explain! The classes can be found at: http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal-4.7.3/node/782 Please write back if there is more confusion/questions and we can get help from Swamiji! Jai Maa! ramya , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956 wrote: > > Hi, > > I lost a week somehow...Anyway, ever since the first time I read the > Kashyapa Sutras and Swamiji's commentary I have been confused by his > discussion of maya in terms of the three definitions in Shree Vidya. I > finally think I have discovered the source of my confusion, and I > suspect, from reading the transcripts of the chat that I am not alone. > > In Swamiji's commentary, he defines three kinds, or views, of maya. > The difficulty (ok, MY difficulty) is that, to me, maya carries a > powerful connotation - that of illusion. > > The key, I think, to correctly understanding the three positions, and > Swamiji's comments, is to think of maya only in its definition of > "manifestation". The three positions of maya become untangled when, > instead of reading "maya", I read instead, "manifested existence". > > It's a mouthful, but it makes clear the position of Sankhya > philosophy, as it relates to manifested existence, as "the many > looking to the many", since Sankhya doesn't address anything beyond > the division of prakriti and purusha, and accepts (I'm pretty > sure...but might want to check) the reality of this manifestation, as > the joint activity of prakriti combined with the conscious awareness > of purusha. > > "The many looking to the One," is how Tantric philosophy relates to > manifested existence. It accepts this universe as the real > manifestation of the Divine Mother. The only idea of illusion, I > believe, applies only so far as we mistake the seeming for the > totality, failing to see Her in it all. > > "The One looking to the One," the Vendantic view of manifested > existence, recognizes all of manifestation as illusion, as unreality, > as maya (in its more commonly used sense), understanding the truth of > existence as one indistinguishable unity of pure consciousness. > > Trying to understand Swamiji's commentary, carrying around this idea > of maya as illusion was driving me crazy...It just didn't make sense! > > I feel better now... > > Jai Maa! > Chris > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Thanks Ramya! Jai Maa! Chris , "n_ramya108" <n_ramya108 wrote: > > Namaste Chris, > > Thanks for sharing your understanding! > > Swamiji explains these three levels of Maya in the Lalitha Trishati classes (early on). It > really helped to clarify my thinking listening to Him explain! > > The classes can be found at: > http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal-4.7.3/node/782 > > Please write back if there is more confusion/questions and we can get help from Swamiji! > > > Jai Maa! > > ramya > > > , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956@> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > I lost a week somehow...Anyway, ever since the first time I read the > > Kashyapa Sutras and Swamiji's commentary I have been confused by his > > discussion of maya in terms of the three definitions in Shree Vidya. I > > finally think I have discovered the source of my confusion, and I > > suspect, from reading the transcripts of the chat that I am not alone. > > > > In Swamiji's commentary, he defines three kinds, or views, of maya. > > The difficulty (ok, MY difficulty) is that, to me, maya carries a > > powerful connotation - that of illusion. > > > > The key, I think, to correctly understanding the three positions, and > > Swamiji's comments, is to think of maya only in its definition of > > "manifestation". The three positions of maya become untangled when, > > instead of reading "maya", I read instead, "manifested existence". > > > > It's a mouthful, but it makes clear the position of Sankhya > > philosophy, as it relates to manifested existence, as "the many > > looking to the many", since Sankhya doesn't address anything beyond > > the division of prakriti and purusha, and accepts (I'm pretty > > sure...but might want to check) the reality of this manifestation, as > > the joint activity of prakriti combined with the conscious awareness > > of purusha. > > > > "The many looking to the One," is how Tantric philosophy relates to > > manifested existence. It accepts this universe as the real > > manifestation of the Divine Mother. The only idea of illusion, I > > believe, applies only so far as we mistake the seeming for the > > totality, failing to see Her in it all. > > > > "The One looking to the One," the Vendantic view of manifested > > existence, recognizes all of manifestation as illusion, as unreality, > > as maya (in its more commonly used sense), understanding the truth of > > existence as one indistinguishable unity of pure consciousness. > > > > Trying to understand Swamiji's commentary, carrying around this idea > > of maya as illusion was driving me crazy...It just didn't make sense! > > > > I feel better now... > > > > Jai Maa! > > Chris > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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