Weekly Definitions: Anvaya and Vyatireka

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

These two words anvaya and vyatireka occur often in Vedanta. Anvaya

is concordance or agreement and Vyatireka is discordance or

difference. In vedanta, the example of the beads strung to form a

necklace is used to explain these two words. The fact that without

the string which holds together the beads, there is no necklace of

beads is anvaya. The fact that, however, the string is separate

from the beads is vyatireka. The all-pervasiveness of the Absolute is

anvaya. The distinctness of the Absolute is the vyatireka.

 

The last of the four verses called the Four-Verse-Bhagavatam where

the Impersonal Absolute `teaches' the very first born, namely Creator

BrahmA: ( Bhagavatam: II– 9 – 35) says

 

EtAvadeva jijnAsyam tattva-jijnAsunAtmanaH /

anvaya-vyatirekAbhyAm yat syAt sarvatra sarvadA//

 

(Translation adapted from Swami Tapasyananda's.): What the seeker

after Truth has to grasp is that Substance which persists -- this is

anvaya -- always through all its transformations into its various

effects or forms, but suffers no diminution in the process – this is

vyatireka -- as also when all these effects or forms are eliminated

in the causal condition. The Supreme Spirit is the ultimate Substance.

 

Vidyaranya's Panchadashi IV – 32 says: " By anvaya and vyatireka one

comes to the conclusion that it is the `mental' creation which causes

bondage to the Jiva, for when these mental constructs are there,

pleasure and pain are also there and when they are not there, there

is neither pleasure nor pain.

 

The words occur almost in the same context, in the boy Prahlada's

teaching to his contemporaries. He says: By these two exercises in

logic (anvaya and vyatireka) one should be able to realise the Self

within. (Bhagavatam: VII – 7 – 21).

 

PraNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

[Guest guest]

Many thanks to ProfVK-ji for posting a new definition in my absence. Here is

an additional input, copied from 'Back to the Truth', referring to the

metaphor of the pot made of clay:

 

When the pot exists, so too does the clay. But when the pot is broken, the

clay still exists. Therefore, we conclude that the clay is real while the

pot is only mithyA. Similarly, when the world and thoughts are present, we

exist and when these are absent, as in deep sleep, we still exist.

Consequently, we must conclude that who we really are - the Atman - is real,

while the world, including body and mind etc. is mithyA. This logical

process is called anvaya vyatireka (anvaya means " connection, association " ;

vyatireka means " distinction, separateness, exclusion " ).

 

Best wishes,

Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

..

 

<http://geo./serv?s=97359714/grpId=15939/grpspId=1705075991/msgId=3

5759/stime=1177476927/nc1=4507179/nc2=3848631/nc3=3848580>

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

May i please be permitted to add to the definition of Anvaya and

Vyatireka provided by our beloved Professorji and chief moderator

Dennisji.

 

May i please share this passage on 'Anvaya and Vyatireka' from Swami

Sivananda? This is a very detailed explanation of these two

terms ... Anvaya and Vyatireka

 

" The absolute independence of the Atman is proved by the method of

synthesis and analysis, conjunction and disjunction, called Anvaya

and Vyatireka.

 

Anvaya means the presence of one thing along with a particular

another, and Vyatireka means its absence when that other is absent.

It is synthesis and analysis (positive and negative method). The

names and forms are different and unreal, but the one underlying

essence of the Atman is the same in all forms. It is the only

reality. The forms should be negated and the essence has to be

grasped by meditation on the Atman. The Atman is to be separated

from the five sheaths, just as one draws out the pith of the Munja

grass or a reed. Just as one takes out the small diamond that is

mixed with different kinds of pulses and cereals by separating it

from them, this Atman is to be taken out by separating it from the

physical, vital, mental, intellectual and blissful sheaths. Where

these five sheaths exist, there the Atman also exists. Where these

five sheaths do not exist, even there the Atman exists. Therefore,

the Atman is independent of the five sheaths.

 

In the state of dream there is no consciousness of the existence of

the material body, but the presence of the Atman is felt; as without

the Atman it is not possible to have the consciousness of what

occurs in a dream. It thus follows that in the state of dream there

is the presence of the Atman and the absence of the material body.

The coexistence of the Atman with the material body in the waking

state is called Anvaya and the non-coexistence of the material body

with the Atman in the state of dream is called Vyatireka.

 

In the state of sound sleep one is not conscious of the existence of

the subtle body, but the presence of the Atman is proved by the fact

that, after waking, everyone has the consciousness that during sound

sleep one was perfectly ignorant of everything. This consciousness

is the result of previous experience, and in sound sleep there is no

one else than the Atman to receive that experience. The coexistence

of the Atman with the subtle body in waking and dream is called

Anvaya, and the non-coexistence of the subtle body with the Atman in

the state of sound sleep is called Vyatireka.

 

In the state of Samadhi, i.e. perfect absorption of thought in the

one object of meditation, viz. the Supreme Self, there is the

absence of the causal body, which is the same as ignorance, but the

presence of the Atman or the Self is experienced. The coexistence of

the Atman with the causal body in waking, dream and deep sleep is

called Anvaya, and the non-coexistence of the causal body with the

Atman in Samadhi is called Vyatireka. "

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/phil/phil_04e.html

 

To give another example . read verse 172 from Viveka chudamani

 

In dream, when there is no substantial reality, one enters a world

of enjoyment by the power of the manas. So it is in waking life,

without any difference, all this is manifestation of the manas.

(172)

 

This is an example of 'Anvaya' method

 

Read the next verse 173 from Viveka chudamani

 

All know that when the manas is merged in the state of dreamless

slumber nothing remains. Hence the contents of our consciousness are

created by the manas and have no real existence. (173)

 

This is an example of the Vyatireka method .

 

Anandaji , you may want to elaborate on this ! i am not qualified to

do so.

 

This is a very interesting set of definitions !i would invite

learned members like Anandaji, Sadaji, Sunderji among many others

to come forward and explain these two with examples from

upanishads ... etc etc ...

 

at this rate , i will never get alzheimer's disease because Dennisji

is making me think and remember so much ! i think playing Sudoku

helps but researching on internet to familiarize oneself with all

thse terms in vedanta is definitely a rewarding experience ! the

last time i heard these terms was in my Sanskrit Grammar class in

high school !