What is adviata?

[Guest guest]

> IS THIS NOT 'ADVAITA' ?

 

 

Let us address this question - specifically.

 

Advaita word means - non-duality and as doctrine - it

is non-dualism.

 

Why non-duality - it is negation of duality. Since

duality is the state we are in - in the vyvahaara

state - but take this state as the real state.

 

Hence the philosophy negates the reality to the

duality that we experience and says that experiential

duality is only mithyaa or only apparent and not real.

 

Shree T.P. Mahadevan says 'advaita as translated as

non-dualism - that non- not only refers to duality but

to -ism as well'- essentially implying that it is the

absolute truth and not an ism or philosophy or matam

in Sanskrit.

 

Advaita doctrine has three fundamental aspects

involved.

 

1. Brahma satyam - Brahman alone is real - real being

that which cannot be negated at anytime or place.

 

2. Jagat mithyaa - the world is apparent - neither

real since it is negated in dream and deep sleep

states, nor unreal since it is experienced - hence it

is apparently real like mirage waters.

 

and most importantly,

 

3. jiivo brahma eva na aparaH - the individual soul is

nothing but Brahman - that is 'I am' is truly all

pervading infinite consciousness-existence, the one

without a second.

 

Understanding of the third one requires appreciation

of the first and second. That clear understanding as

a fact is the samaadhi or nidhidhaasanam- which

automatically requires appreciation of the first two

as facts as well. It is not an understanding as a

thought but understanding as a fact. That

understanding is the recognition that you are that

turiiyam - consciousness that pervades all the three

states - waking, dream and deep sleep states. That

provides samatvam in the dhii - samaadhi (equanimity

in the intellect or buddhi)- since all that experience

is only apparent and not real and what is real is only

I, the conscious-existence that I am.

 

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda