advaitam and Kashmir shaivam (aavaraNa)

Gregory Goode goode at DPW.COM
Wed Jul 30 15:00:27 CDT 1997


At 11:31 AM 7/30/97 EST, Anand Hudli wrote:
[...]
>  The question may be asked: If all objects are Consciousness, then why do we
>  see them as having material reality? In reply it may be stated that we see
>  them as having material reality because of our ignorance. Once the
ignorance
>  is dispelled, we will see that we are identical with Shiva and that the
world
>  is a reflection in Shiva. This leads to a very important conclusion.
>  Realization will not result in the disappearance or destruction of the
world.
>  Realization only changes our awareness of the world. The world will still
>  continue to exist. What changes is our perception of it as having a
material
>  and independent reality.
>
>  This last argument has supporters among advaitins too.

The Mandukya Upanishad, Sri Gaudapada's Karika IV.79 summarizes this last
argument quite well (about the non-disappearance of the world) upon
realization and vice versa:

     On account of attachment to the unreal objects,
     the mind runs after such objects.  But it comes
     back to its own pure state when it becomes unattached
     to objects realizing their unreality.

               --Swami Nikhilananda's translation



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