[Advaita-l] What is the meaning of illusion (accordingtoadvaita, obviously)?

[sriram]

Dear Sri Vyas
I think the definition conceptual error will be more appropriate for maya 
than mithyathva.Maya is of varying degrees and its veiling power varies from 
individual to individual.But mithya is same for all -it is just mistaking 
one thing for the other and it is in a lower level and stops with sensory 
perception.Life is mithya is same for all.But living is maya.The same life 
experience may be painful or enjoyable according to one`s concept of what is 
happiness or sadness.Mithya can be held equivalent to transitory or 
ephimeral.R.Krishnamoorthy.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jaldhar H. Vyas" <jaldhar at braincells.com>
To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" 
<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] What is the meaning of illusion (according 
toadvaita,obviously)?


> On Fri, 26 Dec 2008, Sunil Bhattacharjya wrote:
>
>>
>> Would not you think that "delusion" is a better equivalent word for
>> "mithya" than the more commonly used word "illusion"?
>>
>
> The problem is that illusion (and to a somewhat lesser extent) delusion
> both suggest a perceptual problem which is the wrong emphasis. mithyatva
> is a conceptual error.
>
> For instance, "everyone knows" the sun rises in the east and sets in the
> west.  This is readily confirmed by perception.  It is only when you learn
> a little astronomical theory that you will realize that the sun is
> not rising and setting at all but it is the earth that is revolving around
> it.  You will still make the same sense-observations but your
> interpretation of them has changed.  And yet even the cleverest of
> scientists can still enjoy a beautiful "sunrise" even though he knows
> "sunrise" doesn't exist.
>
> In the same way we do not have to worry about at the dawn of jnana
> everything will disappear or be reduced to a uniform shade of grey.  It is
> only (ha! only!) the unshakable conception of apparent multiplicity as
> oneness.
>
> -- 
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
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