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xxx] Nature of Brahman
307 pure knowledge is defined as pure bliss?; pure bliss is nothing but pure perceiver (drg-anatirekāt). On this view again there is no difference between bliss and its consciousness. Vyāsa-tīrtha contends that, if Brahman is regarded as non-dual, then that involves the negation of duality. If such a negation is false, then Brahman becomes dual; and, if such a negation is affirmed, then also Brahman becomes dual, for it involves the affirmation of negation. To this Madhusūdana's reply is that the reality of negation is nothing more than the locus in which the negation is affirmed; the negation would then mean nothing else than Brahman, and hence the criticism that the admission of negation would involve duality is invalid.
Regarding the sāksi-consciousness Vyāsa-tīrtha contends that the definition of sākşi as pure being is unacceptable in the technical sense of the word as defined by Pāṇini. To this Madhusūdana's reply is that sākși may be defined as the pure consciousness reflected either in avidyā or a modification of it; and thus even the pure being may, through its reflection, be regarded as the drastā. The objection of circular reasoning, on the ground that there is interdependence between the conditions of reflection and the seeing capacity of the seer, is unavailing; for such interdependence is beginningless. The sākṣi-consciousness, according to Madhusūdana, is neither pure Brahman ņor Brahman as conditioned by buddhi, but is the consciousness reflected in avidyā or a modification of it; the sākṣi-consciousness, though one in all perceivers, yet behaves as identified with each particular perceiver, and thus the experiences of one particular perceiver are perceived by the sākṣiconsciousness as identified with that particular perceiver, and so there is no chance of any confusion of the experience of different individuals on the ground that the sākṣi-consciousness is itself universal
ietena visayānullekhi-jñānam evānandam ity api yuktam. Advaita-siddhi, p. 751.
? sarva-jīva-sādhāranyepi tat-taj-jiva-caitanyābhedenābhivyaktasya tat-tadduhkhādi-bhāsakatayā atiprasargābhāvāt. Ibid. p. 754.
