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The General Conception of Knowledge
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are reflections of Ïsvara. They are like the painted clothes worn by the pictures on a painted convass. In this conception there is one jIva with many reflections. As a matter of fact, this view admits the existence of many jivas and many bodies. But, there is a difference of status between Isvara and them. This view is held by Vivarana and other followers of Srsti Drstivāda.
(3) The third interpretation is that there is one soul known as Hiranyagarbha subsisting in all the bodies. It can be asked, if one soul subsists in all the bodies why there is no interchange of experiences; why Caitra does not enjoy the pleasures as are enjoyed by Maitra. The Vedantist replies that body is the regulator in this matter. The experiences of previous lives are not felt in the present life, because, bodies have changed inspite of the unity of soul. Similarly, inspite of the unity of soul Caitra and Maitra have different experiences on account of their different bodies. This explanation, also makes the attempt for liberation, on the part of individual selves, a futile effort 1 The above mentioned difficulty does not arise in the plurality of souls as accepted by the vivaraṇa-school,
Three types of Knowledge according to the Vedanta
The Advaita Vedanta maintains three stages of soul and asserts three types of knowledge corresponding with them. They are Brahman, Isvara and Jiva. Brahman is pure consciousness. It is devoid of all objectivity. It is self-luminative. Iśvara is the consciousness attached with Maya; with the function of projection only, and not that of Avarana. Consequently, Iśvara knows everything in the form of subject-object. He is the cognizer and the whole world is his object. Jiva is limited by or reflected into antaḥkarana. His cognition is a dependent vṛtti, which removes the Avarana of consciousness conditioned by the object. It is limited and perishable.
on
I. Advaitasiddhi p. 539; Siddhantaleśasamgraha p. 370
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