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just concession to our empirical modes of thinking. The recognition of the three kinds of realities, however, should not be regarded as contradic tory or incompatible with the non-dualistic doctrine of Advaita system. Really speaking these three kinds of realities are not degrees of reality, independent of one another. There is no place for two or more permanent realities in the non-dualistic system. These distinctions are also adopted to teach common man. Ultimately, pratibhasika and vyavaharika realties. discarded in favour of paramarthika-the non-dual absolute.
It is important to note that Sankara differs from Vijnanavada Buddhists who have also accepted three kinds of orders of realities For Vijñā. navadins, especially, for Asanga, there are two aspects of Reality; one is ab solutely real (Parinispanna) and the other is defiled aspect of the same reality (i.c. paratantra). This absolute is affected by illusion. Pure consciousness appears as the manifold world of phenomena. It cannot remain indifferent to its appearances. It is involved in phenomena. The paramar. tha which is the pure aspeet of the real is defiled and appears in the form of subject-object duality and as the manifold world of phenomena This defiled. aspect is empirical (paratantra). When it is purified it becomes paramār tha. In the Advaita of Sankara, there are no pure or impure aspects of reality. Absolute is never defiled, it is always pure. The absolute conscio usness is un-defiled and unaffected by all types of illusion. It remains in different (Kajastha) to all kinds of appearances superimposed on it. It is the basis of illusion but itself is not affected by it. Vyavahara is not defiled aspect of the reality. It is ontologically less real than the ultimate reality. purification of vyavahara is not attaining paramartha Transcending, going beyond vyavahara we will realize this state of pure conscious
ness.
We have already seen that the same current of thought flows in all these systems. The description of nature of paramartha satya is common to all-from Uanisadic philosophy to Advaita Vedanta. The para- vidya er bigher transcendental knowledge is equated with the pure self luminous, ind. escribable Atman or Brahman, in the Upanisads. It is beyond the grasp of words and intellect.90 Atman is devoid of sound, touch, form and it is undecaying, devoid of taste colour etc.91 Mundaka Upanisad clearly states that transcendental knowledge is that by which the immortal Brahman is known. Transcendental knowledge is that by which one attains immortality. The same idea is developed by Kundakundācārya, Nagarjuna, Asang, Vasubandhu and Advaita Vedantins. Kundakunda's paramartha
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