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ultimate reality, they have not ignored the importance of phenomenal truth, equally they have emphasized the realizing the unreality of this phenomenal aspect. This empirical truth is not real in the ultimate analysis, but plays a very important role in our everyday experiences. The experiences of worldly objects are upreal, ultimately, but they need to be realized as such. In waking stats only we realize that dreams are unreal or illusory. In the same manner to realize the transcendental truth (paramartha) there is no other way except realizing unreality of phenomenal truth, phenomenal truth is also called truth, because it is taken as truth by common people There is only one truth that is paramartha. This distinction between pheaomegal and transcendental is made by the intellect itself. Truth is beyond intellect. So, ultimately this distinction is also not real. But as long as we are in ignorance, this disticction is real, we cannot question the empirical level or truth. The ordinary man, engrossed in worldly matters, does not understand the height of transcendental truth. Thus, it is necessary to adopt vyävahārika point in communicating transcendental truth to ordinary people. Kundakunda rightly pointed out that just as a non-Aryan cannot be made to understand anything except through the medium of his non-Aryan language, Similarly knowledge of the Absolute cannot be communicated to the mundane people except through vyavahāra, 106 The same idea is beautifully illustrated by Amrta candra by saying that, 'small children who have not yet learnt to walk require helping hands of parents or elders. But when they have grown up and learnt to walk no longer need helping hand of others. Similarly, a person who remains on the empirical level, needs, empirical standpoint, but when he has arisen higher to the transcendental level, he sees every. thing as manifestation of consciousness and realizes nothing except pureconsciousness, 106 Even Nāgārjuna and Asanga declare that without empirical truth, paramartha cannot be taught. 107 Sankara admits that the lower knowledge or empirical truth leads us eventually to the higher wisdom. He says that this scriptural account of creation admitted by Avid ya .. has, for its highest aim, the teachings that Brahman is the true self This must not be forgotten.'108 Realization of unreality of ei pirical world leads us to realization of highest truth. Vyavahāra is true until awakening occurs. 106 One has to transcend this vyavahāra level. Again these religo- philosophical thinkers, like Upanişadic seers, have emphasized the importance of intuitive experience of ultimate reality which needs rigorous self-discipline. It is clear that all these great thinkers have accepted these two types of distinctions. But they differ widely in certein respects. Kundakundi's distinction is applicable to only supreme self and empirical self. He believes in pluralty of souls which are reals. Acco.
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