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64
E. A. Solomon
The Yoga-Vasistha moreover explains that in the pure consciousness there is a spogtaneous wave of mentation (kala kalanarūpini). It is threefold-zubtle, middling and gross. Then the Miod too is imagined in these states as three-fold. This is known as Avidyā or Praksti with its three gunas-sattva, rajas and tamas. Each of these gunas is three-fold and thus avidyā is nine-fold. Whatever object there is in the world is permeated by it. The Yoga-Vasistha gives an account of world-creation, of course unreal in its view, as also a classification of things under this nine-fold division of avidyā (Yv. Vla. 9. 2ff). Like the other works on Vedāota it is influenced by the Sāṁkhya and adopts the Samkhya termi. nology. Avidyā is thus looked upon as the material cause of the world.
In reality there is neither vidya por avidyā. The pure Consciousness itself when not apprehended as such is known as avidya. Due to lack of vidya there is false imagination of what is called avidya. When the pure Consciousness is realised, it is said to be the destruction of avidyā'. When avid ya has been eradicated, vidyā also disappears and what is left is pure Consciousness. Both vidya and avidya are phenomenal and relative modes: of Consciousness and therefore upreal.1
The Yoga-Va sistha is very emphatic in its assertion that avidya does not exist. Brahman alone, which is eternal and unchanging, exists. Avidya is but a name, a mere hypothesis. The concepts of avidyā and jiva have been set up only for the instruction of the non-eolightened to make the explanation intelligible. Only as long as the manas is nonenlightened can it attain enlightenment by erroneous (-erroneous from the
1. विद्याऽविद्यादृशौ न स्तः शेषे बद्धपदो भव ।।
नाविद्याऽस्ति न विद्याऽस्ति कृतं कल्पनयाऽनया ।। किंचिदस्ति न किञ्चिद यच्चित संविदिति तत् स्थितम् । तदेवाविदिताभासं सदविद्येत्युदाहृतम् ॥ विदितं सत् तदेवेदमविद्याक्षयसंशितम् । विद्याऽभावादविद्यारख्या मिथ्येवोदेति कल्पना । मिथः स्वान्ते तयोरन्तश्छायातपयोरिव । अविद्यार्या विलीनायां क्षीणे द्वे एव कल्पने ॥ एते राघव ली येते अवाप्य परिशिष्यते । अविद्यासंक्षयात् क्षीणो विद्यापक्षोऽपि राघव ॥ यच्छिष्ट तन्न किंचिद्वा किंचिद्वापीदमाततम् । तवं दृश्यते सर्व न किंचन न दृश्यते ॥
-Yv. VIa 9.20-2 ,
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