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spoken of hy Sankara as being constitnted of Avidya, imagined by Avidyā, presented by Avidy145 and so on. We feel that the terms Māyā and Avidyā are interchangable in Sankara's philosophy. But opinion is divided with regard to these two terms among Sarkara's followers. In Advaitic works like, Saiksepasiriraka, Sidulhāntamuktavali and Vivaranaprameyasangraha, Ho distinction is drawn between Mâyü and Avidyā. In Prakstārthavivarana Mapa has been described as the beginningless and indescribable, origin of all objects wliich is ussociated with (the infinite) cosmic consciousness, while Avidra is viwedd as a linitc unit of this cosmic Māyā.47 So, also in Pancailaši, Müyü is lield to be the adjunct (Upādhi) of Išvara, while 4vidyā is maintained to be adjunct of the finite individual souls (Jivas) only.48 Vacaspati Miśra recognises original nescience (Mülāvidya) and fragmentary nescience (tülāvidya) 49 Beginningless positive root nescience is the cause of the world. It is thic adjunct of Išvara. Individual nescience is the adjunct of the Jira. The Brahman, the object of ncscience subsisting in the Jira, is perverted in to the world with the aid of materiality of Māru subsisting in Brahman,50 Vidyāranya regards Māya as made up of pure Sattva, and Avidya as made up of impure sattva. Isvara is the reflection of Brahmian in Māyā. The Jiva is reflection of Brahman in Avidyā Mārā is adjunct of Iśvara. While, Avidya is the adjunct of the Jiva.51 Mahādevānandasarasvati52 states that one Ajñāna-which is positive nescience composed of Sattra, rajas and tamas, neither real nor unreal, but indefine able and capable of being annulled by right knowledge, is divided into two l'oled : Māyā and Aridyä. Like Vidyāranya he says that Māya is made up of pure Sattva while A vidyā is made up of impure Sattya, Māyā is adjunct of Isvara while Avidyā is the adjunct of the Jiva. He further states that Māyā las predominance of the power of projecting plurality of appearance while Avidyā has predominance of the power of veiling the nature of Bralıman. In this way, only one Ajñāna is called Māyā and Aridy, according to the pridominance of the power of projection (Viksepasakti) and that of the power of veiling (Avaranasakti). Sadānanda in his Vedāntasāra53 divides nescience (Ajñāna) into collective (Samaşti) and individual (Vyaşti). The collective Ajñāna with pure sattva predominates in it is the adjunct of Isvara and it is Māyā. The individual Ajñāna with impure Sattva predominates in it is the adjunct of Jiva and it is Avidyā. Māyā is cosmic nescience and Avidyā is individual nescience. Praksātman states that Māyū and Avidya are identical but, on practical level they are to be treated as different. Viksepasakti is predominent in Mäyd which projects the world appearance, while Avaranasakti is predominent in Aridya which conceals the nature of Brahman.54
