Sambodhi 2002 Vol 25

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 56

Vol. XXV, 2002
MADHYAMIKAS THEORY OF ERROR...
51
This Sainvști is error. Bodhicaryāvatāra identifies Samvrtisatya with error or inisapprehension by Stating that 'avidyā (ignorance), moha (delusion), and Viparyaya (error or misapprehension) are synonyms of Samvrti (31f -476facute fautet: B.C.A. p. 352). This error is of two kinds: the universal error and the other is the subjective or the individual error. Candrakīrtri calls them as lokasamnvrti and alokasamvrti. Sāntideva calls them as tathyasamvrti and Mithyāsamvrti (B.C.A. p. 352). Lokasamvști or tathyasamvrti, signifies empirical truth and alokasamvrti or mithyāsamvrti, is empirical illusion or error, e. g. things in dreamn, mirage, things perceived when the sense organs are not properly functioning. Tathyasamvrti is the phenomenal truth and Mithyāsamvrti is falsity or error. These two kinds of truth correspond to the paratantra and parikalpita truths of Vijñānavāda and the Vyavahāra (empirical) and prātibhāsika (illusory) degrees of truth of Sankara Vedānta.
According to Mādhyamika at empirical level, there may be distinction between error and valid knowledge, but at transcendental stand-point, even all empirical knowledge come under the category of error. Both are based on contradiction, negativity, limitation and relativity. For convenience, we call the former 'appearance and the latter 'error'. Both baffle the description, both are indescribable, for they can be called neither real nor as unreal. Contradiction is the essence of all appearances, for non-contradiction belongs only to reality, which is of the nature of pure-knowledge. Knowledge, therefore, removes contradiction and the moment contradiction is removed, error vanishes.
According to Madhyamikas causation is a mark of the unreal. Whatever is produced is liable to destruction and unreal, Avidyā is beginningless positive tendency, that is destroyed by true realisation. Avidyā is indescribable, unreal, ultimately. Thus, at empirical level, Madhyamikas exposition of theory error may be said to be like that of Advaita-Vedāntic theory of anirvacanīyakhyāti. When the Shell is mistaken for Silver, the shell-delimited consciousness is the ground on which silver and its cognition are illusorily imposed by beginningless ignorance. This silver is not real, because, it is contradicted afterwards when the shell is known and it cannot be unreal, because, it appears as silver as long as illusion lasts. It is therefore called Sünya by Madhyamnikas and anirvacanīya, indescribable either as real as unreal by Advaita Vedāntins. Error is indescribable superimposition which is removed by