Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Upauisadic influence on ..
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are mero appearance, superimposed on reality like magical figures created by the magician. 83 The magical figures do not exist in reality but they appear to exist. Like Upanişadic thinkers he says that, realising all things to be illusion or māyā, removing ignorance, one attains this supreme Reality. 84
The doctrine of truth is also traceable to the Upanişads. Brhadāranyaka speaks of Brahman as the real of the reals and even as the Sole Reality. 5 This statement is clearly an indication of plurality of trutbs understood by the Upanisadie sages. We are told in the Katha Upanişad that the reality is eternal among the transient 56 It is implicitly mentioned here that except Brahman or Supreme Reality everything else is empirical, transitory and not real. The išāvāsya Upanisad tells us that the face of truth is covered with a golden disc. Here the word ‘apihita' is used in the sense of cover (Sanvşti). The real truth is covered by the phenomenal truth. The word 'samvşti' satya is used by Asanga in the same sense as understood by the ‘apihita' by the Upanişadic thinkers. This phenomenal world is Saivyti Satya (empirical) not real, ultimately; only Paramärtha Satya is real and it is the only reality.
In the Upanişads, the two terms Ātman and Brahman are used as synonyms. Mandukya clearly mentions the identity of Atman with Brahman by saying that this Atmap. is Brahman.87 Brhadāraṇyaka states that this is indeed the Stman, the immortal and the Brahman.5% Chāndogya tells us that Atman is indeed all this, 59 There are many statements which show that Ātman is identified with Brabman in the Upanişads and these two words are used as synonyms in the ultimate sense, o
Asanga's notion of pure consciousness is nothing but Atman or Brahman of Upanişads, even though he criticises Ātman of the Upanisads understanding it in the narrow sense of ego. Really, he does not deny the existence of Atman, i.e., Reality of the Upanişads. His Tathala - Thatness is the same as Ātman or Brahman of Upanişads. He
53, MSA, XI-15. 54. MSA. IV-24. 55. Satyasya satyam-Bh. Up. 11-1-20. 56. Kath. Up. II-V-13. 57. Ayam itmi brahma. Māņd. Up. 2 and Běh. Up. II-V-19. 58 Sa yoyam ärmedam amstam idam brahma. Bịh. Up. II-V-19. 59 Sarvam khalvidam brahma. Chā. Up. III-XIV 1. 60. Tattvamasi. Cha. Up. VI-XVI-3. and, ayamātmā brahma. Mand. Up. 2.