Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

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Traverses on less trodden path...
(Paramārthika) is state of liberation. Sankara writes. “that entity, in the absolute sense real, highest of all, eternal, all-pervading like the ether, exempt from all changes, all sufficing, undivided, whose nature is to be its own light, in which neither good nor evil has any place, nor effect, nor past, nor present, nor future-this corporeal entity is called liberation.
It is very clear that, Sankara's conception of orders of reality is based on the difference in the grades of our experience. It is well-known fact that what appears to be real at lower level becomes unreal when we come across higher kind of experience. The unreality of the effects of the illusory stand-point is realised when we attain empirical standpoint. Similarly, the unreality of the empirical standpoint can be realised only on attaining absolute standpoint. He wanted to show that, the real import of the Upanişads is the knowledge of the highest non-dual Brahman. The world is mere name and form. 88 The reference to difference in the Upanişads is just concession to our empirical modes of thinking. 8 9 The recognition of the three kinds of realities, however, should not be regarded as contradic. tory or incompatible with the non-dualistic doctrine of Advaita system. Really speaking these tbree kinds of realities are not degrees of reality, independent of one another. There is no place for two or more permanent realities in the non-dualistic system. These distinctions are also adopted to teach common man. Ultimately, prātibhāsika and vyāvahårika realities are discarded in favour of päramärthika-the non-dual absolute.
It is important to note that Sankara differs from Vijñanavāda Buddhists who have also accepted three kinds of orders of reality. For Vijñā. navādins, especially, for Asanga, there are two aspects of Reality; one is absolutely real (Parinişpanna) and the other is defiled aspect of the same reality (i, e. paratantra). This absolute is affected by illusion Pure consci. ousness appears as the manifold world of phenomena. It cannot remain indifferent to its appearances. It is involved in phenomena, The paramärtha which is the pure aspect of the real is defiled and appears in the form of subject-object duality and as the manifold world of phenomena. This defiled aspect is empirical (paratantra). When it is purified it becomes paramārtha. In the Advaita of Sankara, there are no pure or impure aspects of reality. Absolute is never defiled, it is always pure. The absolute consciousness is un-defiled and unaffected by all types of illusion. It
87. Idam tu pāramārthikam kuțasthanityam vyomavad sarvavyāpi sarvavikriyārahitam
nity a trptam Diravayavam, svayam jyotiss vabhāvam yatra dhar adharmau saha
kā ryeņa kālattrayam ca nopăvartete tad etat asarirat vam mokşākhyam--S. B. 1-1-4. 88. Vācārambhanam nāmadheyam myttiket yevasatyam--Ch, Up. VI. 1.4. 89. Na cātrobhāvapi bhedābhedau śrutistulyavad vyapadi'sati abhedameva hi pratipadyatyenam
nirdisati-S. B. III. II. 29,