World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 814

manifestation, that would mean the destruction of very nature of Brahman. But it is not acceptable to any one. So Avidya is incapable of concealing the nature of Brahman75 (Tirodhananupapatti). Thirdly, what is the nature of Avidya: Is it real or unreal, positive or negative ? If it is real, there would be duality the other reality being Brahman. If it is real, positive how can it be Avidyā? Avidya means ignorance and it is absence of knowledge. If it is unreal, negative, then, how can it project this world-illusion on Brahman? To say that Avidya is both positive and negative is to embrace self-contradiction. So reality of Avidya cannot be proved76 (Svarupanupapatti). Fourthly, to say that Māyā is neither real nor unreal but indescribable is illogical. How can a thing be neither real nor unreal? A thing must be either real or unreal. All our cognition relate to either entitites or nonentities. There is no third alternative. To maintain a third alternative is to reject the well established canons of logic-the Law of contradiction and the Law of excluded Middle" (Anirvacaniyanupapatti). Fifthly, no means of knowledge (Pramāņas) testify to the existenance of Māyā. Avidya cannot be perceived, for perception can give us either an entity or non-entity. It cannot be inferred, for inference proceeds through a valid mark (Linga) which Avidya lacks. In the Scriptures. Māyā or Avidya is used to indicate the wonderful power possessed by God, who has nothing to do with an eternal unreal Avidya78 (Pramāṇānupapatti). Sixthly there is no remover of Avidya. Advaitins believe that Māyā or Avidya is removed by right knowledge of the unqualified, attributeless Brahman. But Rāmānuja says that such knowledge is impossible. Discrimination and determination are absolutely essential to knowledge. Pure identity is a mere abstraction. Hence, there can be no knowledge of undifferentiated attributeless Brahman. And in the absence of such knowledge, there can be no remover of Avidya." (Nivartakanupapatti). Advaitins maintain that realization of identity between individual self and Brahman removes Avidya. Really, removal of Avidya is not possible. Avidya is said to be positive by Advaitins. A thing which positively exists cannot be removed from existence by knowledge. The bondage of the soul is due to karma which is a concrete reality, not apparent, as it is actually experienced, and so cannot be destroyed by the integral knowledge of the identity of Brahman and the self. Cessation of bondage can be acquired by devotional meditation on God through his grace. The duality of Brahman and Jivas and the world is real and known by valid knowledge. So, the knowledge of identity contradicts the real
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