A causal avidya as distinct from adhyasa is accepted by Sureshwaracharya

[V Subrahmanian]

In the Brihadaranyaka Vartikam, for the Aham Brahmasmi 1.4.10 bhashyam, Sri Sureshwaracharya,  while explaining, says there are three types of ignorance: Ajnanam (ignorance), samshaya (doubt) and mithyajnanam (error). He explains: Ajnanam is the cause and the other two are its effects.  Thus Sureshwaracharya accepts a kāraṇa ajnānam and kārya ajnanam. This is quite in tune with what Shankara has stated in the Bhagavadgita Bhashya 13.2: अविद्यायाः तामसत्वात् । तामसो हि प्रत्ययः आवरणात्मकत्वात् अविद्या विपरीतग्राहकः, संशयोपस्थापको वा, अग्रहणात्मको वा  |  Avidya is of the nature of tamas, enveloping. This takes three forms: erroneous perception, doubtful perception and non-cognition. It can be seen that the third mentioned here is the causal and the other two are the effect of the cause: 

बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद्भाष्यवार्तिकम्

अज्ञानं संशयज्ञानं मिथ्याज्ञानमिति त्रिकम् ।।

अज्ञानं कारणं तत्र कार्यत्वं परिशिष्टयोः ।। १३६८ ।।

We can also see the above verse of Sureshwaracharya an explanation to the Adhyasa bhashya statement:

तमेतमेवंलक्षणमध्यासं पण्डिता अविद्येति मन्यन्ते । तद्विवेकेन च वस्तुस्वरूपावधारणं विद्यामाहुः । 

The adhyasa (erroneous perception) of the nature explained before (in the adhyasa bhashya with the analogies of shell-silver, two-moon and superimposing dirt, etc. in ether) is called avidya by the knowers. The determining the true nature of the thing there by discrimination is called vidya.

From the verse of Sureshwaracharya we can decidedly say that by the term 'avidya' Shankara is meaning the kārya (effect) avidyā and not the kāraṇa avidyā.  Thus, on Sureshwara's pramāṇa, the adhyāsa bhashya term avidya (adhyasa) is an effect of the causal ajnana/avidya/ignorance. This means that Shankara and Sureshwara accept a prior cause for adhyasa.  In other words, there is an avidya that results in adhyasa. The other effect of avidya is samshaya, doubt.  

Om Tat Sat. 

subbu

[Bhaskar YR]

In other words, there is an avidya that results in adhyasa. The other effect of avidya is samshaya, doubt.  

 

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

Who is questioning this!!??  It is well accepted that not knowing the rope ( jnAnAbhAva) is the reason for taking it as snake ( adhyAsa).  The mistaken knowledge can never arise without the absence of correct knowledge.  Hence for all practical purposes the absence of correct knowledge is the cause of misconception.  However, the advocators of mUlAvidyAvAdins introduce fourth type of avidyA which is the material cause of these three types of avidyA.  As per them for the adhyAsa (misconception) absence of knowledge (jnAnAbhAva) is not the cause but something else which is Dravya rUpa, bhAva rUpa brahmAshrita avidyA shakti.  But  as per lOkAnubhava, in day to day experience adhyAsa is the predominant one as we don’t say due to lack of rope knowledge we are seeing snake but OTOH we start our business by seeing the snake….hence bhAshyakAra says anAdyananta naisargikOdhyAsaH, very common to human mind / tendency.  Though in common, avidyA is either agrahaNa or saMshaya or adhyAsa type, the word avidyA in adhyAsa bhAshya is adhyAsa alone which has been elaborated with all types of loukika examples.  Hence the agrahaNa (jnAnAbhAva) regarding the real nature of the self is the kAraNAvidyA and anyathAgrahaNa and saMshaya are kAryAvidyA.  kArikA too say this.  Anyway it should not be forgotten that kArya-kAraNa sambandha between avidyA and adhyAsa any talks with relating to this too is due to adhyAsa coz. without considering oneself as pramAtru (which is again adhyAsa) one cannot go forward with pramANa-prameya vyavahAra clarifies Sri SSS. 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

 

[V Subrahmanian]

On Tue, May 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM 'Bhaskar YR' via advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

In other words, there is an avidya that results in adhyasa. The other effect of avidya is samshaya, doubt.  

 

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

Who is questioning this!!?? 

What is highlighted is that the causal avidya is not abhAvAtmaka but a bhAvarUpa one. Otherwise, it cannot be the cause of the other two. Bhashyakara has emphatically stated that 'abhAva cannot give rise to a bhAva entity.'  

regards

 

It is well accepted that not knowing the rope ( jnAnAbhAva) is the reason for taking it as snake ( adhyAsa).  The mistaken knowledge can never arise without the absence of correct knowledge.  Hence for all practical purposes the absence of correct knowledge is the cause of misconception.  However, the advocators of mUlAvidyAvAdins introduce fourth type of avidyA which is the material cause of these three types of avidyA.  As per them for the adhyAsa (misconception) absence of knowledge (jnAnAbhAva) is not the cause but something else which is Dravya rUpa, bhAva rUpa brahmAshrita avidyA shakti.  But  as per lOkAnubhava, in day to day experience adhyAsa is the predominant one as we don’t say due to lack of rope knowledge we are seeing snake but OTOH we start our business by seeing the snake….hence bhAshyakAra says anAdyananta naisargikOdhyAsaH, very common to human mind / tendency.  Though in common, avidyA is either agrahaNa or saMshaya or adhyAsa type, the word avidyA in adhyAsa bhAshya is adhyAsa alone which has been elaborated with all types of loukika examples.  Hence the agrahaNa (jnAnAbhAva) regarding the real nature of the self is the kAraNAvidyA and anyathAgrahaNa and saMshaya are kAryAvidyA.  kArikA too say this.  Anyway it should not be forgotten that kArya-kAraNa sambandha between avidyA and adhyAsa any talks with relating to this too is due to adhyAsa coz. without considering oneself as pramAtru (which is again adhyAsa) one cannot go forward with pramANa-prameya vyavahAra clarifies Sri SSS. 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

 

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