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yajvan
31 December 2008, 11:58 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

Namasté

For those arriving to the philosophy of Sanātana dharma¹ one is quickly introduced to the concept of māyā or ~ illusion ~. We have defined this word and talked much about here on HDF¹ .

This concept quickly becomes a staple of conversation and taken as fact. Let's say the a person with this new knowledge bumps her head… did this not happen? Is the pain and the bump not on the forehead? Or if one wins the lottery and the money changes that person's life and his family's life style, is that too not an experience that sure feels, looks, and smells real? So there must be more to this notion of māyā then meets the eye, no? Lets me offer this point of view.

When we view our environment , our surroundings, we see things, objects. There is multiplicity and diversity all around us… people, homes, trees, birds, children, cars, bikes, buildings, paper, machines, etc. multiple objects coming into our perception. We can touch them, eat them, smell them, pick them up, they are a real experience - no illusion. Yet the notion of māyā is not so much of what you see, its what you are unaware of. That all these things are connected in some way i.e. there is a unity of creation that is not part of our common awareness.
This unity is called advaya अद्वय which means not two, without a second. It is from a+dvaya or a=not + dvaya=two, pair, couple. Here then resides the notion of māyā: we miss the truth that all is connected and is not seen by the experiencer, the person. This is the illusion - that you think what you see is all that there is.

Let say a person looks at a tree. He examines each leaf and says the leaf is the 'reality'. The are thousands of leafs on the tree, each one an individual. Another says , oh no, it is the twigs that hold the leaf, and there are thousands of them too. Yet the wise comes along and says, 'look to the sap' . It is the sap that is colorless, and is the essence (sāra) of the tree. It makes the green of the leaf, the strength of the bark, the 'digging quality' of the roots, the smell of the blossoms, etc. Hence the sattā, Being of the tree is the sap.

It is when one looks to the more subtler levels the differences on the surface fade. We call this surface consciousness or differentiated awareness - as what is seen is differences, multiple things, we see dvaya or 2; this means opposites - pleasure+pain.
This 'pleasure and pain' is the code-word the wise use for all differences that appear at the surface level of life - when one hears pleasure+pain, we can then think big and small, black and white, up and down, in and out, rich and poor, smart and dumb, like that it is the word of differences; Differentiated awareness = māyā. That which only tells half truth of what life and creation are all about.

Lets just inspect where we see less difference in our common understanding. Take any two objects - say a chair and a rock. We know that if we take a closer look we can see that both objects are made of, molecules. Take a closer look and we see atoms, electrons, protons, all that. The surface view as distinct objects have subsided - we see commonality in their structure.
Take a closer look we find all these molecules and atoms and electrons are composed of sub-atomic particles held in place by various forces ( strong force , weak force, magnetic force, all the forces talk of in physics ) an energy level if you will.

The diversity at the surface level has more commonality at the finer levels of creation. We find commonality of all matter residing in space or ākāśa . This ākāśa or pure space which provides the area for things to exist in. There is nothing in this universe that does not require ākāśa , space for its ability to reside in space. ( More on the types of space if there is interest). This commonality of elements is the knowledge of tattva-s. We can talk of this later, but thought to make a point of it for future reference. And this ākāśa is one of the subtler elements in the family of the mahābhūta-s ( the Great elements).

So what have we done by inspection ? We have found something that is common to all 'things'. Now if we take this to its ultimate conclusion, the ultimate ~element~ of subtlety for all and every thing and being to exist, it is rooted in pure Being, Pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure existence some call sattā or sattva. The essence of all is this Being.

This is what escapes ones awareness and experience, this Being as a personal experience on a daily basis. This is the māyā ~illusion~ - that you think you are looking at what really is, and it is not. It is missing this unifying (advaya) awareness that brings commonality to all things in this creation, that is the māyā the wise suggest we reconsider.
They inform us this advaya is a real experience, not a concept. They say you can experience this within your self, and it starts with SELF-awareness.

We also find this this advaya expressed and rejoiced in the rig veda. This unifying impulse of all creation in Aditi; She is considered the mother of all the devatā in the Veda. She is the undivided, infinite unity. That is why she is called Aditi. More on Her name and Her accomplice Diti in a later post.
Hence we have found the roots to this māyā and the logic behind it.

praṇām

word & references

Sanātana dharma¹ - Sanātana is eternal, ancient, ever lasting; dharma is rooted in dhṛ to uphold, support. Hence Sanātana dharma is that which eternally supports, upholds, everlasting support; Wisdom w/o bounds
If interested see the HDF conversation : http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1768&highlight=maya (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1768&highlight=maya)
māyā as a definition http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=615&highlight=maya (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=615&highlight=maya)

santosh
02 January 2009, 03:06 PM
Literal translation of word maya is "that which is not". From Scriptures point of view, maya is the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord Krishna.

Two types of Maya - 1. Yogamaya 2. Mahamaya. When we talk of Maya, we are usually talking of Mahamaya. The jurisdiction of Mahamaya is in the material world.

Why is it called "illusory" energy or why is it called "illusion"? After all this world appears real and it is real because object of this material world - you can see it, touch it. For example, the computer which we are using is "real". We can touch it, it's there. Then why is it called "illusion"? Well, One thousand years ago, was this computer present? Will this computer be there one thousand years later? No.

So this material world appears to be real but it's manifestation is temporary. Therefore it is called Maya.

Maya is also used to symbolically represent anything and everything of this material world engaged in material consciousness.

Maya being the energy of the Supreme Lord Krishna, it is very strong. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita BG 7:14 -

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāḿ taranti te

Translation:

This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

For further explanation of this verse please follow http://vedabase.net/bg/7/14/en

Santosh

yajvan
03 January 2009, 11:44 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté santosh (et.al)

Yes is see this māyā माय used & defined as illusion, yet there is more to this word… what is at its roots to help answer 'what then is the illusion? ' .

mā मा is to measure, measure out , apportion , or grant. It also means to prepare , arrange , fashion , form , build , make.
We find this mā in māyate मायते to measure , meter-out , mark .
And what of yā या ( or ya) is restraining; a goer or mover ; it is also to go away , withdraw , retire and this yā can become another word for meditation, withdrawing into the SELF.Who does this measuring? Śrī Viṣṇu and his 3 steps. What does Viṣṇu represent? Viṣ or viṣ that comes from vyāpana , pervade or all pervading.
Now this viṣ is also interestingly connected to 'rule' and to have done with i.e. overcome , subdue , rule. We can see how Śrī Viṣṇu is viewed as the Ruler of all. Yet note that He also measures out says the rig veda (1.22.18) e.g. trīṇi padā vichakrame viṣṇur gopā adābhyaḥ; as this says, 3 steps superbly strode Viṣṇu, the protecteor of the whole world, unassailable.

Hence this māyā माय may be used for the notion of illusion, but at its core it’s the wisdom of the Infinite being measured out... that is the illusion. As if Infinity can be metered out into time, space and cause - the things we see every day.

This is the illusion , that all we see at its root is the Infinite, the All Pervading, yet ~as if~ it has been constrained to length, width and height, we miss the Infinite in our daily awareness and experience, hense the illusion.

This view is the mala ( or blemish) that one has. This one blemish of thinking we too are constrained is considered māyā. From a kaśmir śaivism point of view this blemish is a root cause of ignorance.
This blemish (as there are several) is called āṇavamala and is considered apūrṇatā ( a + pūrṇa) or non-fullness. One feels incomplete.

IMHO it is the root cause of ignorance that parallels māyā , the illusion or mis-understanding that one is not full, not complete, and this starts the motivation of desire.

I will leave it here…there are multiple posts on these blemishes if there is interest.

praṇām

santosh
03 January 2009, 04:05 PM
Hare Krishna Yajvanji,

What I have consistently read is that Ma in Maya translates to "Not". In Srimad Bhagavad Gita Ma is used many times and always it means "Not". However from Sanskrit Dhatu point of view, the word Ma may have other meanings such as those you have pointed out, like to measure.

One definition of Ya is "that". Therefore Maya is translated to "that which is not". Another definition of Ya is, like you have mentioned, to go or going or goer. From that perspective Maya translates to "don't go there". Therefore Maya is commonly translated to illusion.

What then is this illusion?

The living entity is eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, but under the influence of Srimati Mayadevi, it forgets its Dharma and thinks either there is no God or I am God etc. and refuse to either accept existence of God or accepts existence of God but still refuses to surrender unto Him and serve Him.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, "mama maya duratyaya". The word duratyaya means "difficult to overcome". Krishna also says "mama maya" meaning "this divine energy of mine".

The living entity or jiva does have minute independence or free will. How to use this tiny independence is upto the individual jiva. Proper use of this independece is to understand that I am eternal servant of Lord and therefore let me serve Him. If he does that, he gets liberated from the bondage of Mayadevi and the repeated cycle of birth and death. If the jiva misuses the minute independece and engages in all sort of irreligious activities, then it suffers in this life and the next.

Yes, you point it out nicely about how one, out of ignorance, feels incomplete and therefore desires things of this material world. That's exactly the case. The soul is "sat", "chit" and "ananada". That's the constitutional position of jiva. In the area near our heart is the seat of the soul. Next to the soul is the Paramatma or Kshirodaksyayi Vishnu. The Lord loves us (soul) so much that Lord in His Kshirodaksyayi Vishnu (Paramatma) form, He accompnies us (soul) all the time but because the intelligence is somehow covered due to dense cover of ignorance that the mind has collected for millions of lifetimes, it forgets that.

It is very difficult to understand the exact mechanics of why and how this happens. But the fact of the matter is that "now" we are covered with the ignorance. So how to get out of it? How to realize our original position of "sat", "chit" and "ananada"?

Brihad Naradiya Purana explains remedy in Kali Yuga:

"Harer Nama, Harer Nama, Harer Namaiva Kevalam
Kalau Na Asti Eva, Na Asti Eva, Na Asti Eva, Gatir Anyatha."

Meaning: In the age of Kali one can be delivered only by chanting the Names of Lord Hari, only by chanting the Names of Lord Hari, Only by chanting the Names of Lord Hari, there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.

yajvan
03 January 2009, 07:47 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté santosh and Hare Kṛṣṇa


What I have consistently read is that Ma in Maya translates to "Not". In Srimad Bhagavad Gita Ma is used many times and always it means "Not". However from Sanskrit Dhatu point of view, the word Ma may have other meanings such as those you have pointed out, like to measure.

What I have found consistenly is the wisdom of sanātana dharma is found on multiple levels. This sometimes is called saṁketa संकेत or hint , allusion , signal or gesture. That is, the wise are able to communicate on multiple levels of undersanding to address the listener's consciousness. This also is the notion of the veda-s, Upaniṣad-s, Purāṇa-s, agama-s. They are offered for different levels of consciousness and undersanding.

So on one level this māyā माय is used & defined as illusion…that said, based on my studies I have not found a definition of mā = not. The closest I have gotten to 'not' has been 'false'.
My references are such as the Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary , A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy, etc. along with other references and studies of the śāstra-s ( happy to list them if its of any relevence). The one book I find a favorite on this word māyā is offered by Śrī Śaṅkarānarāynān called Daśa Mahāvidyās.

Lets take a closer look

Ma as a noun = happiness, welfare. and a double ma or mama (máma) = me.
Lets look at the word or sound means 'no' or 'not' ; na न = not , no , nor , neither. What then of nā ना ? this = the navel, a musical instrument, also knowledge.
Lets look to this word na in the spelling format of māyā: naya नय , does it get closer to or parallel māyā, when using 'na' = to 'not' or 'no'? This naya नयis conduct , behaviour , also prudent conduct or behaviour. We are most familiar with this word as it applies to niyama नियमwhich means checking , controlling; it is application of naya नय as prudent behaviour.Another way of saying 'not' or 'no' is with an 'a' prefix. Let me give a few examples:

a -svaptum : a= not + svaptum = sleep , hence not to sleep.
ananta or endless ; asat not good ;
apaśyat not seeing; ajati or birthless, like that this 'a अ' is of great value. And as you know Kṛṣṇa says 'and of the letters I am the first (a अ)'.

I will keep my eyes open for the use of ma = 'not' in my readings.

praṇām

yajvan
04 January 2009, 08:04 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté santosh and Hare Kṛṣṇa


I wrote

I will keep my eyes open for the use of ma = 'not' in my readings

I started to dig further¹ as I find mā मा of great interest and a learning opportunity.
Where is this mā मा as a root = 'not' or 'no'? Here is what I found.


This mā is found with 3 roots… the one I am most familiar is the following:
1. mā is to measure ; to measure (by any standard) , compare with
mā as in māyate - to measure out; to meter; to measure across = traverse
mā मा is to measure, measure out , apportion , or grant. It also means to prepare , arrange , fashion , form , build , make.
We find this mā in māyate मायते to measure , meter-out , mark and used in māti - to correspond in measure.
2. Another view of mā is to sound or bellow, roar.

3. Yet to find this mā used as not or no, took me deeper into the various roots:
mā - not, that not, lest, would that not. - a particle of prohibition or negation.
Occasionally without a verb as in mā śabdaḥ 'do not make a noise' or in mā sma gamaḥ - ' do not go… '

Found in the the veda often with u (mó*) = and not , nor as in mā́ maghónaḥ pári khyatam mó*asmā́kam ṛ́ṣṇām , do not forget the rich lords nor us the poets.

Hope this adds value to round out the offering and application of mā.

praṇām


1. Further digging - Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (2002 addition + 2008 revision)

yajvan
05 January 2009, 10:36 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

One more idea on these roots (dhātu¹) for māyā.
You may wish to note , if you read this post on its own without the benefit of the conversations in the posts above, it will most likely render little sense.

So, if we use the word mā as 'no' or 'not' and/or we use mā as to measure or meter out, then what is the logic or insight regarding māyā? This yā has multiple meanings:

yā- to go , proceed , move , walk , set out , march , advance , travel , journey ;
yā - restraining , religious meditation
yā - attaining
yā- to go away , withdraw , retire
yā - another name of lakṣmī. As I apply it to mā 'to measure', which is my POV on this matter, I get a complimentry fit e.g. to march, advance, go i.e. to measure (mā) out or proceed (yā) or march out, meter out. The notion of the Infinite measured out as being the illusion ~māyā~ I susbscribe to.

Yet if I take mā as equal to 'no' or 'not' I find myself somewhat contstained to an applicible meaning for māyā. That is, that of mā= 'no' + march (yā) or 'no' restraining (yā) , which is IMHO the opposite of māyā.
If I use it as 'no' withdrawal or 'not' retire (yā) I am still perplexed on using mā in a meaningful prefix to yā , to come to reasonable use found in its meaning of māyā as the illusion.

I am sure I could improve the fit if I have complete poetic license to bend some additional words and ideas i.e. stretch the notion on some words. That said, let me apply this 'yā' as another name of lakṣmī.

Stretching this concept (to make it fit) #1
This lakṣmī we know as the wife of viṣṇu or nārāyaṇa. So one could say viṣṇu is the Infinite, hence lakṣmī too must be of this Infinity. Now if I say mā = measured, the we have the infinite found as 'yā' in lakṣmī , measured out (mā) or māyā = the illusion or the Infinite measured out.

Stretching this concept (to make it fit) #2
This lakṣmī also means a mark , from the word lakṣa or lakś. It means to know and to understand, recognize; lakṣate is to perceive , observe. Hence if I use the word mā = 'no' and yā = lakṣmī = lakṣa or lakś = perceive and know, then we could say mā = 'no' + yā = 'perceive and know'. Then māyā =the illusion of not understanding, or not knowing the truth or Reality of the Infinite.

praṇām

words
dhātu धातु - constituent part , ingredient

yajvan
09 January 2009, 06:53 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté



As I apply it to mā 'to measure', which is my POV on this matter, I get a complimentry fit e.g. to march, advance, go i.e. to measure (mā) out or proceed (yā) or march out, meter out. The notion of the Infinite measured out as being the illusion ~māyā~ I susbscribe to.

I have mentioned in previous posts the notion of āditya that leads to aditi. In this string on māyā I mentioned The Infinite. In the veda we see this notion of Infinite as Aditi. I thought this post my be of some interest.

We find Aditi praised in the rig veda often. Why so? I think we will see the reason in Her name.

āditya आदित्य belonging to or coming from aditi ; sometimes it is written ādityā́ and attributed to the name of the sun; Yet this word āditya and aditi are very potent.

This ādi means the beginning, first fruit. And this 'ad' is to eat , consume , devour. And what of this ditya , it is the son of aditi. So we need to understand aditi अदिति to get to the value of these words overall.
Aditi अदिति is a+diti. The 'a' = not + 'diti' = dividing, splitting, cutting. Hence a+diti is not divided and therefore wholeness, fullness ( bhūman). Aditi's nature is the Infinite. She is considered boundlessness, inexhaustible abundance.


In the vedā-s Aditi is the Mother of all the gods. The ones recognized as Her son's depends on where you look. In the vedā we see the 7 sons varuṇa , mitra , aryaman , bhaga , dakṣa , aṃśa, & indra.

Perhaps we can review each one i.e. varuṇa, as He is considered 'uru' or 'wide', hence , broad , spacious , extended , great and therefore wide-space like Mother Aditi, Infinite in nature.

ṛg veda 1.89.10, the ṛṣi is Gotamaḥ Rāhūgaṇaḥ, chandas ( meter) is trishtup
aditir dyaur aditir antarikṣam
adutir mātā sa pitā putraḥ |
vishve devā adith panca janā
aditir jātam aditir janitvam ||

Aditi is heaven Aditi is the mid-world
Aditi is the mother earth; Aditi is the father and son.
She is (collectively) all the Gods; She is 5 peoples;
Aditi is all that is born and yet to be born.


FYI: the 5 peoples ( panca janā ) are anna (matter ~ or food, that which is eaten, experienced), prāna ( we think breath, yet this is life force too, essence of life), mana ( or mind), vijnāna (discriminative knowledge , some also may call this mahas or light , splender, greatness), and ānanda ( bliss, or joy).


praṇām

yajvan
10 January 2009, 05:09 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

I wrote

Aditi अदिति is a+diti. The 'a' = not + 'diti' = dividing, splitting, cutting. Hence a+diti is not divided and therefore wholeness, fullness ( bhūman). Aditi's nature is the Infinite. She is considered boundlessness, inexhaustible abundance.
Why bring this up in this string regarding māyā where I subscribe to the following view ? i.e.
The notion of the Infinite measured out as being the illusion ~māyā~

The Infinite is recognized in the veda and described one way as Aditi. So what then is the symbol (saṃketa) for the 'measured out' ? We know who the Infinite is, where then is this Infinite metered out as if in pieces? We find this ( IMHO) in the children of Diti दिति.

Diti दिति means cutting , splitting , dividing and liberality distributing. We know Aditi is Wholeness and Infinity, She is sura (Divine) . Yet Diti is dividing, liberally distributing and splitting up this Infinity; Diti is considered a-sura or opposite of Divine, an opponent of the devatā
or asura.
Hence my wording of the Infinite measured out is = to Diti metering out Aditi.

And who are the children of Diti? They are the Daysu-s, Dānavā-s, Paṇi-s and Vṛtrā-s one reads about in the veda that cause mischief. They are of the divided nature which signifies multiplicity, opposite of unity and/or harmony, dark vs. light.

These 'children' are considered the forces or impulses that cover light , stimulate hoarding, 'sense traffickers' as called by R.L. Kashyap¹. They prefer to stimulate the clashing of opposites, they prefer dark to light, diversity to unity. This is the ~battles~ one hears of within the sphere of the devatā i.e. light vs. dark, fullness vs. limitation, self-control vs. excessive sense consumption, etc.
We hear of Indra as the āditya आदित्य belonging to or coming from aditi (the Infinite) and we hear of Vṛtrā coming from the diti दिति that does the cutting , splitting , dividing.

The word vṛtrā means coverer , investor , restrainer. But the coverer of what? The Truth. Not only do vṛtrā-s cover the Truth, they also wish to distort the Truth. Both in the Vedanta and the kaśmir śaivism view, ignorance is not the total absense of knowledge, but the deformed, or incomplete knowledge one possesses - i.e. its what you know that may be false and what you do not know as yet to be true.

Hence the above helps frame māyā a bit more… we will revisit some of these ideas in the next few posts.


praṇām
references
1. R.L. Kashyap - author of several books I use as reading and study material - one favorite is the First 121 sūktā-s of the Rig Veda. Kashyap-ji, Ph.D., is a follower of Śrī Aurobindo and active member of SAKSIVC. To him I am grateful for the wisdom he has passed down from Śrī Aurobindo & Kapāli Sātri, if missed I would have been a lesser student.

yajvan
11 January 2009, 02:09 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

I wrote

Aditi अदिति is a+diti. The 'a' = not + 'diti' = dividing, splitting, cutting. Hence a+diti is not divided and therefore wholeness, fullness ( bhūman). Aditi's nature is the Infinite. She is considered boundlessness, inexhaustible abundance.

In the vedā-s Aditi is the Mother of all the gods. The ones recognized as Her son's depends on where you look. In the vedā we see the 7 sons varuṇa , mitra , aryaman , bhaga , dakṣa , aṃśa, & indra.
Varuṇa वरुण - is considered 'all enveloping sky'. Within His name we see vār rooted in vṛi water; this vār is considered ocean. Varuṇa is considered the Master of the oceans and the sky. The 'waters' is considered consciousness, and sky (space or ākāśa) as you would think is expansive, without limits, a symbol for unboundedness, Brahman.

This links nicely to what I mentioned in a previous post:

He is considered 'uru' or 'wide', hence , broad , spacious , extended , great and therefore wide-space like Mother Aditi, Infinite in nature.
Varuṇa resides in uru-kṣya ( some write urukshaya) , occupying spacious dwellings says the rig veda 1.2.9 i.e. the wide-ness (infinity).
This ṛk (1.2.9) also says He, along with mitra ( the word used is mitrāvaruṇā) are born in many ways, dwelling in uru-kṣya.
This born in many ways is a great insight.
We know the infinite creates all that is seen; It's said He creates then He is found in His creation, says the Upaniṣad-s. ; He is jāta, brought into existence or born in the human; for this post, lets call this human the yajamāna ( the worshipper or sacrificer).

The spirit begins to unfold within the yajamāna. IMHO this begins the journey¹. I am also of the belief this in its truest sense is the notion of being twice born - dvijá द्विज. As mitrāvaruṇā are tuvi-jāta तुविजात ( of powerful nature) they begin their assent into the yajamāna; this is our opportunity to invite Them in.

What do they offer? In a word bṛhat बृहत्. What is this bṛhat बृहत् ? It is full growth, extended and bright. We become this fullness, expansiveness (vyoman¹). Why so? because it is of the nature of mitrāvaruṇā. They are 'mother-like' i.e. like Mother Aditi, Infinite in nature; there is no narrowness, no constriction , no room for diti ( duality) to take firm hold once Varuṇa blossoms in full… this is the blessing of the yajamān's efforts in the end.


praṇām
words and references

This journey is sometimes called adhvara अध्वर (sacrifice). Yet it is composed of adhva which means traveling or road going + ra which is speed, acquiring or possessing. The notion then is movement (ra) and travel (adhva) or the journey. And this becomes adhvan अध्वन् the journey, and the person on the path is called the adhvanīya अध्वनीन, a traveler.
vyoma व्योम - heaven , sky, etc.