Originally Posted by
nirotu
Dear Brahman:
Thank you for your response. With all due respect the subject we were discussing was related to “creation”. Somehow, I did not see your response to my query. I still do feel that Advaitic notion of “creation” account is not clear, at least to me. If I were to ask an advaitin if they believed in creation of the universe, the answer most likely is in the negative.
As I had said earlier in my post: it stems from a preconceived notion, “Every thing apart from Brahman is unreal”. If you look at Taittiriya Upanishad; “the source from which all things come, that by which they are sustained and that into which they enter” referring to three aspects of one God. Accordingly, Brahma creates universe and us with certain potentialities (The Gita (III,10)), Vishnu helps us to realize them through overcoming of opposition, and Siva signifies the victorious self-maintenance of the good. What is not clear to me is when Upanishad is so very clear on the “creation” and the events leading to “creation”, why would Shankara interpret differently shruti with his commentary?
Badarayana, in an attempt to resolve the conflicts within the scriptures, has authored the Brahmasutras. In the samanvaya chapter, he has attempted to harmonize conflicts within various Upanishads regarding creatorship of God. In that Badarayana is openly declaring the creative power as God’s intrinsic property and is declaring in clearest possible terms that God is the author of the world.
It is not clear to me why Shankara introduced saguna/nirguna aspects to God to define phenomenal and absolute planes, when, in fact, there is no plurality in God(s).
Please, pardon my asking. I am more inclined to think it is truth to me that dvaita is what runs this universe and its inhabitants towards the goal- advaita. There are many scholars here who may want to join in. But, please let us be respectful of each other’s views.
Blessings,
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