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Thread: Creation and Advaita !

  1. #171
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    Re: Creation and Advaita !

    Quote Originally Posted by nirotu View Post
    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,


    nirotu: I still do feel that 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.

    That is true; I still have no definition for the creation of the universe. My vision or school of thought doesn’t allow me a definition for something not created.


    nirotu : 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).

    Won’t you agree that gravity existed before Newton?
    Likewise, please understand that the Concept of saguna/ nirguna is as old as Sandhana Dharma. And so it should be proper to believe that there is no founder for it too.
    Bhagavan Sankara was a true follower of Sandhana Dharma, and his contributions on saguna, nirguna are incredible.

    nirotu : 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.

    You said you are inclined to think.
    But I have already been thinking.
    So, here’s a simple advice.
    When we start to think, its not knowledge anymore; instead it turns to an experience.
    Be inclined to experience the bliss.

    I am not trying to refute any thoughts or trying to teach anyone, instead I share my views about a particular vision or a thought being followed within the planes of a sacred ancient dharma, which is and will not be against the rest of the thoughts derived within the planes of this dharma

    love and blessings



    .

  2. #172

    Re: Creation and Advaita !

    Vidur asked Maitreya…..katham nivartasya sadanyatah .Why god makes the creation, when he is complete in himself ? Maitreya replied…
    Puraschakre dwipadah puraschakre chatushpadah .
    Purah sa pakshi bhutwa purah purushah avishat .brhadanyakup 2/5/18

    When he wanted to play, who was the second ? no one, so created the universe, I think as below…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU-280mwfB8

  3. #173
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    Re: Creation and Advaita !

    Admin Note
    Namaskar,
    I have moved some of the unrelated posts on this thread to http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4814

    Please continue the off topic discussion there.

    Thanks,
    satay

  4. #174

    Re: Creation and Advaita !

    The universe was created, existing inside of Brahman. Quantum physics explains that everything in the universe acts like thought (Brahmans thoughts). All of this can be seen in Atman.

  5. #175

    Re: Creation and Advaita !

    "Creation and Advaita:

    It looks like an oxymoron to me. If Advaita is all there is, then there was no necessity of creation! If the starting point and ending point of a man�s life is the same (Advaita), I think that the process of creation itself takes on a new meaning that does overshadow Advaita. In light of this reality that creation indeed took place, where does Advaita address this reality? In my view Advaita truly limits its ability to address this point in a meaningful way!"


    Your question is coming from a very logical perspective so let me answer this from the teaching methodology adopted by traditional Acharyas.

    Your must 1st understand what is Satyam and Mithya. Satyam is the reality that does not change. Mithya is that which depends upon Satyam. Therefore Mithya cannot be separate from Satyam. A classical example given over here is that of a Pot and a clay. The clay is there before the existence of the pot as well as the after the pot is destroyed. Also without the clay there is no existence to the pot. Hence the Pot is Mithya and the clay is Satyam.

    Similarly the world is Mithya, and Brahman is Satyam. World is in the place of the Pot and the clay is in the place of Brahman.

    A question may arise , we understand the definition of Satyam and Mithya, and that Brahman is the sum and substance of this world. In such a case why do we even have this Mithya world. Since Brahman is Achalam i.e without movement. For this we say that the cause of Mithya is Maya. So this whole world is created by Brahman's power called Maya. Now Maya here is the cause of Mithya. The effect is nothing but cause in a different form, hence Maya is also Mithya.

    A question may arise, does this not break Advaita, since you have 2 existences, one is Maya and another is Brahman not so. Just as Satyam and Mithya cannot be called 2 existences and since Mithya is Satyam, just as the pot is clay but the clay is not necessarily pot. Similarly Maya is Brahman but Brahman is not Maya.

    This is the way Advaitins resolve the riddle of creation within their Siddhanta.

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