Misconceptions About Śaṅkara
Swāmiji, Sri Sri Satchidānandendra Saraswati
Edition 2 | pp 1 - 110 | 1998
- Introduction
- Śaṅkara's Mission in Life (Paras 1-6)
- The Unique Feature of Śaṅkara's Work --- Adhyāsa (7) - Śruti and Intuition (7) - No hypothetical avidyā-śakti (8).
- Avidyā and Māyā --- Not Synonymous (9).
- Brahman and Iśvara --- Brahman as the cause of the universe (10) - Brahman as the Ruler (Iśvara) of individual selves (11).
- Omniscience of Brahman --- Omniscience and omnipotence refer to the intrinsic nature of Brahman (12).
- Cause and Effect --- Vedantic view of the relation between cause and effect contrasted with the views of the Sāmkhyas (13).
- Empirical Reality of the Universe --- The Universe is not an illusion - Distinction between the empirical and the transcendental view concerning Pramāṇas (14).
- The Distinctive Feature of Śruti-Pramāṇa --- Śruti concerning the nature of Brahman is the Ultimate Pramāṇa in as much as it sublates all convention of Pramāṇa and Prameya including the śruti-pramāṇa after the dawn of the intuition of Brahman (15).
- The Usefulness of the Distinction of the Two Views --- Seeming self-contradictions in the Bhāshya are all dissolved and adverse criticisms lose all their force when one reminds himself of the distinction of Paramarthic and Vyavaharic views (16).
- The Comprehensive Signification of the word `Ātmaikatva-Vidyā' --- The term does not denote merely the identity of Jiva and Isvara - Absolute unity of Ātman is what is meant (17).
- The words Advaita and Advaya --- A baseless imputation levelled against Gaudapada in connection with the signification of the two words (18).
- The Identity of the Jiva with Brahman --- What it implies (19).
- The Essential Identity of the Universe with Brahman --- Two examples to illustrate this (20).
- The Real and the unreal from the two view-points --- Pariṇāma or Transformation of Brahman into the Universe (21) - The Potential seed of the world, the so-called Śakti of Isvara (21) - Mistaken for the avidya-śakti by Post Śankaras (21).
- Gaudapāda and Bādarāyaṇa --- The unjustifiable theory put forward by certain critics assigning lower rank to Badrayana in contrast with Gaudapada with regard to causality (22).
- The Method of Superimpostion and Rescission --- Both Gaudapada and Badarayana recognize the method (23).
- References to the Method in Śaṅkara's Work --- The maxim of the Arundhati Star in the Sutra-Bhashya (24).
- Why this Method is adopted by the Vedantas --- Reference to the method by some ancient Vedantins in Gita Bhashya (25).
- Vedic Vyavahāra --- Vedantic Vyavahara and its two aspects (26).
- Fundamental Avidyā involved in all Vyavahāra --- Mutual superimposition of Ātman and not-Ātman (27).
- An unexpected turn in the interpretation of Adhyāsa --- The compound word mithyājñānanimittah twisted and misinterpreted to mean having for its natural cause (mithya) undefinable avidya-śakti. The Gita-Bhashya in confirmation of the Adhyasa views (28).
- Disputes about Avidyā-śakti --- The locus and object of avidya - About the number of avidyas - Śankara's text in the matter (29).
- Why no Pramāṇa is needed to prove Avidyā or Ātman (30).
- Misconception about Disembodiedness (31).
- Misconception about the Beginninglessness of Samsāra (32).
- The cause of Waking, Re-birth and Creation (33)
- Misconception concerning the State of Deep Sleep (34).
- Various Views concerning Deep Sleep (35).
- Divergent Views about Avidyā in Trance (36).
- Śaṅkara's Statements regarding the Potency of Distinctions in Sleep and Dissolution (37).
- Misconception with regard to the identity of Jiva waking up from Sleep (38).
- The Anology of Seed and Sprout as a Beginningless Series (39).
- Some Needless Disputations regarding Avidyā and Jīvas --- Relative Priority of avidyas and Jivas (40) - The Upadhi of Jiva in Dream and waking (41) - Sleep and swoon (42) - Is jiva the object of me-notion (43) - Is Jiva like vision of Brahman limited by Upadhi or a reflection of Brahman in Upadhi ? (44) The Witness as many and one according to sub-commentaries (45) - Controversy about the number of Jivas (46) Prajna in sleep misinterpreted as mostly ignorant (47).
- Needless Controversy over the Syntactical Relation of the words in the Text `Tat-tvam-asi' --- Two opposed views Bādhā-Samānādhikaraṇya!! and !!Primary Samānādhikaraṇya (48).
- The Creatorship of Iśvara and the Transmigratory nature of Jīva (49).
- The Anology of the Pot-Ether and Ether in General --- Gaudapada strictly Battered (50).
- The Relation between Karma-kānda and Jñāna-kānda (51).
- How Śaṅkara's Vedanta happens to be misunderstood by other Vedantins (52).
- Can Upāsanā do away with Avidyā ? (53).
- How does Jnāna destroy Avidyā ? (54).
- The Central Philosophy of Śaṅkara's Tradition of Vedanta (55).
- How the Majority of Vedantic Schools happened to miss the Importance of Jnāna-Texts (56).
- Why does Bādarāyaṇa take pains to reconcile Śrutis teaching creation ? (57).
- The Importance of the discussion about Īśvara and Jīva (58).
- Means to Jñāna and Mukti (59).
- Criticism of the Doctrine of Combined Practice of Karma and Jñāna (60).
- The Legitimate Place of Karma and Upāsanā as means to Liberation Kama (61) - Self-control and the means to knowledge (62).
- Mōksha in the case of the Meditator and of the Jñānin (63).
- Adhyātma-Yoga (64).
- Adhyātma-Yōga is no Upāsanā (65).
- The Immediate Means to Knowledge Whether Śravaṇa etc. are enjoined for Samadhi (66).
- Are Pānditya and other means the same as Śravaṇa Etc. ? (67).
- Is a Combined Practice of all the three means absolutely necessary ? (68).
- Śaṅkara's Verdict as regards the means of Knowledge (69).
- Conclusion
- Word Index
Visitors |
---|