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http://ambaa.org/pdf/bhamati-vivarana-diff_mds_sns.pdf
http://ambaa.org/pdf/bhamati_vivarana_diff_mds_sns_formatted.pdf
I received these documents a while ago from Late Sri Sundararaman mama, I
might have shared these with Advaita-L before. Formatted version has no
new content, I did that for my ease of reading.
Ravi
On Sat, Nov 15, 2014 at 11:51 AM, V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > is
> > > not a direct realization of the Self? This idea (generated by) the
> > meaning
> > > of the (vedAnta) text is a preliminary form of (or a precursor to)
> direct
> > > realization. So then how does one directly realize the Self? After
> > hearing
> > > and reflecting on the meaning of the text, meditating on it for a long
> > > time, without interruption, and with attention, one directly realizes
> > > Brahman. vAkyArthashravaNamananottarakAlA visheShaNatrayavatI bhAvanA
> > > brahmasAkShAtkArAya kalpate iti.
> > >
> > > In contrast, the VivaraNa school holds that VedAnta texts such as
> > > "tattvamasi" can directly give rise to Brahman realization. An example
> > > cited here is that of "the tenth man." There were ten people who
> crossed
> > a
> > > river. They wanted to count themselves and ensure nobody was lost. The
> > > person who counted was making a mistake of not counting himself, coming
> > up
> > > short. An observer told him: "dashamastvamasi". You are the tenth man.
> > Just
> > > by hearing these words, the tenth man realized that he was the missing
> > > person, the tenth one. In this case, the Apta-vAkya is alone sufficient
> > to
> > > cause the realization. And this realization is direct and immediate. So
> > if
> > > shabda (shravaNa) can give rise to direct Brahman realization, why do
> we
> > > need manana and nididhyAsana?
> > >
> > > VivaraNa:
> > > yadA tu punaH shabdAdeva prathamam aparokSha-anubhavaphalaM vijnAnam
> > > utpannaM bhrantivikShepasaMskAra-khacita-antaHkaraNadoshAdartho.api
> > > parokSha-anubhava-phalatayA vibhrAntyA avatiShThate. tadA
> > > manana-nididhyAsane
> > >
> > >
> >
> cittagatavikShepAdi-doSha-pratibandha-nirAsena-aparokSha-phala-pratiShTha-hetutayA
> > > pramANasya phalopakAri-angamiti na virudhyate|
> > >
> > > While shabda (shravaNa) alone gives rise to knowledge which results in
> > the
> > > direct experience (of the Self), due to the defects that are the
> > > impressions of illusions in the mind, even this direct experience is
> > > apprehended as an indirect experience. In this case, manana and
> > > nididhyAsana will act as helping (auxiliary) factors of the shabda
> > pramANa
> > > or shravaNa to eliminate these defects which are obstacles (to direct
> > > experience) and thereby cause the direct experience to be established.
> > > There is no contradiction.
> > >
> > > A natural question to ask would be: Is Brahman realization possible by
> > > hearing the VedAnta text, such as tattvamasi, just once? Considering
> the
> > > BhAmatI's position, it would seem that VAcaspati is unwilling to accept
> > > that this is possible, since he holds that a long process of shravaNa,
> > > manana, and nididhyAsana is necessary. The VivaraNa, on the other hand,
> > > would have no problems in accepting this possibility, because Brahman
> > > realization does happen directly through the shabda pramANa, and if
> there
> > > are no obstacles due to saMskAras in the mind, then such realization
> > takes
> > > place upon hearing the text just once. Shankara also agrees that such
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11/20/2019 [Advaita-l] ***UNCHECKED*** Bhamati - Vivarana - Differences
> > > realization is possible: bhavet AvRtti AnarthakyaM taM prati yaH
> > tattvamasi
> > > iti sakRt uktameva brahmAtmatvaM anubhavituM shaknuyAt. (B.S.B. 4.1.2)
> > >
> > > But the BhAmatIkAra has noted the BhAShyakAra's comment and has offered
> > an
> > > explanation that reconciles his own view with that of the BhAShyakAra:
> > > sakRduktameviti| shrutvA matvA kShaNamavadhAya prAgbhavIya-abhyAsa
> > > jAtasaMskArAt ityarthaH. By "realization by hearing only once", the
> > > BhAShyakAra means that such realization happens by hearing and
> reflecting
> > > for an instant and from the impressions of repeated practice done in
> > > previous lives. So in the case of the person who realizes the Self by
> > > hearing the text only once, he must have practiced shravaNa, manana,
> and
> > > nididhyAsana in previous lives.
> > >
> > > Anand
> > > _______________________________________________
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