THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com
THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com
"102 THE DOCTRINE OF MAYAthe following view : In the same way as those partsof ethereal space which are limited by jars and waterpotsare not really different from the universalethereal space, and as the water of. a mirage is notreallydifferent from the surface of the desert forthe nature of that water is that it is seen in onemoment and has vanished in the next, and, moreover,it is not to be perceived byits own nature (i.e.,apart from the surface of the desert)so this manifold world with its objects of enjoyment, enjoyers,from Brahman."letc., has no existence apartA little further, replying to the pluralists objections that if we acquiesce in the doctrine of absolute unity(1) The ordinary means of right knowledge, perception, etc., become invalid, because theabsence of manifoldness deprives them oftheir objects ;(2) All the texts embodying injunctions and prohibitions will lose their ifpurport the distinction on which their validity dependsdoes not really exist ;(3) The entire bodyof doctrines which refer tofinal release will collapse, if the distinctionof teacher and pupil on which itdependsisnot real,"Sankara says1Sankara on ii. i. 14, Bibl. Ind., p. 444-445. See Thibauts Translation, S.B.E., i., p. 320-321. Cf. Deussen,Die Sutras des Vedanta, p. 281.
""DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CONCEPTION 103These objections, we reply, do not damage our position,because the entire complex of phenomenal existence isconsidered as true as long as the knowledge of Brahmanbeing the Self of all has not arisen ; just as the phantoms ofa dream are considered to be true until the sleeper awakes .For as long as a person has not reached the true knowledgeof the unity of the Self, so long it does not enter his mindthat the world of effects with its means and objects of rightknowledge and its results of actions is untrue ;he rather,in consequence of his ignorance, looks on mere effects asforming part of and belonging to his Self, forgetful of Brahman being in reality the Self of all. Hence as long as trueknowledge does not present itself, there is no reason whythe ordinary course of secular and religious activity shouldnot hold on undisturbed. The case is analogous to that ofa dreaming man, who in his dream sees manifold things,and up to the moment of waking is convinced that his ideasare produced by real perception without suspecting theperception to be a merely apparent one."These eloquent passages speak for themselves,and hardly call for any further discussion. HereSarikara by making use of appropriate analogiesendorses and develops the same metaphysical truthas was held by Yajnavalkya, Gaudapada, etc.The unity of the Self is the maxim, and it is defendedagainst the charge of its stopping all possibilities ofactivity, exertion, etc., in the world. There are twoother similes used by Sankara in describing thenature of Brahman, and before we refer to his otherpassages let us see what he says in his comments onii. i.9With regard to the case referred to in the ^ruti-passages,we refute the assertion of the cause being affected by the
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"102 <strong>THE</strong> DOCTRINE OF MAYAthe following view : In the same way as those parts<strong>of</strong> ethereal space which are limited by jars and waterpotsare not really different from the universalethereal space, and as the water <strong>of</strong>. a mirage is notreallydifferent from the surface <strong>of</strong> the desert forthe nature <strong>of</strong> that water is that it is seen in onemoment and has vanished in the next, and, moreover,it is not to be perceived byits own nature (i.e.,apart from the surface <strong>of</strong> the desert)so this manifold world with its objects <strong>of</strong> enjoyment, enjoyers,from Brahman."letc., has no existence apartA little further, replying to the pluralists objections that if we acquiesce in the doctrine <strong>of</strong> absolute unity(1) The ordinary means <strong>of</strong> right knowledge, perception, etc., be<strong>com</strong>e invalid, because theabsence <strong>of</strong> manifoldness deprives them <strong>of</strong>their objects ;(2) All the texts embodying injunctions and prohibitions will lose their ifpurport the distinction on which their validity dependsdoes not really exist ;(3) The entire body<strong>of</strong> doctrines which refer t<strong>of</strong>inal release will collapse, if the distinction<strong>of</strong> teacher and pupil on which itdependsisnot real,"Sankara says1Sankara on ii. i. 14, Bibl. Ind., p. 444-445. See Thibauts Translation, S.B.E., i., p. 320-321. Cf. Deussen,Die Sutras des Vedanta, p. 281.
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