Changes

== Defining Atman ==

== Defining Atman ==

[[Atman (आत्मन्)]], in Advaita Vedanta, is the same as Brahman, Pure Consciousness, immanent, transcendent and self-luminous. It transcends the subject-object (कर्त-कर्म) duality and trinity of knower, known and knowledge. Atman is the one who experiences everything, in whose presence alone and for whom all experiences take place. It is the only Reality. The tragedy of human intellect is that it tries to know everything as an object. Whatever can be presented as an object is necessarily relative and changing, for that reason it is Mithya or unreal. To resolve this inherent human problem, our seers have enumerated three ways to identify Atma and overcome ignorance through the process of enquiry (vichara).<ref>Sharma, Chandradhar. (1960) ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy.'' (Pages 283-286)</ref>

[[Atman (आत्मन्)]], in Advaita Vedanta, is the same as Brahman, Pure Consciousness, immanent, transcendent and self-luminous. It transcends the subject-object (कर्त-कर्म) duality and trinity of knower, known and knowledge. Atman is the one who experiences everything, in whose presence alone and for whom all experiences take place. It is the only Reality. The tragedy of human intellect is that it tries to know everything as an object. Whatever can be presented as an object is necessarily relative and changing, for that reason it is Mithya or unreal. To resolve this inherent human problem, our seers have enumerated three ways to identify Atma and overcome ignorance through the process of enquiry (vichara).<ref>Sharma, Chandradhar. (1960) ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy.'' Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 283-286)</ref>

In Tattvabodha, written by Shri Adisankaracharya, we find the lakshana vakyas (defining words) of Atman as follows,<blockquote>स्थूलसूक्ष्मकारणशरीराद्व्यतिरिक्तः पञ्चकोशातीतः सन् अवस्थात्रयसाक्षी सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपः सन् यस्तिष्ठति स आत्मा ।</blockquote>That which is distinct from the gross, subtle and causal bodies, beyond the five sheaths, the witness of the three states of experience, that which exists in the form of consciousness and of the nature of existence-consciousness-limitlessness is the Atman.<ref name=":0" />

In Tattvabodha, written by Shri Adisankaracharya, we find the lakshana vakyas (defining words) of Atman as follows,<blockquote>स्थूलसूक्ष्मकारणशरीराद्व्यतिरिक्तः पञ्चकोशातीतः सन् अवस्थात्रयसाक्षी सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपः सन् यस्तिष्ठति स आत्मा ।</blockquote>That which is distinct from the gross, subtle and causal bodies, beyond the five sheaths, the witness of the three states of experience, that which exists in the form of consciousness and of the nature of existence-consciousness-limitlessness is the Atman.<ref name=":0" />

=== Avidya or Maya ===

=== Avidya or Maya ===

Avidya (ignorance) can rest only in consciousness, so either the conscious being has ignorance, or the consciousness itself has this ignorance. But atman is jnana-svarupa, so it cannot be ignorance in any manner. This Avidya cannot exist independently of Atman. Any ignorance, whether it is ignorance of an object or ignorance of oneself, does not exist independently, but depends upon conscious, sacchidananda-atman. Therefore this Atman is the ashraya for Avidya. An ashraya is the basis, that which gives reality to this very ignorance. And this Avidya is also, without a beginning, (anadi) but we cannot say it is Ananta (endless). It is mithya, because it is dependent on Atman for its existence. It is neither independently existent, Sat, nor is it nonexistent, or Asat, but it has some kind of existence, yat kinchit bhavam asti.<ref name=":0" /> It is indescribable and indefinable for it is neither real nor unreal nor both (sadasadanirvachaniya). This Avidya is also called  [[Maya (माया)]] as per some schools of thought and characteristically covers or conceals or projects another thing effectively leaving the true nature of the Self or Atman hidden to the person (maya avarana or maya vikshepa).<ref>Sharma, Chandradhar. (1960) ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy.'' (Pages 273-279)</ref>

Avidya (ignorance) can rest only in consciousness, so either the conscious being has ignorance, or the consciousness itself has this ignorance. But atman is jnana-svarupa, so it cannot be ignorance in any manner. This Avidya cannot exist independently of Atman. Any ignorance, whether it is ignorance of an object or ignorance of oneself, does not exist independently, but depends upon conscious, sacchidananda-atman. Therefore this Atman is the ashraya for Avidya. An ashraya is the basis, that which gives reality to this very ignorance. And this Avidya is also, without a beginning, (anadi) but we cannot say it is Ananta (endless). It is mithya, because it is dependent on Atman for its existence. It is neither independently existent, Sat, nor is it nonexistent, or Asat, but it has some kind of existence, yat kinchit bhavam asti.<ref name=":0" /> It is indescribable and indefinable for it is neither real nor unreal nor both (sadasadanirvachaniya). This Avidya is also called  [[Maya (माया)]] as per some schools of thought and characteristically covers or conceals or projects another thing effectively leaving the true nature of the Self or Atman hidden to the person (maya avarana or maya vikshepa).<ref name=":2">Sharma, Chandradhar. (1960) ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy.'' Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 273-279)</ref>

=== Drshtanta for Avidya and Atman ===

=== Drshtanta for Avidya and Atman ===

Here in the explanation of Avidya, we come across the phrase - yat kinchit bhavam asti (as per Vedantaparibhasha). It is neither real nor unreal. Yet it is the natural and common practice of people that they wrongly superimpose the object and its attributes upon the subject and ''viceversa''. This co-mingling of the subject and the object, this mixing up of the truth and error, this coupling of the real and unreal (मिथ्याज्ञाननिमित्तः सत्यानृते मिथुनीकृत्य <ref>[https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/brahmasutra_content?language=dv&field_chapter_value=1&field_quarter_value=1&field_nsutra_value=0 Brahmasutra Bhashyam] by Sankaracharya</ref>) is called superimposition (अध्यासः) error (भ्रमः), illusion (माया), ignorance (अविद्या).  

Here in the explanation of Avidya, we come across the phrase - yat kinchit bhavam asti (as per Vedantaparibhasha). It is neither real nor unreal. Yet it is the natural and common practice of people that they wrongly superimpose the object and its attributes upon the subject and ''viceversa''. This co-mingling of the subject and the object, this mixing up of the truth and error, this coupling of the real and unreal (मिथ्याज्ञाननिमित्तः सत्यानृते मिथुनीकृत्य <ref>[https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/brahmasutra_content?language=dv&field_chapter_value=1&field_quarter_value=1&field_nsutra_value=0 Brahmasutra Bhashyam] by Sankaracharya</ref>) is called superimposition (अध्यासः) error (भ्रमः), illusion (माया), ignorance (अविद्या).<ref name=":2" /> All definitions maintain that it is the superimposition of one thing on another, e.g., the superimposition of silver on the shell or the illusion of moons on a single moon. This transcendental Avidya is the presupposition of all practices in this phenomenal world. 

== References ==

== References ==