Pratyabhijna and Shankara’s Advaita (comparative study)
by Ranjni M. | 2013 | 54,094 words
This page relates ‘Concept of Pramata� of study dealing with Pratyabhijna and Shankara’s Advaita. This thesis presents a comparative analysis of two non-dualistic philosophies, Pratyabhijna from Kashmir and Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta from Kerala, highlighting their socio-cultural backgrounds and philosophical similarities..
5.2. Concept of ʰ
In ʰٲⲹñ the concept ʰ (the cognizer) has special significance, which is not seen in Advaita. ʰ means the experiencer or perceiver. According to ʰٲⲹñ everything is ʰ. ʰ himself shines forth as Prameya and ʰṇa. ʰٲⲹñ accepts seven verities of ʰs according the level of knowledge and the presence of ignorance in it. Ś is considered as the Paramapramātā, who is/has the pure, complete and ultimate knowledge. All ʰs are only the self manifestations of Supreme Lord in the ultimate analysis. The individual self also is a ʰ, with limited and impure knowledge. He is known as Sakalapramātā. In the pure creation99 there exists four ʰs.
They are:
- Ś-pramātā (Ś-Śakti level),
- Mantramaheśvara-pramātā (ś level),
- Mantreśvara-pramātā (Īś level) and
- Mantra-pramātā (Śܻ level).
The impure creation includes three ʰs. They are Vijñānākala-pramātā (in the level below Śܻ and above ), Praḷayākala-pramātā ( level; he is also known as Śūnyapramātā), Sakalapramātā (form the level of ʰṛt to ṛtī).100
In Advaita no such division of knower is given. But there are seven entities of self (in the nature of consciousness) according to the variety of presence of the ignorance. They are:
- վś (in the level of gross body with ղⲹṣṭ form of ignorance in waking state),
- ղśԲ (in the level of gross body with ṣṭ form of ignorance in waking state),
- Taijasa (in the level of subtle body with ղⲹṣṭ form of ignorance in dreaming state)
- ᾱṇy (in the level of subtle body with ṣṭ form of ignorance in dreaming state),
- ʰñ (in the level of causal body with ղⲹṣṭ form of ignorance in deep sleep state)
- Īś (in the level of causal body with ղⲹṣṭ form of ignorance in deep sleep state) and the
- ճܰīⲹ (the ultimate level of pure knowledge where there is no bit of ignorance).
These seven may be compared with the seven ʰs of ʰٲⲹñ. Among these the Śpramātā and ճܰīⲹ, being the ultimate non-dual principles, without a fragment of ignorance, bear similarities. Like that the Sakalapramātā and the ղśԲ, being the individual self bearing ignorance, bear similarities.
Regarding the Prameyas both systems share almost same idea. In the ultimate level there is no distinction between ʰ and Prameya or ñ and ñⲹ. But in the empirical level the visible world is considered as Prameya. Utpala states that twenty-three principles from Buddhi to ṛtī are Meyas.101 In Advaita Vedānta, everything come under the knowledge are named as Prameyas except Brahman. According to Śṅk only ʰs (cognizers) have the capacity to acquire knowledge through ʰṇas.102 After an elaborate discussion in the opening part of the Sūtrabhāṣya, Śṅk arrives to a conclusion that the ʰṇas like perception and ԳܳԲ, and the scriptures deal with the subjects are the products of nescience and are deep rooted in ignorance.103 But accepting the empirical realities and considering the assistance that provided by the Pramanas in the path of realization, both systems have put forward their notions of Pramanas.
ʰٲⲹñ and Aadvaita of Śṅk differ regarding the number of ʰṇas. Following the concepts of ṅkⲹ philosophy, ʰٲⲹñ accepts three ʰṇas:
Śṅk accept six ʰṇas adding:
- 貹Բ (Anology),
- Arthāpattī (postulation) and
- Anupalabdhi (non-recognition)104