Jiva

MIND, MATTER AND GOD : JIVA, JADA AND ISVARA
M.M.NINAN
with Brahman. It is the illusion of a limited, purely physical and mental reality in which
our everyday consciousness has become entangled, a veiling of the true Self.
Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman are not two different Brahmans.
Nirguna Brahman is not the contrast, antithesis or opposite of Saguna Brahman.
The same Nirguna Brahman appears as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of
devotees. It is the same Truth from two different points of view.
Nirguna Brahman is the ultimate Brahman from the transcendental viewpoint
(Paramarthika); Saguna Brahman is the lower Brahman, the Brahman from the relative
viewpoint (Vyavaharika). Defining two types of viewing the same reality – One
Transcendental (Paramarthika) and the other Relative (Vyavagarika) both are now
defined as realities. This is somewhat an intricate logic. This is done in fact by
redefining what is real. Thus Sankara do not consider world as an illusion or as non
existence but as a reality from the experiencing human point of view. Is not the dream a
reality as long as the dream goes on?
The world is relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta), while Brahman is absolutely real
(Paramarthika Satta). The world is the product of Maya or Avidya.The unchanging
Brahman appears as the changing world through Maya. Just as the dream is realized
as unreal, Maya is not real, because it vanishes when the real is attained.
The Advaita of Sankara defines three forms of realities:
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