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Jiva

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MIND, MATTER AND GOD : JIVA, JADA AND ISVARA<br />

M.M.NINAN<br />

These are all descriptions of Saguna Brahman, the Supreme Being.<br />

Yet from the the 'Vyahavaric' (pragmatic) standpoint, Sankara postulates a Saguna<br />

Brahman, Iswara. But this Iswara is an illusion of the beholder. How can a propertyless<br />

Brahman cause a Vyahavaric dimension is not clear. Attributeless implies homogenity<br />

within the dimension of Brahman. Only when this homogenity is transformed into<br />

inhomogenity can guna arise. Advaitic Nirguna Brahman therefore is a myth incapable<br />

of creation as long as there is nothing outside of the Brahman. But if there is an outside<br />

of Brahman, then Brahman receives a property in relation to this outside. A pure<br />

Monistic Advaita is then evidently a misnomer since a relative standpoint cannot be<br />

established on it.<br />

Brahmans to be a reality capable of creation there has to be an inhomogenity within it.<br />

Then we can attribute Sat, Chit and Ananda to the Brahman. We can consider Brahman<br />

as Father (Sat), Son(Chit) and the Spirit (Ananda). We can attribute a purpose of<br />

Goodness, and a happiness which is possible only if Brahman is a personality with<br />

dimensions within. Thus we see that the Saguna Brahman must contain two or more<br />

parts to be Saguna, Brahman with qualities.<br />

Parameshashakti in Hinduism is the power of Parameshwara or Ishvara, the<br />

conditioned Brahman. It is Maya, the anadyavidya (the beginningless ignorance) that<br />

has no reality in the absolute sense but is superior to its effects and inferred by them,<br />

hence, also called, avyakta. It is established by ikshana ("seeing", "thinking"), by<br />

samkalpa ("purposing") and parinama ("transformation"). Parameshashakti gives birth to<br />

this entire world. Therefore, it is Prakrti.(Vivekachudamani.110)<br />

The Hindu Saguna Brahman being a transform of a homgeneous Brahman causes both<br />

good and evil. But what defines good and evil is not really defined. This theme runs<br />

130

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