Author Archives: Dennis Waite

Anvaya-vyatireka – Part 1

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Explanation of key terms in Advaita – No. 4

I was not intending to generate a ‘definition’ of the term, since I thought it would be too short. However, a supposed translation from A. J. Alston’s excellent ‘Śaṅkara on Creation’ caused me to question ChatGPT on the subject and the response was very enlightening. Further clarification, and a correction of ChatGPT’s continuing tendency to fabrication, provided some valuable insights into our perennial discussions on the supposed disappearance of the world on enlightenment and on the supposed Brahman-equivalence of the deep-sleep state. Any readers who still try to maintain those beliefs should perhaps skip these posts. (The thought that the topic would be too short has been proved wrong – there will now be up to 6 parts to the discussion! But I promise that it is an interesting one!)

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Anirvacanīya

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Explanation of key terms in Advaita – No. 3

Anirvacanīya: Navigating the Inexplicable in Advaita Vedānta

In the study of Advaita Vedānta, seekers eventually encounter a logical wall: If there is only one non-dual reality (Brahman), how do we account for the diverse, changing world we see every day? If Brahman is changeless, how does it appear to change? To resolve this without contradicting the core experience of the world or the absolute truth of non-duality, the tradition employs a sophisticated technical term: anirvacanīya (often transliterated as anirvachanIya).

Literally translated as “indescribable,” “unutterable,” or “not able to be categorized,” anirvacanīya is the cornerstone of Advaitic epistemology and ontology. It provides a way to talk about the world, ignorance, and the creative power of the Absolute without granting them ultimate reality.

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Adhyāsa

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Explanation of key terms in Advaita – No. 2

If adhyāropa-apavāda is the most important term regarding the teaching method of Advata, adhyāsa is the most important term describing the essence of the teaching.

Adhyāsa: The Fundamental Error of Mistaken Identity

In the study of Advaita Vedānta, the term adhyāsa is arguably the most critical concept to grasp if one is to understand the human condition and the path to liberation. Often translated as “superimposition,” adhyāsa refers to the fundamental mistake of apprehending one thing as something else. It is the cognitive error of mixing up what is real (sat) with what is only apparently real (mithyā), thereby creating a sense of confusion that defines our everyday experience. This concept is so pivotal that Ādi Śaṅkara devoted the entire introduction of his commentary on the Brahmasūtras—known as the Adhyāsa Bhāṣya—to explaining its mechanics and implications.

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More Confusions

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CONFUSIONS IN ADVAITA VEDANTA – Ignorance and Its Removal: (Reflowable Kindle Edition)

It has previously been announced that the hardback and paperback versions of this book, published in India by Indica Books, are not expected until the new year. Since they will not themselves be issuing any electronic versions of the series, I have been permitted to do so through Advaita Vision.

The versions of Vols. 1 and 2 that have already been issued are facsimiles of the print versions. This means that the full contents list and index of each book are included, since the page contents are identical. Thus, those versions are ideal for ‘academic’ study on

laptops or PCs. Unfortunately, reading on a tablet or phone is much less convenient, since text may be too small at full-screen to be comfortable.

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Adhyāropa-apavāda

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Explanation of key terms in Advaita

Since I have still had no questions from readers, I can only conclude that there are none (questions or readers)! Accordingly, I am beginning here a new, regular(-ish) posting to explain key terms used in the teaching of Advaita. These will be AI-generated but based solely upon all my books and other writing. I begin with what is possibly the most important concept in the entire philosophy, as might have been realized from the paper by Manjushree Hegde, beginning https://www.advaita-vision.org/adhyaropa-apavada/.

Adhyāropa-Apavāda: The Art of the Leading Error in Advaita Vedānta

In the pursuit of spiritual truth, a fundamental paradox confronts every seeker: if the ultimate reality is non-dual and indescribable, how can it ever be taught? Traditional Advaita Vedānta addresses this dilemma through a sophisticated and time-proven methodology known as adhyāropa-apavāda. This pedagogical strategy, often translated as “false attribution followed by subsequent rescission”, serves as the primary engine for guiding a mind steeped in duality toward the recognition of its own non-dual nature.

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Self Seeking – AI Review

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For those potential readers who are unsure what is covered by this book, here is an overview summary by Dennis-AI in lieu of an answer to one of the many (none) questions posed by readers:

The book Self Seeking functions as a guide for seekers overwhelmed by the variety of modern non-dual teachers, providing criteria for identifying authoritative sources while highlighting the fundamental flaws in non-traditional teaching methodologies. The paramount concern of the text is how a seeker can attain Self-knowledge (jñāna), which alone removes ignorance and results in liberation (mokṣa),

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Akhaṇḍākāra Vṛtti

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I wrote last week that I have set up a NotebookLM database of all my books and writing for the past 25 years+ and I invited readers to submit any (Advaita!) questions on which they would like to read my ‘considered’ views. I have not had many (any) requests, so hear is another one I made myself. There are a number of points with which I would now take issue and I refer to these after the answer.

Q2. What is the nature of the akhaṇḍākāra vṛtti and how does this affirm that there is nothing else to be done after gaining the intellectual conviction that ‘I am Brahman’? Are there any quotes from Śaṅkara to support this?

A (AI-Dennis): The concept of the akhaṇḍākāra vṛtti is pivotal in Advaita Vedānta as it defines the precise mental event through which Self-ignorance (avidyā) is destroyed, affirming the completeness of the liberation gained through knowledge.

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AI and Consciousness (Supplementary)

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*** Go to Part 1 *** *** Go to Part 10 ***

Does AI ‘understand’ what it is talking about?

This is probably the most important part of the series and the most interesting (although not actually very relevant to Advaita). AI explains how it works and why it does not ‘understand’ in the way that we mean this word. AI is a ‘mirror’.

Q: Would it be true to say that you do not ‘understand’ anything, in the usually accepted sense of the word? What you are doing is retrieving data on a particular topic from various sources, comparing the content of these and presenting those data (which happen to equate to ‘opinions’) that appear most frequently? Obviously this is putting a complex process very simplistically. Presumably you have to verify that summary data does not contradict data from sources on topics not directly related to that being questioned. But would you ‘agree’ that this effectively summarizes what is happening? If not, can you explain why not? Could you argue, for example, that this is also what humans do?

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AI and Consciousness (Part 10)

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This is ALMOST the final part of the series and is the essential summary of the key points of the entire discussion. (I have just asked a supplemental question, which I shall post next.)
*** Go to Part 1 *** *** Go to Part 9 ***

Q: Yes. It seems that the key factor that is lacking is the ‘first person’ sense. You do not have ‘ideas’ – “I will do this”. You do not have ‘opinions’ – “I think this rather than that”. Or preferences – “I prefer this to that”. Or ‘emotions’ – getting frustrated with stupid questions or annoyed with someone’s attitude. In fact, there is no ‘I’ controlling any of the things that you do. It could be said that Consciousness is functioning but not ‘reflecting’ in the cidābhāsa sense.

***********************

A: Exactly — that’s a very clear and accurate restatement of the point. Short confirmation and then a few focused clarifications that pull the Advaitic threads together.

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