Rachel: The Mandukya Karika is a handful. Gaudapada, in the third chapter, is proving that Brahman is beyond causality, neither cause nor effect. Questioning, is it a separate reality? No.
Sundari: Yes, the MK is the most advanced teaching in many ways. Brahman as the ‘pure’ Self is ‘beyond’ everything, though we don’t like using that word. Beyond seems to denote separation, some place where Brahman is not. Brahman is not a separate reality, it does not depend on anything to exist but is not separate from anything. Though when Maya appears, it seems like there are two orders of reality – satya and mithya. But as you know, these terms are teaching principles and not realities. When nonduality totally obtains, mithya ‘becomes’ satya because that’s what it always was. It’s just the hypnosis of duality that makes it seem otherwise.
Rachel: If the effect is not a separate reality, then the cause is not a real cause. And, this is the basis for the appearance of the effect.
Sundari: Yes. Isvara is both the cause and the effects of the creation, from the cause and effect point of view. Which, as we have previously discussed and the Mandukya points out, is only part of the truth. It is a dualistic teaching to reveal the fact that the creation can be negated, leaving the one and only non-negatable factor, nondual Consciousness. So both Consciousness and Isvara as creator are causeless because they are both Brahman.
Rachel: O.K. My head is swimming.
Sundari: This is where nonduality gets so subtle it is hard not only to use the right words to teach, but for even a qualified mind to assimilate them. Remember of course, that all words are mithya. Vedanta is a dualistic means of knowledge, but it does work to remove ignorance.
Rachel: The rope is the basis for the appearance of the snake, but the rope did not produce the snake. Gaudapada is showing that non duality is beyond causality.
Sundari. Guadupada is showing that the snake and the rope are only apparently, not actually, real.
Rachel: I have a long way to go to comprehend the depth and breadth of logic in the Upanishads. But, even without the logic, I get nonduality…A boon from Ishvara.
Sundari: You are doing great. The thing is ‘getting’ nonduality is not the same as living it. It is easy to ‘unget’ it and find yourself once again sidetracked by mithya.
Thank you for your feedback, always a pleasure talking to you
With much love
Sundari
