how is Advaita not solipsistic??

[Kalidas]

Hello all,

I've been thinking about this for the past weeks now, I think Advaita is not solipsistic, that is what the scriptures say.

Could someone help me with the dream analogy, though?

Is Brahman (or Isvara) the dreamer, and me (Daniel) the ego? But is the dreamer (Brahman, Isvara) dreaming multiple dreams at the same time??

But if I am Brahman, why do I only see my point of view then?

I like to view it like this. In your consciousness there are many thoughts. Each seperate thoughts that are not dependant on each other, but they all together make your consciousness up. One conscious brain, many single thoughts.

 

[Contemplative Cat]

In advaita your not supposed to identify with your brain.
In solipsism you do.

 

[DanielR]

I like to view it like this. In your consciousness there are many thoughts. Each seperate thoughts that are not dependant on each other, but they all together make your consciousness up. One conscious brain, many single thoughts.

that's a good example would you say the single thoughts are lifetimes (jivas) of cosmic consciousness, is this how you meant it ?

 

[SoulDaemon]

We had a conversation with my friend, about these things. This is what kind of thoughts we had.

You are, because you think, but its the personality own thought, behind it is everything, in which you can't dip into because you have no skill, trough you flows everything. Man at his birth conceals all universe yet he can not reveal it. Some men can get glimpses of unwillingly unable to control these viewings. Thus i believe is intuition or the aspect of de-javu.

I think Atman, your true self, can dip into Brahma but you have not yet discovered Atman so you cannot link between Brahma and Atman and become one. Brahman flows through you inspite you do not know Atman but you cannot flow in Brahman for you are not Atman.

 

[Kalidas]

that's a good example would you say the single thoughts are lifetimes (jivas) of cosmic consciousness, is this how you meant it ?

When I first thought of this analogy it was more of a way to show the distinction between Jivas( the little souls) and the Atman (the BIG soul).

 

[DanielR]

Could someone tell me if the Vibration, Ocean, Waves- Analogy is Advaitic? I'm reading the Yoga Vasistha at the moment, and that analogy is used quite often, but in the introduction it says that the YV is not an Advaitic text.

 

[SoulDaemon]

I think Aupmanyav or Nooneyouknow might enlighten you more in this area, as least for their own accord.

But what I understand (or think I do) yoga vasisthas goal is Advaita

"The moon is one, but on agitated water it produces many reflections. Similarly, ultimate reality is one, yet it appears to be many in a mind agitated by thoughts."

Truth is one (Advaita, Brahman, Atman), thoughts are many, they're from ego=Ahamkara.

Analogy = Relation between the source and the target themselves, which is often, though not necessarily, a similarity.

Teachings are subjectivity, goal is objectivity.

Somewhere in these lines, the thing here is not to say this is correct, only to arouse your thoughts on the matter.

 

[DanielR]

thanks SoulDaemon

I'm really grateful for all the answers I've been getting so far

 

[Maya3]

Could someone tell me if the Vibration, Ocean, Waves- Analogy is Advaitic? I'm reading the Yoga Vasistha at the moment, and that analogy is used quite often, but in the introduction it says that the YV is not an Advaitic text.

I think it is. My teacher often talks about it.

As for the dreams, the dreams are in our brain our mind. Self is beyond this, once you feel your Self you would not be bothered or notice other peoples dreams and thoughts.

Maya

 

[Contemplative Cat]

Yoga vasistha is of the philosophical school Kashmir shaivism, which is identical to Advaita is most respects but they believe the world is real.

Solipsisms focuses on the idea the world is an illusion, that's it, they don't know whats real, only whats unreal.
Advaita focuses on nondual experience and monism, everything is a conscious energy.
The world happens to be an illusion on account of the limited nature of the sense organs.
For example the blind do not perceive color as existing, since it is a relative notion, the absolute truth must be that color never exists but only appears to exists.

 

[DanielR]

thanks to you both, in my book 'the concise yoga vasistha', it does say that it belongs to the school of Kashmir Shaivism but on the wiki page it said it's an Advaita text.

So can I say that Ishvara dreams that he's being me, you and all the other jivas? But does he really do it simultaneously?? Like does he dream that he is my mother (for example) and myself at the same time? I cannot even think two thoughts simultaneously, but maybe Ishvara can do it?

 

[Maya3]

thanks to you both, in my book 'the concise yoga vasistha', it does say that it belongs to the school of Kashmir Shaivism but on the wiki page it said it's an Advaita text.

So can I say that Ishvara dreams that he's being me, you and all the other jivas? But does he really do it simultaneously?? Like does he dream that he is my mother (for example) and myself at the same time? I cannot even think two thoughts simultaneously, but maybe Ishvara can do it?

I don´t think Ishvara is dreaming anything. He/She/It is vibrating when we sit and try to analyze it all, our thoughts and dreams are not relevant. It´s just brain stuff keeping us thinking we are separate.

Maya

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. but if one dewdrop in the web (or one jewel in the net) didn't exist, wouldn't the others cease to exist as well?

That is the difference between 'advaita' and Buddhism, which kept quiet about such deliberations. But since we do not know what makes the dewdrop, the matter is under research. What happens if what makes the dewdrop flits between existence and non-existence like the virtual particles? 'Neti, neti'. Not this, not that. The answer will come only in future.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In advaita your not supposed to identify with your brain.
In solipsism you do.

Identify with anything. You exist only at a lower level of reality, the pragmatic (Vyavaharika). At the absolute level (Paramarthika), nothing other than Brahman exists. 'Eko sad, dwiteeyo nasti' (What exists is one, there is no second).