Author Archives: amartingarcia

About amartingarcia

General surgeon (retired). Studied Western philosophy at U of Toronto. Afterwards interest turned to advaita vedanta and non-duality for past 20 yrs, plus a long interlude in Sufism coinciding with that period. Now contributing in ’Advaita Vision’ with regular posts and discussions.

Posted on 31 May, 2022 by amartingarcia

“Can we still hold that modern science is far from realizing the unreality of the world, the basic teaching of Advaita?” It’s clear to me that philosophical statements such as “the world is unreal”, or “reality is spiritual” express not … Continue reading →

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Consciousness is prior to the universe

Posted on 17 May, 2022 by amartingarcia

What is the scriptural basis for Advaita consciousness being an awareness preceding the universe? That’s an ‘easy’ one. 1) Consciousness and awareness are the same for Advaita Vedanta. 2) Atman-brahman, or Consciousness, is the sole reality – the universe is … Continue reading →

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Ramanuja & Shankara

Posted on 17 May, 2022 by amartingarcia

Who would win in an argument between Ramanujacharya and Shankaracharya? As non-duality can be said to go beyond, and at the same time enclose duality within itself, we can also say that Shankara, being a non-dualist philosopher, goes beyond and … Continue reading →

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Freewill vs. determinism

Posted on 18 April, 2022 by amartingarcia

Is every action predetermined or is there free will? The notion of ‘free will’ is of Jewish-Christian origin, and is the other side of the coin which consists in that other nostrum, ‘(the problem of) evil’, and which complicates things … Continue reading →

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Neo-Advaita

Posted on 6 March, 2022 by amartingarcia

Who am I? Someone who wants to play. I borrowed that expression from you. Neo Advaitist- No play. I told you I don’t believe in any teaching; only, ‘Being is’, and that is what I am. Some say, Being is … Continue reading →

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Not thinking

Posted on 3 March, 2022 by amartingarcia

What are the antonyms of thinking? Thinking is a conscious act. So, I think, the antonyms of thinking must express an unconscious action like sleeping, but I can’t find the exact word. Unconsciousness is the antonym of consciousness, not of … Continue reading →

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Brahman & maya

Posted on 21 February, 2022 by amartingarcia

Can Advaitins explain how Maya can be an attribute of the supposedly attributeless Brahman? Why was the creation needed if Brahman alone existed? What is Ishwara? 1) Maya is not an attribute of Brahman which, as you say, is attributeless. … Continue reading →

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Science & reality

Posted on 19 February, 2022 by amartingarcia

Empirical science vs. metaphysics.

Truth or Reality is transcendental. Continue reading →

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Origins

Posted on 7 February, 2022 by amartingarcia

From where did everything originate? Posted on February 4, 2022 by amartingarcia Existence is its own ‘origin’, as awareness is aware of itself, (though not in a self-reflective subject-object relationship) as well as of everything else; or as the first cause is the … Continue reading →

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Intuition

Posted on 29 January, 2022 by amartingarcia

(‘The word is ArSha or ārṣa. The meaning is given as “relating or belonging to or derived from RRiShi-s or ṛṣis-s”.) D quotes…’Brihad. Up. 1.4, explaining how ṛṣi-s and devatā-s have got ‘extraordinary body-mind-complexes, which enable them to gain knowledge … Continue reading →

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