Concept of individual self in Pratyabhijµ¡ and Advaita, the non-dual philosophies.

Abstract

In non-dual philosophies individual self is nothing but the ultimate reality itself. But because of M¡y¡ he perceives object different from himself. He is polluted by miseries and bad actions. With these he becomes limited and bonded self. Pa¿u is the technical term used for individual self in Pratyabhijµ¡. When the things appear to him differentiated due to M¡y¡, the subject, polluted by the various contaminations by the miseries and actions etc., is called Pa¿u: ¨ÉɪÉÉiÉÉä ¦ÉäÊnù¹ÉÖ C±Éä¶ÉEò¨ÉÉÇÊnùEò±ÉÖ¹É& {ɶÉÖ&*^[i] According to Pratybhijµ¡, individual self-possesses three types of impurities or Malas, viz. ˸ava, M¡y¢ya and K¡rma. Although both Parama¿iva and Pa¿u are identical, Parama¿iva, who is aware of His transcendental nature in that state, while adopting the limited form of an individual being (Pa¿ubh¡va) by the sovereignty of His will (Sv¡tantrya¿akti), forgets (loses the awareness of) His real nature by His own deluding power (M¡y¡vimohin¢ ¿akti) and becomes limited in his powers of thought and action. Thus he turns into an inferior being (Pa¿u) characterized as possessing Alpakart¤tva (limited power of action) Alpa¿aktitva (limited potency) and Alpajµ¡t¤tva (limited power of knowledge). The Pratyabhijµ¡ enables him to recognize his own Supreme nature already known to him before his individuation and thus restores his higher and deeper powers already innate in him.^[ii]

[i]IPK, 3.2.3.

[ii]The Doctrine of Recognition, p. 18. Cf. IPV, Bh¡skar¢, Part II, p. 314f.