Sutra 2.5
अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या॥५॥
anityaashuchiduHkhaanaatmasu nityashuchisukhaatmakhyaatiravidyaa
anitya=non-eternal; ashuchi=impure; duHkha=misery, pain; anaatmasu=non-Ataman; nitya=eternal; shuchi=pure; sukha=happiness; atma=self; khyaatiH=knowledge; avidyaa=ignorance
Taimni
"Avidya is taking the non-eternal, impure, evil and non-Atman to be eternal, pure, good and Atman respectively"
The main theme of this sutra is that the Atman in its purity is fully aware of its real nature. Progressive involvement with matter deprives it of this Self-knowledge increasingly; it is the lack of this self-awareness which is called Avidya. This Avidya is brought about by a transcendent power inherent in the Ultimate Reality called Maya. It is only through a process of evolution from the gross matter toward pure consciousness that the self can realize its true nature resulting in Kaivalya. Avidya does not refer to the lack of intellectual knowledge, but the lack of understanding of the essential nature of Self. The four attributes mentioned in this sutra are:
Recent Comments