Day-166 - Māṇḍūkya Kārikā - Ācārya Gauḍapāda’s treatment

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Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 2.32 न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः । न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ Na nirodho na cotpattir na baddho na ca sādhakaḥ | Na mumukṣur na vai mukta ity eṣā paramārthatā || From the standpoint of absolute reality (Paramārtha), there is only Brahman. Creation, bondage, seeker and liberation belong to the empirical level (Vyavahāra) and appear due to ignorance. This resolves the objection: “If Brahman alone is real, then who is bound and who gets liberated?” Answer: the bondage belongs to the mistaken identification with the body-mind, not to the Ātman. The Ātman is not truly many. The apparent multiplicity belongs to the reflection/appearance, just as one moon appears as many when reflected in different waters. This removes the contradiction: “How can one Self appear as many individuals?” Hari aum!