Vedantin Only: The Qualities of Brahman

[SalixIncendium]

This thread is inspired by a discussion I've been following in another sub-forum.

How do you perceive Brahman? What qualities does It have? Edited to add: For all intents and purposes of this thread, by 'perceive' I mean "come to realize and understand from an intellectual standpoint.

When answering, please indicate your school of philosophy.


**If you choose to debate, please keep debates within the same school of philosophy. I'm not looking for one school to debate another in this thread.**

 

[sayak83]

This thread is inspired by a discussion I've been following in another sub-forum.

How do you perceive Brahman? What qualities does It have?

When answering, please indicate your school of philosophy.


**If you choose to debate, please keep debates within the same school of philosophy. I'm not looking for one school to debate another in this thread.**

I was not aware that Brahman can be perceived. Brahman is the foundation that makes existence possible, the root that makes self-awareness possible and is the unified essence of all things and beings behind their surface diversity of forms and functions.

Like the majority of Hindu-s, I do not belong to any school. But my influences come from reading the Upanishads, Gita and Nyaya-Vaiseshika philosophy.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I was not aware that Brahman can be perceived.

I saw the potentiality of my original question being problematic. And while I agree that Brahman cannot be perceived by the Atman, as in my view the latter is the same as the former, there is a degree that one can describe the perception of Brahman from an intellectual standpoint as you did in your post...

Brahman is the foundation that makes existence possible, the root that makes self-awareness possible and is the unified essence of all things and beings behind their surface diversity of forms and functions.

 

[George-ananda]

How do you perceive Brahman? What qualities does It have?

I do not perceive Brahman. Brahman is the ground of all reality. Adding a 'you' is already entering the world of Maya (illusion). In Maya as we are, we just have our best imperfect concepts.

In my Advaita thought, Brahman is best described as pure infinite cosmic consciousness best described as sat-cit-ananda (being-awareness-bliss).

At that is coming from George-ananda by the way

 

[SalixIncendium]

I do not perceive Brahman.

But didn't you just do so in these statements?

Brahman is the ground of all reality.
Brahman is best described as pure infinite cosmic consciousness best described as sat-cit-ananda (being-awareness-bliss).

Adding a 'you' is already entering the world of Maya (illusion). In Maya as we are, we just have our best imperfect concepts.

But isn't Maya a manifestation of Brahman? If so, aren't you perceiving it? If not, how isn't it?

 

[George-ananda]

But didn't you just do so in these statements?

There is a difference between ‘perception’ and just understanding an intellectual concept.

 

[SalixIncendium]

There is a difference between ‘perception’ and just understanding an intellectual concept.

Not according to Google...

perceive - Google Search

 

[George-ananda]

But isn't Maya a manifestation of Brahman? If so, aren't you perceiving it? If not, how isn't it?

Yes, maya (illusion of separateness) is a manifestation of Brahman. I perceive this illusory appearance of separateness but I don’t perceive the reality behind it all, Brahman.

 

[SalixIncendium]

It would appear that we are having a problem with the word "perceive" in the OP. I'll edit the OP to get back on track as to what I am look for ITT.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Yes, maya (illusion of separateness) is a manifestation of Brahman. I perceive this illusory appearance of separateness but I don’t perceive the reality behind it all, Brahman.

Are you using 'I' as the Atman or as the temporal (lesser) self in the statement above?

 

[George-ananda]

Are you using 'I' as the Atman or as the temporal (lesser) self in the statement above?

For the ‘I’ above, I mean the atma experiencing through my finite body of finite understanding. The body be it a mouse’s or a human’s, limits the atma by its capabilities. The mouse has a spark of atma too.

 

[SalixIncendium]

For the ‘I’ above, I mean the atma experiencing through my finite body of finite understanding. The body be it a mouse’s or a human’s, limits the atma by its capabilities. The mouse has a spark of atma too.

Do you think this limitation can be transcended through samadhi?

 

[George-ananda]

Do you think this limitation can be transcended through samadhi?

Yes, all spiritual practices are.intended to forward one towards Self-Realizarion / Brahman Realization called Liberation/Moksha. Samadhi is really being in a state of Brahman-Realization.

 

[Windwalker]

How do you perceive Brahman? What qualities does It have?

Isn't this Saguna Brahman, or God with qualities in contrast with Nirguna Brahman, or God without qualities? Wouldn't those qualities be what is experienced as Satchitananda? Love, Beingness, Truth, Joy, etc. How one would perceive that of course would open to one through various meditations, or some other dropping away of the illusions of the mind. What then begins as a perception, becomes you.

Edited to add: For all intents and purposes of this thread, by 'perceive' I mean "come to realize and understand from an intellectual standpoint.

Would you add realize from an experiential position? That someone can't grasp something intellectually, doesn't mean they don't understand it experientially. In fact to me that seems a far greater understanding than an intellectual one.

When answering, please indicate your school of philosophy.

Integral philosophy.