Samkara on the Question: Whose Is Avidya?

Abstract

The word avidya, which is variously translated as ignorance, nescience, illusion, is one of the most important terms in the philosophy of &arikarcitrya and his followers. It is by the concept of avidy' that these monistic philosophers explain the apparent diversity of the world. They claim that in truth there is one indivisible reality, that the experience we have of diversity is due simply to avidyi. Now, the use of this concept leads to a logical dilemma. If this avidyJ is a real entity, then monism ends. On the other hand, to say that it is an imaginary entity is to destroy the very doctrine of avidya. As Descartes could not doubt that he doubted, so the Kevaladvaitins could not find illusion itself to be an illusion.