Ontology of the Esoteric Teaching
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 2020-01-02

This series is classified *Introductory | General *
Last time we discussed the four states of being and how the upādhis and viśeṣaṇas cover and individuate Brahman. Zhecho made a fabulous comment that sums up the whole thing and connects it with the Esoteric Teaching. It’s a little too long, but this is the beginning:

Duplication attempt:
In fact, the four types of upādhi (limitations) are  Chatur Darshanam.
Brahman || upādhi   (removeble)       ||  Maha-Maya    ||   Ajata-vāda     || 
Īśvara      || viśeṣaṇa (un-removeble) ||  particularization     ||   Vivartha-vada||
kūṭastha|| upādhi   (removeble)       || superimposition of avidyā || Viśiṣṭādvaita ||
jīva || viśeṣaṇa (un-removeble) ||  integrated avidyā  in the being ||  Dvaita-vada ||

Table visualization:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11oLB-HMKUO8zAa1hMIGJ0QOLumkWBbjW  
 
1)Brahman ,the Seer , pure  without qualities. Prakāśa .
Maha-maya or prakṛti is the root of creation and in the same time is upādhi for Brahman.
quote from description: "Upādhi (that which is put in the place of another thing) or adjunct (something added to another thing but not an essential part of it)." 
Brahman  He is beyond time and space and therefore eternal and unchanged. He is the only reality that exists now and will exist sometime and anywhere.Maha-Maya is  in superimposition to Brahman something like superstructure bild on top of Brahman. She is also Him(Brahman) and not Him at the same time. Or as you said, Brahman is the basic structure on which the Maha-Maya is imposed(overlaid) , entire universe with everything in it. Compared to Brahman, the universe is limited. Because it is what is seen by the Seer. The seer (prakāśa) is not limited by the fact that He sees everything including His ability to see Him Self like other- Maha-Maya. Because of the principle of (Self-revelation by which everything else is known) , Brahman sees only Himself, but at the same time He is the 'object' of His vision.From His point of view everything is Lila play of imagination.
Also the meaning of the term superimposition in the context of quantum physics is that ,something is simultaneously present in two places at ones.

        1.1) From respective of Jain logic : syād-asti—in some ways, it is,; Denial: syān-nāsti—in some ways, it is not
        1.2) From respective of Chatur Darshanam Corresponds to Ajata-vāda platform. Only Brahman exists for ajata-vādi's, the world is not born and "I" does not really exist only Brahman or self-conscious (awareness) is the real-reality.
       1.3)  From  perspective of paṭiccasamuppāda  - going from bottom to top. Detachment ,Emancipation,Extinction and Nippana  will be achieved 

          2) Īśvara - known as controller. When Brahman( Paramaśiva ) wants to manifest Himself in His own creation, he does so as Īśvara(śiva). Brahman is nirguṇa-brahman and Īśvara is saguṇa-brahman .
Brahman has only upadhi (overlay) while at Ishvara
Maha-maya is a viśeṣaṇa inseparable and integral part of the existence of  Īśvara and cannot be eliminated.
quote - "But Īśvara is limited by Māyā, and this restriction is known as viśeṣaṇa (discriminatory, clarifying and qualifying; that which specifies or defines)."
There is no avidyā, only particularization. It has only individuality and form .And have power to discriminate,clarify and qualify everything.That is, some major differentiation between kūṭastha and Īśvara.Supreme form without any restrictions in the sense which have the Demigods. The only restriction is  form itself .
Maha-may is also an integrated part of  Īśvara. Which is very important for among the different types of upādhi. And this is how Brahman itSelf  sees the world.

2.1)    I suppose from Chatur Darshanam this corresponds with Vivartha-vada.
The introductory verse in Uladu Narpadu "Because we see the world".
 That is, he is conscious of an object that is imagine of being different from him.
At this level of consciousness one sees the world as an appearance.
And he knows that Shiv-o-ham-   I am Brahman and Brahman is the only reality. But still one see the world at the same time as a separate thing from him. Quote from description-" Seer is Self-illuminating, and because of Its quality of prakāśa (the principle of Self-revelation by which everything else is known), we are able to see the world. " same as Uladu Narpadu's- 
"Because we see the world". 
Or Because we see the world - still !
2.2) From  perspective of paṭiccasamuppāda  - aspirant has to go in direction from bottom to top through  the following realizations - Confidence, Delight, Joy, Serenity, Ease, Concentration, Knowlege, Disenchantment.


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