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If we apply the fundamental view of vedAnta
paribhAShA [see the series on Knowledge] re perception
as the going out of the mind to the object then
the understanding of the tangles concerning confusion/illusion/delusion
becomes clearer. For a start we will shed the
muddle about the perception of unreal or illusionary
objects. This form of words or the linking of
the concepts of illusion and object in any language
is in itself the source of the puzzlement viz.
how can something be at one and the same time
an object and unreal. This paradox is an error
of juxtaposition. In fact you are suffering an
illusion pure and simple. The very fact of being
able to perceive brings in its train the ability
to suffer illusions.
When the mind goes out and takes the form of
something or other there is the base assumption
that what it is taking the form of is an object.
I believe this to be the meaning behind the somewhat
condensed expression in V.P. pg.146: "The
validity of knowledge is also spontaneously apprehended." That
base assumption is a two edged sword because
it gives illusion a purchase. The glint of silver
IS the glint of money. In advaita there are no
free floating attributes that we infer must belong
to something or other. Inference and perception
are different and are two distinct means of knowledge
according to V.P. So the glint IS the glint of
silver until it turns out to be the glint of
nacre. How does the defect in perception arise?
Essentially all the elements of a successful
perception are not present i.e. "owing to
an absence of the totality of causes of apprehending
the substratum of the validity". To put
it simply you have moved too quickly to claim
the object as silver before all the other perceptual
indications of silver were achieved. You thought
you were crossing the finishing line when you
had a few more laps to go.
See Michael's
own website for many more articles.
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