Models of Multiplicity

(From Potter, Advaita Vedanta up to Sankara and His Pupils, pp. 81ff.)

Kinds of diversity:

1. undifferentiated nirguna Brahman vs. God = saguna Brahman

2. one supreme Self (paramatman) vs. many individual selves (jivas)

3. world vs. God and world vs. jivas

Models of diversity:

• Rope-snake (Gaudapada, Sankara, Padmapada, et al.)

• Pot-space (Gaudapada, Sankara, Suresvara, Bhamati school, etc.)

• Wheel of fire (Gaudapada)

• Water and foam (Sankara, et al.)

• Sun's rays, spider's web, sparks from a fire (Sankara)

• Reflection analogies (Sankara, Padmapada, Vivarana school, etc.)

  [sun in rippling water, red flower in crystal, face in mirror]