Sankara's jivatman

Jins Joseph, 16.01.2021 Jins Joseph <jinsjosephsdb@gmail.com>	16 Jan 2021, 10:37 (5 days ago)
to me

Hi Father,

Greetings. Hope this mail finds you well.

I am Jins Joseph from Divyadaan. We had met last year when you were here. I am doing my MPh dissertation on Sankara's concept of jivatman. 

I am now confused about the post-mortem existence of jivatman. What is De Smet's interpretation? Does he interpret Sankara as accepting a post-mortem existence for jivatman or is he of the view that the jivatman merges into Brahman after death. (Some passages from Sankara seems to suggest merging -- See for example, Ch. Up. Bh. VI. 14. 2 and BSB IV. ii. 16.)

Is the non-dualistic interpretation compatible with the merging of soul in Brahman after death?

Is there any article of De Smet where he deals with the post-mortem existence of jivatman?

I am aware that you are a very busy person; however, any help you could render me would be much appreciated.

Thanking you  in advance and awaiting your reply,

Cl. Jins Joseph sdb

Divyadaan, Nashik.

Ivo, 21.01.2021

Dear Jins,

you are at the very heart of the troubled interpretations of Sankara! It is not an easy question to answer in a few words.

let me begin by expressing what De Smet thinks. 

For him, Sankara is not a world-denying illusionist. The vyavaharika world is not an illusion like the son of a barren woman. but it is not Real in the same way as Brahman-Atman is Real. it has a relative, non-svayambhu, dependent reality. 

part of that world is the jivatman. so the same applies to jivatman: a dependent reality, that does not "disappear" after death! 

Where would you find De Smet saying this?

see Understanding Sankara (US) pp. 291-92, and the whole article in general. 

keep in mind what DS says about Sankara: his aim was not to create a complete metaphysics; his aim was to help attain liberation. it is a practical, religious, mystical aim. (see US p. 10)

i remember studying one passage where Sankara is asked: what happens to the jivatman after one has realized Brahman? and he refuses to answer: "If you have become jivan-mukta, you will not ask." that is the mystical answer! 

My suggestion: better to see the larger picture than to concentrate too narrowly on certain texts.

the larger picture: how to interpret Sankara: mayavadin or nondualist? 

I very much tend to accept DS' way of understanding Sankara's nondualism. you will find my reasons in the introduction to US, and perhaps in the life of De Smet published some time back in Divyadaan. 

all the best Jins! it's a great topic! 

Ivo