The World as Image

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The Metaphor of Reflection in Advaita Vedanta. 3. The Role of Avidya. 4. Some Conclusions Based on Traditional Views. 5. The Metaphor of Reflection in a Modern Setting. 6. Sleep, Samadhi and the Metaphor of the Image: Soteriological Issues. 7. Epistemological Issues. 8. Limitations of the Metaphor. 9. Conclusion. Bibliography. Author Index. Subject Index.
 
There is something profoundly counter-intuitive about Advaita Vedanta. Nothing is more obvious to both the philosophical as well as the non-philosophical observer than the fact that multiplicity constitutes the basic datum of our experience. Variety is not only the spice of life it is a cardinal fact of life. The doctrines of Advaita Vedanta shock us by flying in the face of this fact and by denying any ultimacy to that plurality and variety which we experience so intimately. This naturally raises the question: how does Adavita Vedanta render its doctrines credible in the face their apparent implausibility.

This book is an exploration of one of its central illustrative devices with which it tries to accomplish this daunting task.