Ajati Vada
( page 1)

The doctrine that states that Atman is, in the absolute sense, janmadivikararahita (devoid of changes or mutations like birth, growth, death, etc.) and also prapanchopashama (devoid of the world of multiplicity), is called ajati-vada in Advaitic parlance. Ajati-vada (doctrine of non-origination or no-creation) was advocated by Acharya Gaudapada in his great Karika (explanatory treatise) on the Mandukya Upanishad.

The outstanding doctrine of ajati-vada is encapsulated in the famous and striking verse found in the second part of Mandukya Karika (Vaitathya Prakarana, verse 32):

"There is no dissolution, no birth, none in bondage and none aspiring for wisdom, no seeker of liberation and none liberated. This is the Absolute Truth. "

Other key verses pointing to the same ultimate truth (paramartika-satya) are found in Advaita Prakarana, verse 33:

"They assert the knowledge free from imagination, birthless, not different from what is known. Brahman is that which is known, birthless, eternal. The birthless knows the birthless."

And furthermore in Alatashanti Prakarana, verse 71:

"No living being whatsoever is born; there is no becoming for it. This is that highest truth where nothing whatsoever is born."

To the question – does the world of duality, which is comprised of sentient and insentient phenomena, appear before us and what will its fate be – the answer provided by Gaudapada in the first part of Mandukya Karika (AgamaPrakarana, verse 18) is:

"If the multiplicity were imagined, it would vanish. Such doctrine is merely for the purpose of instruction. When known, duality ceases to exist."

The answer is further supplemented with a verse from the second part (Vaitathya Prakarana, verse 34):

"From the standpoint of the Self the world does not exist; nor does it exist as independent, neither differentiated nor non-differentiated. This is what the wise knows."

Gaudapada investigates various theories of creation and rejects them all. Some say that creation is the expansion (vibhuti) of Brahman. Others say that it is like a dream (svapna) or an illusion (maya). Some believe that it is the will (ichcha) of Brahman. Those who believe in time state that creation proceeds from time (kala). Still others say that creation is an act of enjoyment (bhoga). And some say that it is the sport (krida) of Brahman. But Gaudapada finds all these theories of creation unacceptable and declares that for Brahman, being the Full (purna), there can be no gain, loss, or division, for any reason whatsoever.

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