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universe in order to avoid the above mentioned contingencies in respect of the Lord. The central doctrine of Advaita is the illusory nature of this universe. The term "mithya" means illusion characterised as indeterminable either as real or as unreal. The whole of Advaita dialectics rests on two gen•al postulates : (1) the absolutely real is never sublated and (2) the absolutely unreal is never cognised. The examples for the absolutdy real is Brahman and that for the absolutely unreal is the horns of a hare. In between these two categories the world of'plurality is caught. For the world of plurality there is the temporary sublation in deep sleep ; hence it is not real. The world of plurality is cognised, hence it is not unreal. It cannot be real and unreal at the same time because it violates the law of contradiction. It is this indeterminable natme of the universe in terms of the real and the unreal that is connoted by the term " Maya." It is not non-existence. It has practical efficiency, why, it alone has practical efficiency. Maya has for its jurisdiction everything excepting Brahman and absolute non-existence. The doctrine of Maya has been subjected to a great deal of criticism by the realist. V iidiivali is one such attempt. Post-S'ankara Advaita dialecticians have attempted to establish the illusory nature of the universe through the employment of various pramal)as like perception, inference, scripture, experience etc. The author of the Viiddvali states the Advaitin's pramal)as in respect of the establishment of the illusory nature of the universe and refutes them in detail. ,The first half of the book is a criticism or the three famous inferences of the Advaitin to establish the illusory nature of the univettse. The infe(ences have three distinct probans, namely cognisability, · inertness, and finitude and thQ probandum with the subject is
