--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Susan" <wayback71@...> wrote:
> >
> > Enlightenment is a cipher, that is, nothing
> >
> > A perfect commentary on maya, 'that which is not'.
> >
If that's a translation of 'maayaa' (mAyA), we are afraid
it might be slightly based on folk etymology, apparently assuming
that 'yaa' in it is the feminine relative pronoun, "prefixed" with
the prohibitive(?) particle 'maa'.
Literally, mAyA (maayaa) seems to be a feminine
gender noun, based on the adjective (mfn: masculine, feminine,
neuter) whose masculine/neuter
stem is 'mAya' (maaya), derived from the root verb
'maa', primarily meaning 'to measure'...
4 mAya mfn. (3. %{mA}) measuring (see %{dhAnya-m-}) ; creating
illusions (said of Vishn2u) MBh. ; (%{A}) f. see below.
5 mAyA f. art , wisdom , extraordinary or supernatural power (only in
the earlier language) ; illusion , unreality , deception , fraud , trick ,
sorcery , witchcraft magic RV. &c. &c. ; an unreal or illusory image , phantom
, apparition ib. (esp. ibc= false , unreal , illusory ; cf. comp.) ; duplicity
(with Buddhists one of the 24 minor evil passions) Dharmas. 69 (in phil.)
Illusion (identified in the Sa1m2khya with Prakr2iti or Pradha1na and in that
system , as well as in the Veda7nta , regarded as the source of the visible
universe) IW. 83 ; 108 ; (with S3aivas) one of the 4 Pa1s3as or snares which
entangle the soul Sarvad. MW. ; (with Vaishn2avas) one of the 9 S3aktis or
energies of Vishn2u L. ; Illusion personified (sometimes identified with Durga1
, sometimes regarded as a daughter of Anr2ita and Nirr2iti or Nikr2iti and
mother of Mr2ityu , or as a daughter of Adharma) Pur. ; compassion , sympathy
L. ; Convolvulus Turpethum L. ; N. of the mother of Gautama Buddha MWB. 24 ; of
Lakshmi1 W. ; of a city Cat. ; of 2 metres Col. ; du. (%{mAye@indrasya}) N. of
2 Sa1mans ArshBr.
