Re: Avatars

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 04:53:59 +0100 (BST)


Nils:
> Krishna was born an avatar, and knew it all along.
> I don't quite see an avatar who isn't aware of the
> status.

Doesn't sound impossible to me, but I'm fresh out of examples, I admit.

> > Your original definition would have covered them -- it was your
> > statements about what this implied for the RE debate that I
> > disgreed with (and which did not follow from your definition).
>
> As per my definition an avatar is aware of that status
> and is created/born with it. That wouldn't fit with a
> lunar noble becoming the mortal vessel of the RE.

I was thinking of your definition which was just the partial manifestation of a transcendent being, IIRC. Pardon my paraphrase, esp. if it's not as close as one might hope.

> > An avatar, I'd suggest, is basically a partial manifestation
> > of pretty much any sort one likes (given caveats about what sorts
> > of entities can have them at all, perhaps).
>
> I can't argue with that definition. It's just different from
> mine, and possibly more in line with the use in the WiPs.

I thought it was pretty much the same, actually. At least, up to what the 'caveats' might actually particularise to...

Cheers,
Alex.


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