ŚaṅkaraAdvaita Vedānta
Interpretation
Scriptural passages describe Brahman as producing or becoming the world, while other passages teach that Brahman's essential nature remains absolutely changeless (kutastha). Transformation language is affirmed for scriptural argument and for meditation on the qualified (saguna) Brahman, but is not read as attributing literal alteration to Brahman's own essential nature.
Related Satkāryavāda, Brahman as Material Cause, Brahman · Śaṅkara
Where Śaṅkara’s commentary grounds this interpretation. Open a sūtra to read the commentary context.
From Śaṅkara’s commentary
Owing to modification, we reply. The Self, although in full existence previously to the action, modifies itself into something special, viz. the Self of the effect. Thus we see that causal substances, such as clay and the like, are, by undergoing the process of modification, changed into their products.
From Śaṅkara’s commentary
a number of scriptural passages, by denying all modification of Brahman, teach it to be absolutely changeless (kûtastha)
whatever is stated as having no special fruit of its own—as, for instance, the passages about Brahman modifying itself into the form of this world—is merely to be applied as a means for the cognition of the absolute Brahman, but does not bring about an independent result
The view of Brahman as undergoing modifications will, moreover, be of use in the devout meditations on the qualified (saguna) Brahman.