A bit on Avyakata/Avyākṛta.
BṛĀr.Up. I-4-7:
This world was then not developed (not manifested, not divided) [Olivelle translates it as “without real distinctions”]. It differentiated only into name and form - He is so and so by name, and has this sort of form. So to this day it is differentiated only into name and form.
tad dhedaṃ tarhy avyākṛtam āsīt |
tan nāmarūpābhyām eva vyākriyatāsau nāmāyam idaṃrūpa iti |
tad idam apy etarhi nāmarūpābhyām eva vyākriyata asau nāmāyam idaṃrūpa iti |
The same formula occured earlier in ŚBr. 14.4.2.15.
So both the Brāhmaṇas and the Āraṇyakas (the “forest texts”) [~Āraṇyakas/Upaniṣad], convey this meaning of a divided determination.
PALI:
Avyakata = from Vyākata，[pp．of vyākaroti] 1．answered，explained，declared，decided – avyākata unexplained，undecided，not declared，indeterminate.
Vyākaroti [vi+ā+kṛ] 1．to explain，answer.
2. to prophesy，predict
SANSKRIT:
व्याकृत avyākṛta undeveloped (phil: undetermined) (ŚBr.)
व्याकृ vyākṛ [vi-ākṛ] to undo, sever, divide, separate from (RV., AV., VS., ŚBr.)
आकृ ākṛ [ā-kṛ] to bring near or towards (RV.)
to drive near or together (RV.)
√कृ kṛ to do, make, perform, accomplish, cause, effect, prepare, undertake (RV.)
So far so good for the determination.
But where does it take place in the Buddhist’s chain of causation, as far as nāma per se is concerned?
It is interesting to note that, in Buddhism, the first vaci process (vacisaṅkhāra,) appears in the cosmic, unmanifested realm; where the cosmic consciousness has not yet severed itself into nāma-rūpa, aka the manifest.
The first vaci (“naming”) process happens in the immaterial realm.
Nāma in Buddhism, comes later on as a debased vaci process, that has to do with rūpa; namely the four great elements and the forms derived from them (upādāya) (SN 12.2).
If we should struggle to fit magic into that, it would certainly be to ward it off.
For if in the ŚBr, not having a name is kind of evil (e.g. 6.1.3.9) [which does not mean that there is necessarily evil in the avyākṛta]; there is definitely, coming from Buddha himself, the authoritative instruction to first and before all, get rid of any naming (vitakka/vicāra) activity.
Notes:
- For what I remember, Brahmins had their heads upside down.
- “Manifest” does not mean that things have to be seen as obvious. There can be hidden things (things in the background,) in the manifest.
Metta.