 The empirical order is a provisional ontology, whereas the ultimate reality is a final ontology. From the provisional empirical perspective, our universe is well founded like the pot is founded in clay. No object depends on itself, and its dependence is transitively descending to the foundation of nondual existence. The universe’s relationship with this ground is dependent and asymmetrical. This relationship collapses however at the ultimate order of nondual reality. For example, Śaṅkara can provisionally speak of the relationship of pot and clay (akin to the empirical standpoint); but from the perspective of cause and effect identity, there is only clay (i.e., the absolute standpoint). The pot form is a mere property, not a substantive. Despite its name and function, Śaṅkara does not ultimately attribute pot form to clay because it possesses no being apart from the clay substantive and is less real. Similarly, the order of ultimate reality is nondual existence alone, with no second things like properties.