|
|
|
|
|
|
What is Maya? - Swami Rama |
|
The most ancient scriptures in the library of humankind today are the Vedas. The Rig Veda is the most ancient portion. The doctrine of maya can be traced to the Rig Veda. “Indra through maya assumes various forms.” The Rig Veda speaks of two orders of experience. One is that of duality or multiplicity, which is known to us in our everyday life through the sense organs and sense perceptions. Multiplicity is impermanent and finite, with a beginning and an end. It is deprecated by the Vedic seers as the source of all grief and suffering. On the other hand, non-duality is everlasting, eternal, and immortal. It is identical with the absolute Reality (sat), Consciousness (chit), and Bliss (ananda), satchitananda. The attainment of non-duality is the summum bonum of spiritual evolution. Whatever reality the manifold phenomena possess is illusory, but non-duality is absolute and immutable. |
|
Reality is one, but sages call it by various names. The diversity that we encounter in our daily life is maya, non-existent from the standpoint of ultimate Reality. The Upanishads declare that maya or empirical knowledge does not give true knowledge, but belongs to the realm of ignorance (avidya). Unreality, darkness, and death are duality and maya, whereas non-duality alone is Reality and immortality. |
|
The Ishopanishad states that “The face of Truth is veiled with a golden disc.” The veil must be removed so that the seeker may behold Truth. This veil or curltain has often been termed maya. But it must be understood that Brahman or the Atman is not to be sought on the other side of maya, nor is it to be realized after the veil is removed. Beyond maya there is no time. Nor is Brahman the cause of the universe, for Brahman is beyond the causal law. Brahman becomes real to us to such an extent that the universe with its time, space, and causal principle comes to be seen for what it really is—unreal. In other words, Brahman becomes real to the extent that we can shake off the illusion of the manifold world of appearances. The Kathopanishad teaches that the sages never find substance and certainty in the unrealities and uncertainties of the world. The Mandukya Upanishad states that when Brahman is realized, the fetters of the heart are broken and all doubts are dispelled. |
|
© "Life Here and Hereafer" by Swamy Rama, published by Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Phylosophy of the USA, RR 1 Box 400, Honesdale, Pennysland, 18431. Reprinted with permission |
|
Click here to view the full content of the articles. |