{"id":2734,"date":"2014-12-09T06:42:53","date_gmt":"2014-12-09T06:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vedicwisdom.in\/?p=2734"},"modified":"2021-10-26T08:20:00","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T08:20:00","slug":"the-magic-of-maya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vedicwisdom.in\/2014\/12\/09\/the-magic-of-maya\/","title":{"rendered":"1.The Magic Of Maya"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Akshara-Brahma yoga\/Topic of Imperishable Brahman (chapter 8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this chapter, Krishna has mentioned `Maya\u2019<\/em> and I would like to elaborate upon it here. How does the limitless manifest itself as Ishwara<\/em>?  `Limitless\u2019 means that which is free from time and space, and that which is free from time and space cannot undergo any transformation, cannot change to become the universe. Therefore, how do we explain this manifestation? The classical examples given in Vedanta are of the non-rising sun appearing as the rising sun, a rope in semi-darkness being mistaken for a snake\u2026 These are the examples given to illustrate that there is no real creation but only a manifestation.  Now some people find this difficult to swallow, because when I say there\u2019s no real creation, people will think it\u2019s all an illusion. No, I\u2019m talking about functionally valid things not being real. Like, for example, we are always walking on a flat earth. When we go for a walk, the earth appears flat to us, but we know that the earth is round. Therefore, as far as our walking is concerned, the earth appears flat. So how can we say that the round earth became a flat earth? Well, it didn\u2019t become, it only appeared that way, and the scientific explanation given for this is that a small arc of a circle appeared like a straight line etc\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Similarly, there is an explanation given for limitless existence-awareness appearing as a creation, and that is attributed to the power of maya<\/em>. Now what is maya<\/em>? Maya<\/em> is something that is inherent in Brahman<\/em> and is called the creative power of Ishwara<\/em>. Meaning Brahman<\/em> manifests through maya<\/em> and that is what we call Ishwara<\/em>. I\u2019m deliberately not using the words `Brahman+Maya= Ishwara\u2019<\/em> because you cannot have Brahman<\/em> plus anything\u2026 Brahman<\/em> is infinite, limitless, and, therefore, you cannot add anything to it. That is why maya<\/em> has to be in Brahman itself. At the same time, maya<\/em> cannot be a separate entity; it is only an apparent thing.  If you look etymologically at the meaning  of maya , it is `ya\u2019 `that\u2019 and `ma\u2019 `which is not there\u2019. Therefore, `that which is not there\u2019 is called maya.<\/em> Maya<\/em> is something which is apparent, which is mithya<\/em>, and Brahman<\/em> manifests itself as Ishwara<\/em>, the whole creation, because of this apparent power. Therefore, Ishwara<\/em> is a term given to Brahman<\/em> with respect to its manifestation in the whole universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0As the baby grows, it sheds its ignorance about the world, but self-ignorance is sitting quietly in the heart. We shed our self-ignorance to the extent of our bodies and minds but not more than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There<\/strong> is a traditional story illustrating how maya<\/em> is there for functional purposes and at the same time not really there. A rich man died and willed all he had to his three sons. The first son was to get half of his wealth, the second to get one-third, and the third son to get one-ninth of it. When all the wealth was divided, there were 17 elephants left to be divided. It was not possible to divide this number as per the instructions of the father, and none of the sons was willing to compromise. The king happened to be passing by and the sons turned to him for a solution. `No problem\u2019, said the king, `add my tusker as the 18th<\/sup> one.\u2019 Now it was easy. The first son got half i.e. nine elephants, the second got his one-third i.e. six elephants, and the third received his one-ninth\u2014two elephants. The 17 elephants had been divided and the king mounted his own elephant and rode away. Just like the 18th<\/sup> elephant, which was there to aid the division and still not there for distribution, maya<\/em> is there to help Brahman<\/em> manifest as the universe and, at the same time, not there in reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A little more<\/strong> on maya<\/em> to make the concept clear\u2026 There is an explanation given for maya<\/em> and that is in harmony with what we find in the world. In the world we find knowledge; the most important things are knowledge, information, the higher values of life like honesty, integrity, love, compassion, and  all these could be categorised as something called sattva<\/em>. Therefore, sattva<\/em> is knowledge and all things noble. In the universe, we also find things like action, that which prompts action i.e. desire, passion, etc; all that can be classified as rajas<\/em>, energy, etc. We also find inert matter and inertia; qualities that contribute to inertia like laziness, indolence, ignorance, etc., can all be classified under tamas<\/em>. Therefore, since this manifestation has sattva, rajas, tamas<\/em>, it  stands to reason that maya<\/em>, the cause, should also have sattva, rajas, tamas<\/em>. The base is Brahman<\/em>\u2014existence-awareness, and this existence-awareness is manifested through maya<\/em> into this universe that we see. We are talking of an existing universe here and not of a non-existing universe. Existence becomes the basis. In living organisms, consciousness also manifests, but is not manifest in non-living organisms, which are inert things. Therefore, Brahman<\/em> becomes a base, and whatever additions you see to it are because of maya<\/em>.  Therefore, maya<\/em> will account for the variety in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now this maya<\/em> manifesting in a given human mind is to be seen\u2026The whole of maya<\/em>  will not be manifest in one given human mind. Therefore, only a part of maya<\/em> will be manifest in a given mind, and we call that avidya<\/em> or ignorance. That\u2019s the capital with which we start our life. We are born ignorant, we don\u2019t even know our parents when we are born; the baby only recognizes a heartbeat or recognizes its parents as a source of food. Other than that, a baby is ignorant of everything in the world.  As the baby grows, it sheds its ignorance about the world, but self-ignorance is sitting quietly in the heart. We shed our self-ignorance to the extent of our bodies and minds but not more than that.  You can go to the moon and come back, but your ignorance of the self, of the atma will continue\u2026. Until you start questioning `Who am I? What am I, Where have I come from\u2019\u2026. Once you do that, your spiritual seeking starts.<\/em> And then if you meet a teacher, you can find the answers and be free from the hold of avidya<\/em> or ignorance; this may take many lifetimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If I\u2019m lucky<\/strong>, this lifetime itself is enough to complete that journey. Why? I have understood that the purpose of life is not mere life management or to become successful, but there is more to life. Therefore, I have come to this teaching. and there is no reason I cannot get it in this lifetime itself.  If I\u2019m not fortunate enough to be under the influence of this knowledge and gain this knowledge, then I might take more than one lifetime. I might evolve. Like the Buddhists say, I might become a Boddhisattva and, passing through many lifetimes, become a Buddha at the end of it, which is also fine. Because once I start my journey, I\u2019m booked for moksha<\/em>. We are not physical beings with a spirit, we are actually spiritual beings on a human journey, and the journey as a human being is for growth\u2026 Growing enough to understand that I\u2019m this limitless existence-awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Akshara-Brahma yoga\/Topic of Imperishable Brahman (chapter 8) In this chapter, Krishna has mentioned `Maya\u2019 and I would like to elaborate upon it here. 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