LIFE is illusion (Maya) - What kind of illusion ?

In Hindu spiritual tradition,

the life, as we live it, is considered as Maya(Illusion).

Here, the word ‘Maya’ is translated as illusion.

The word Illusion could mean imagination, delusion etc.

But,

We know life is REAL, not imagination or delusion because the reality is felt not only by one self but also shared by others.

So, life must be real.

Then,

In what way it can be seen as an illusion?

Here,

We have to distinguish between REALITY and ACTUALITY.

For example,

While we are watching a movie, we may go through spectrum of emotions.

All emotions are real because our psychology and physiology changes.

Actors too go through these changes, which are real.

All emotions are REAL but not ACTUAL.

Because,

Nothing is ACTUALLY happening out there to cause these emotions.

Likewise, life can also be a REALITY but not an ACTUALITY.

To understand this, we will have to see how we engage ourselves in the world.

Our engagement with the world is through the “I” persona, the ego.

Ego is our identity and is also our persona.

Now,

If we look at the contents of the ego, we can see, it is all conditions.

These conditions depend on one’s place and background.

 And they are imposed by or derived from the family, tradition, race, religion, culture and so on.

Since childhood, these conditions mold our personality and fix our values, opinions, prejudices, aspirations, ambitions etc.

Now,

When we perceive and engage with the world through this already conditioned entity ego.

What we perceive can only be a conditioned reality, not actuality 

– this is called as ‘Maya’ (illusion).

‘Maya’ is an illusion of conditioned reality.

Let us take a simple situation,

How a lush grassland overlooking a lake would be perceived by different people?.

A painter/poet would see its beauty.

A builder would see it as an ideal place to build lake view apartments.

For a casual passerby, it may merge with the background without revealing anything.

The realities revealed here are according to the conditionings of a particular ego, which perceives.

It is true for all our engagements.

And, it is true for our relationships as well.

Because,

Our relationship with others is also shaped by these conditionings.

Basically,

Our perceptions of people are through societal images like

‘Colleague’, ‘Teacher’, ‘Hindu’, ‘Husband’ and so on.

Actual persons beyond those images are not perceived.

For example,

‘Wife’ is perceived only as a wife with all the imports.

The point is,

The ‘Woman’ behind ‘wife’ is not perceived.

There is an anecdote related to this –

A person, who lost his wife, asked a mystic

“Can you help me to meet my wife?”

“Yes, I can, which one you want to meet -

The good one, who gave you comfort and care or

The other, who fought with you and you despised”

“I want to meet the good one”

“Isn't your life pathetic? 
You lived with a person for more than 20 years and you never met the person wholly”.

On hearing this, the man breaks down.

Here, societal images were in relationship and not persons.

Though ‘wife perception’ is a societal necessity and reality, the ’woman behind wife’ is the actuality.

And, wholeness of perception should include the ‘woman behind wife’.

Now, if we extrapolate,

We arrive at a world, where images are in relationships, not the authentic people.

This is grand ‘Maya’ - illusory world and an illusory life within it.

In this world,

We can only see and experience what our ego ‘want’ us to see and experience, anything beyond is inaccessible and considered superfluous too.

The adage

“What is happening to you is what you think is happening to you” can be understood here.

It is like,

actors play their roles in the stage scripted by an author.

In life, people play their roles scripted by their ego.

So,

Life is not unreal; it is real but a conditioned reality (Maya).

If conditioning changes, our experience too will change.

Looking at the entity ego,

We are not born with it but we are born with selfness.

Ego is only an acquired sheath of psychological knowledge over the self.

So, the self can co-exist with ego and can also remain independent of it.

Ego may have its own place, as a tool for orientation, survival, expression and so on.

But it is not the self and not the foundation of the self either.

Then, it seems,

Only by de-conditioning the mind or transcending the egoistic perception,

one can perceive the actuality – the world and life that exist independent of human thought.

Till such time,

Throwing light over wrong places - A Mullah nasruddin tale

On one night,

 a villager saw wise old man Mullah nasruddin searching for something under a street lamp.

The villager asked Mullah what he is searching for.

Mullah said he is looking for his lost keys that he dropped in the bushes,

which are away from the lamp post .

Villager asked if he has dropped the key in the bushes why he is looking for it under the lamp post.

To that Mullah replied, that is where the light is.

It is common knowledge that

No one would look for a lost object where light is just because there is light.

But, it is Mullah’s tale, so there must be an another layer to it like in all other Mullah tales

Here, what Mullah implies without saying is, we all do it all the time.

That is looking for causes in the wrong places or throwing light over wrong places.

Now,

for anything gone wrong or any problem, there must be causes.

And causes can be either external or internal.

External causes are in the world and in others.

Internal causes are our own thoughts, opinions, prejudices, beliefs, values etc.

We have knowledge and some hold on the external factors because 

they are under the light of our awareness.

What we don’t notice is, we almost have no awareness of our internal factors like opinions or prejudices.

We are not aware in the sense that we consider our opinions as facts or truths

but not as opinions which are amendable.

This applies not only to surface level opinions 

but also to deeper level prejudices, values, beliefs etc.

In short, it applies to all our psychological conditionings.

These causes are in the dark and accessible only to reflection.

Otherwise, they pass on like facts or truths.

One author said that our mind is on auto pilot mode as far as its conditionings goes.

Most of the time,

We are unaware or unable to reflect upon them with any sincerity and we just roll on.

This would cause problems and in this case we are the source of problems and also unaware.

Moreover,

In such situations, we are inclined to find or associate causes to external factors 

because we are not aware of the causes which are deep within us.

This is similar to those who have anxiety problem.

Their mind always finds external factors as cause of their anxiety

 – a crowded bus and also an empty bus.

The real cause is deep inside, which they can’t decipher.

It is more like, driving in the wrong lane and blaming others for mishaps.

In other words, searching for a lost object where there is light as Mullah did.

On the physical plane, it is relatively simple to identify causes or our short comings.

For instance,

If a person of short stature takes up basket ball as his sport, 

he will invariably face formidable obstacles.

This being physical, he can easily see that he has chosen the wrong sport for his physique

and there is nothing wrong with the game or its rules.

But, in the psychological sphere, it is not that easy to see things clearly.

One needs to reflect and throw light inside to see whether anything is wrong with the perception.

Even if one is able to reflect, it is also not easy to acknowledge when one is wrong.

This is because one’s self image is built on one's opinions, values, beliefs etc,( imposed & cultivated) as one grow up.

So, when someone questions one’s opinion,

It is perceived as a danger to the psychological body (ego), just as one perceives danger to the physical body.

Immediate reaction would be to defend one’s views or way of doing things.

This is reaction, not a response.

But, unless the issues inside are addressed without egoistic tendency.

One would be constantly creating problems for himself and continue to throw light on wrong places without relief.

So, throwing light inside is imperative to address such problems effectively.

And, it requires honesty on one’s part to reflect and amend opinions, values, prejudices etc.

Then,

If one discovers joy in honesty, it would make reflection easier and heartfelt.

This would help in resolving problems and also aid one in the path of self discovery.

Mullah nasruddin’s  naughty tale is simple demonstration in the physical sphere,

what one normally does in the psychological sphere.

And this tale has thrown light in the right direction and shows the importance of self reflection
and that may lead one to discover the authentic self.

Pure and Ego Consciousness

A beautiful poem by JK.

But, it ends with a note that benediction and peace was there before the man wakes up.

Why that peace is disturbed when man wakes up?

When man wakes up, the ego too wakes up.

It projects its own world and makes the other one nonexistent

and when it acts ,it disturbs  the universal order by imposing its own order on it.

But, ego doesn't wakes up along with the consciousness simultaneously.

Though rarely noticed,

When man wakes up from sleep, his consciousness wakes first and after an interval of time only, his ego pervades the consciousness.

In that interval, our perception is not influenced by ego elements.

This, one can experience sometimes, especially when one suddenly wakes up in night.

For a brief interval of time, one’s perception is pure and untainted by the ego elements.

It is not a kind of amnesia or blankness but only that ego stays as passive knowledge.

It has not yet become an interpreter or arbiter of an experience.

The experience is still personal but doesn't belong to the realm of ego.

  

In our normal wakeful state,

All our psychological experiences are qualified and registered by the ego as desirable or undesirable.

In that sense,

This experience can’t even be called as an experience because this happens when ego is still passive.

So, it is only acknowledged and so it becomes personal but not recognized or qualified by the ego.

And, if it is not acknowledged, it ends as a non-event.

This is what happens most of the time to most of the people.

If one is aware,

Then, it gives the certitude that our consciousness can perceive independent of ego, not necessarily without it.

Some mystics suggest,

if one can extend the interval between ‘pure consciousness’ and ‘ego centric consciousness’,  to that extent the ego losses its domination as a sole arbitrator.

This may lead to witness the benediction and the peace that is expressed in the poem.

Crisis and Insight - A Mullah Nasruddin Tale

A man climbed up a coconut tree to pick coconuts but got scared while trying to climb down.

So, afraid to climb down, he was stuck there for some time and started shouting for help.

The wise old man Mullah Nasruddin, who was passing by heard his cry and decided to help him.

He picked up a long rope,

threw the one end to the man and asked him tie it around his waist very  tightly,

and tied the other end to a pole nearby.

Then said to the man in the tree

“There are nasty people in this village, they might simply pull the rope and you will crash down”

and started walking away.

The man in the tree was unable to untie the knot and left with no choice but to climb down.

So, spite of the fear, he managed to climb down the tree.

He stopped Mullah on his way and yelled at him

“Mullah, I asked for help but you created a crisis and put my life in danger”.

Mullah replied

“You could have climbed down the tree before the crisis, which you did afterwards.

 Don’t wait for crisis to change you, do it when you need to”.

A humorous tale with wise import.

This is true,

People change when there is crisis.

When there is natural calamity, people come together leaving behind their idiosyncrasies.

When there is crisis in one’s personal life, one is willing to forgo one’s peculiarities.

In crisis,

People would surrender the ego, step out of the comfort zone, listen to others and are willing to change their old habits.

But, when crisis fades away they are back to their old self.

This happens most of the time to most of the people.

Only a few sustain the new perception brought about by a crisis.

Why crisis does not bring about permanent change of perception and values to most people?

Let us look at a physical situation.

If I am attacked by a particular animal, that incident would permanently change my perception about the animal.

Here the incident is concrete and objective.

There is no going back here because the incident would penetrate both the conscious and the subconscious mind bringing permanent change.

But, psychological crisis are subjective and abstract.

Causes behind a psychological crisis are one’s belief system - social mores, opinions, prejudices etc.

And these factors are not seen as passive knowledge that can be amended

but considered as part of one’s personality and identity.

So, even if a crisis hits, people find it hard to change because it is challenging their identity itself.

Instead,

Most people believe that they can avoid similar crisis in future by tweaking their responses without changing any of their personality traits or values.

Then, the new perception brought about by the crisis does not penetrate their subconscious and become permanent.

It stays on the conscious mind and fades along with the crisis.

So, people are back to their old way of doing things.

But, a crisis exposes dent in ones’ personality - limitations, false belief, wrong values etc. 

Ignoring this insight and believing in response tweaking is like riding on the wrong lane with faith in one’s dodging ability.

This technique may not work because crisis is like a ghost, it can take different forms.

Mullah Nusruddin goes further,

He says, change before an incident escalates into a crisis because then it could even be too late.

Image Credit -pixabay(free)

Do it anyway - A poem by Mother Teresa

Do it anyway 

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. 
Forgive them anyway.
...
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  
Be kind anyway.
...
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  
Be honest and sincere anyway.
 ...
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  
Do good anyway.
...
In the final analysis,
It is between you and God.  
It was never between you and them anyway.
                                     
                                                                              - Mother Teresa.

In this powerful poem by Mother Teresa,
Our acts are not seen as reaction to others but through them, a response to God.

It tells us to respond with goodness even if others are otherwise.
That is logical because good for good only, makes it a trade, not a virtue.

We can look at it in another way,

Bad deed require a personal cause or reason,
but a good deed doesn't require a reason, cause or personal motive.

For instance
To hate some one, we need a reason to do so
But,
To help someone,we don't need a cause or reason.

Normally,
all our acts have personal motive(cause) behind it and resonate with ego.
That makes life a causation of ego.
But an act which have no personal motive(cause) behind, doesn't resonate with ego.

Then,
These acts frees consciousness from the order of ego and
make it resonate with cosmic order or God.

Kinds of LOVE – Instinctive, Emotional and Conscious Love

Love as a feeling is of three kinds based on its source.

Its source could be unconscious Instinct, impulsive Emotion or Conscious mind.

Based on its origin, its purpose is defined and its purpose determines its life cycle.

Instinctive Love –

Instinctive love is biological in nature and its origin is unconscious drive.

Its only or primary role is biological, that is to create off springs.

The lover could not be aware of the unconscious drive that triggered the feeling of love.

For the same reason, instinctive love would not be in lover’s control.

Lover may think it is long lasting love but instinct love follows its movement.

Once the purpose of unconscious drive is served / failed,

the unconscious would lose interest and subsequently instinctive love itself would become stale and fade away.

This may leave the lover disillusioned about the love because the lover never knew the real cause behind instinct love.

Emotional Love –

Emotional love is not based on biology and can be even be anti-biological.

It is based on emotional affinity towards another.

It can happen between opposite sexes or the same sex.

Movement of emotional love is directly linked to the state of emotion that triggered it.

That is, when the emotion withers or change, emotional love will also go with it.

So emotional love can be short-lived.

And as well, when underlying emotion fades, the lover may become indifferent to the object of love.

It is also possible that object of love would become object of hatred for the lover.

In this case, the lover would become the slayer of the object that he loved.

Like instinct love, emotional love also creates.

In mythology, emotional love creates strange creatures.

But in the real world,

Emotional love may create off springs and by heightened emotion may create artistic works and the like.

Both, Instinct and Emotional love are utilitarian in nature.

They are self-centered and seek their own gratification or other gains.

So, as long as love aids in realization of their objectives,

love will remain intact, then / otherwise it will fade or turn to indifference/dislike.

Conscious Love –

Conscious love is rare because it requires conscious effort, intelligence and diligence.

Conscious love is not self-centered but it is centered on the object of love.  

The lover wishes and aids the object of love to attain its own wholeness by being its complement.

So, conscious love is non-utilitarian in nature.

But, in its primitive form, conscious love is also utilitarian in nature.

For instance,

We exercise conscious love while nurturing a garden or pet animals but only to serve our own purpose.

Only at higher level, it becomes non-utilitarian and elevating.

To do that, the lover has to make a conscious decision regarding love,

Then, its source cannot be unconscious instinct or transient and unstable emotion.

So, in the case of conscious love,

Lover is conscious of movement of love at every stage and in complete control;

nothing escapes from the lover’s awareness.

Lover is intelligent enough to identify the essence and nuances of the loved object.

Lover is diligent enough to accept pain and sustain the effort to nurture and elevate the object of love to its wholeness.

Generally, it is supposed that conscious love is reciprocated because lover’s sustained effort enters the subconscious of the other and brings about change.

Like Instinct and Emotional love, Conscious love also creates.

It creates a new being – rebirth of the lover and the object of love in unison

Conscious love may also create other things but creation of a new being is its plane.

Conscious love is possible only for humans.

Strangely it is very rare among humans,

Implying that human psyche is still dominated by instinct and utilitarian in its pursuit.  

Levels of Mind - Personal and General(Buddha and J Krishnamurty)

There is an incident in Buddhist traditional history.

A woman, who lost her son approached Buddha and

asked him revive her dead son with his power.

Buddha said to have told her that if she could bring food from any house where there was no death, then he would revive her son.

It is apparent that there can be no such house,

and then what could be his underlying message!

According to mystics.

All sorrows are human sorrows and there is nothing ‘personal’ about them.

It is ‘human sorrow’ that is manifested in an individual and personalized by the ego.

It can be understood this way.

Firstly,

We have evolved as a species, not as individuals.

So, the brain and mind we have is that of a species and doesn’t belong to an individual.

That is, physically one may have a separate brain, but in essence it is only a ‘human brain’.

Similarly, in essence ‘personal mind’ is only a piece of ‘General/Human mind’.

This is because all minds are conditioned by more or less similar environments. 

We can look at it like a hologram.

A hologram, if broken to pieces, each piece would again contain the whole image with distinct perspective, not the fragment of the image.

Similarly,

Each’ personal mind’ contains the image of a ‘general mind’ with a particularity imposed by the ego.

So, there is no ‘Personal’ sorrow, only ‘human’ sorrow.

Then, solution may not be at the level personal consciousness but at the level of

non-personal consciousness.  

But, ego-centric view personalizes the sorrow and blocks ‘general’ (unbiased) perception.

Moreover ‘personal mind’ tend to seek only fulfillment of its wishes and not solution.

For instance,

If I am thirsty, my mind may seek coke but solution is water.

This is only to say that our personal mind always projects its wish as the solution.

It may be obvious in the physical plane.

In the psychological plane, when our perception is entirely enveloped by the ego.

it is difficult to see whether we are seeking our personal wish or solution.

It is possible to distinguish, only when ego-centric view of the problem is avoided.

Being so,

If one can avoid egoistic perception of the sorrow,

then the problem behind the sorrow  can be depersonalized.

Once the problem is depersonalized, the mind would not be seeking ego-centric solutions. 

This creates depth in one’s awareness and brings balance and clarity.

And, it also enables one to approach the problem with more empathetic attitude than

frustration, anger and self pity, which are all part of ego-centric view.

Also,

One no longer wrestles with the problem to make it go or expect a wishful outcome.

Facts are faced as they are and it brings about its own resolution.

It may not be possible always to exercise such perception

and may appear even impossible in certain situations.

But,

This is the perception that can bring rational and objective approach to a problem.

Perhaps, this can be the underlying message that Buddha was conveying to the woman.

According to J.Krishnamuty ,

Problem at the level of ‘personal mind’ have solution only at the level of ‘general mind’. 

He states - “It is not an abstract answer, it is the only answer”.