I would be surprised if none of you have already done some research on Maya, and have a few pet theories of your own.
Two words – Well Done!!
Recommended readings -
Ashtavakra Samhitha
Shankaracharya's works - anything you can lay your hands on.
Remember that all translations tend to error. Such is the precision of Samskrth, that concepts when translated, are very hard to grasp. Look at how many words I'll have to use to describe Maya...
So what is this massive illusion we’re talking about? So, if everything (everything?!) is unreal, what is real? How do we define/differentiate between what is real and what is unreal?
Are there various ‘levels’ of Reality? Which part of me is really real?!
Hmmm… if Eashwaran is all about Truth, then why fool us all with an illusion? If the We are ALL the one and the same absolute, then what’re we doing creating our own mini-realities that we call ‘life’? What is the purpose of this apparent illusion?
First, let me clarify something – the Samskrth word ‘Maya’ can only be translated in English as ‘illusion’. BUT – Maya is NOT illusion. Maya is NOT unreal.
Maya is a conscious experience – usually through the mind.
Let me explain with a tale that is the reason the Ashtavakra Samhitha exists.
In the Thretha Yuga, Avathaara Shri Rama’s father-in-law Maharaja Janaka ruled a prosperous kingdom. The people were happy, Dharma was practiced, and the Maharaja felt that he was doing his duty. However, he could not find satisfaction. Regardless, he continued to rule as the virtuous king that he was (remember, it was his virtuous Dharmic nature that caused Bhoomi Devi to choose him as the earthly father of her daughter Seetha Devi, or Janaki – the Daughter of Janaka).
He then had this dream (this is long after the actual war that’s the highlight of most Ramayana translations today) where he was a beggar being chased and abused by villagers. This kind of community based action took place in those days only when the beggar or person involved was considered a danger or threat to the sanctity of the community.
Of course, when he awoke and the dream vanished, he found himself swathed in his silken robes and in the Royal Bed Chamber… and yes, he was relieved.
This kept happening, and naturally, the curious Maharaja brought it to his courtiers’ attention that he wanted to know more about his experience…
If any of you have ever woken up from a dream feeling you were still in the dream, you may remember that every sound, every image, every experience from the dream was as real as the ‘reality’ around you – your body, your bed, your room and the furniture.
Maharaja Janaka’s dream-experience was so strong that he found himself unsure of which was real – his life as a ruler or his life as a menace to society…
The question he put to his courtiers was “which is real?”
Of course, if any of you has read the Samhitha itself, you would know that Ashtavakra answered his question thus “Neither”. If any of you wishes to understand the answer as the Maharaja did, please look for this book – you’ll find many translations of it. In spite of the inadequacy of the English language, I would strongly recommend it as the best description of what Reality is.
Literally translated, Maya is ‘that which is NOT’. In English that doesn’t make much sense. Especially since no one has defined ‘That Which IS’.
An ancient Guru once answered a curious Shishya’s questions with a single phrase. The questions, just like ours, were about reality and the nature of being. “O Teacher, what is it that by knowing which one becomes free of all (Karmic) bondage?”
“ThhuthThvamAsi” – That is What You Are – literally, but in English, it’d be ‘Thou Art That’.
‘That’ here refers to the Absolute – which is pretty much all creation. The Shishya had a fairly good understanding of Karma, and the Laws of the Universe. But it was this singular concept that freed him.
Of course, in the parable of the Ancient Guru, the Shishya did not understand ThhuthThvamAsi. He didn’t have a clue. The Guru took pity on him, and took him in as a student. He asked his eager Shishya to till the fields and take care of the land for 12 years. And then to come back with any questions he had. The steadfast Shishya did so – and 12 years later, got the same answer – ThhuthThvamAsi.
Maya, as a principle, serves two purposes in The System. It hides the true nature of a consciousness from itself, and it can construct an entire ‘reality’ specific to that consciousness.
A Consciousness’ awareness within Maya exists at 3 levels Thamas (Darkness/Ignorance), Rajas (Awakened/in Action), Satthva (Pure Light/Enlightened).
Rishis exist at a Satthva level. They can see ‘through’ Maya, but can also exist within it. Asuras are obviously at the level of Thamas.
Remember, this doesn’t make Rishis ‘good’ or Asuras ‘bad’. Each being has its purpose and appropriate Karmic duties. Even Kali is necessary for without his hatred of human beings, none of us would be able to live out our very worst Karma – we can do so only in the Kali Yuga.
The Mind, whether it belongs to a dog, a man, a woman, a tree, a stone, a river or a building, is an electromagnetic transceiver. This device is designed to both perceive Maya and to contribute to Maya.
Manushya is the being designed to be able to USE the Mind. The being that can evade all the in-between stages and attain Moksha straightaway (though not in the Kali-Yuga).
To be able to use the Mind, however, the Manushya must first know who HE/SHE really is, and must be able to perceive the Mind as an instrument (AshtaangaYogaSoothra is the recommended tool for this – popularly known as Yoga). Everything that the Mind perceives is Maya, but not ALL Maya is perceived by most Minds.
To know Reality, one must transcend the Mind. When one has gone beyond the Mind and experienced Pure Consciousness unhindered by the Mind, then one will know how to differentiate.
Because, then one will truly have experienced the statement ThhuthThvamAsi.
Thhuth – That – refers to everything in the universe. Everything within Maya, and everything without Maya. The Absolute is all that is manifest, and all that is un-manifest at the same time.
The Absolute Being literally ‘dreams’ everything else into existence.
The Dream is neither real nor unreal. It is merely Creation.
Eashwaran – The Absolute Being – Lord Shiva – Lord Vishnu REQUIRES Prakrthi-Lakshmi Devi- Parvathi Devi –Devi MahaaMaya to manifest Creation.
When you, as a consciousness, descend into this Lokem, Shiva Maya (read Devi Parvathi) makes you forget your true nature. You are unable to understand the statement ThhuthThvamAsi. As you descend further into physical existence, you finally reach the ‘body’ that you must inhabit. At this point, the ‘body’ is a baby that has just been born – and a series of events unfolds. Once born, the baby opens its mouth as a reflex action. Precisely at this moment, you – Aathmen – pure consciousness enter that body riding on the Prana that it takes in as its first breath. On cue, Devi Lakshmi rubs Vishnu-Maya on your eyes with love. You forget your previous lives, your Karmic purpose for this life and forget all previous relationships.
This is necessary – I mean, how would you actually have children if you remembered your wife as being your brother many lives ago?
Maya – is everything we perceive through the mind. The only thing that we CANNOT perceive through the mind is our own True Nature. To perceive this, we must go beyond the mind. And ‘I’ am the ONLY Reality.
