The bhutan observer
October 2018
ILLUSION AND REALITY
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The most deluding factor that over shadows our normal perception is the illusion of things that appear to be. In our society there has always been such importance given to what is an illusion and what is a reality. But most of the time we tend to overlook this reality and continue to be falsely satisfied with an illusion which appears as true vision. Illusion is something which appears as real, but it is not. I have tried to describe in the lines below as to the distinction between the two situations.
Most of our rituals, cultural practices and all that we do in the name of God has a limited scope for realizing the supreme. It is not the practice that is important but the objective with which we have set the practice. In our culture there is rampant karma kandabeing followed with great devotion. It looks great – colors and variety of all sorts – but that is just a peel of the fruit. The core is deep within which is gyan kanda. It is therefore necessary that culture and spirituality go hand in hand.
It thus can be said that all the social and traditional performances people so stringently undertake are necessary a factor that constitute our social life. It may offer us a way to integrate our society, but it cannot be a reality. Because it involves an individual's personal approach towards realization. It is said that it is only through individual transformation that you can transform the world. All these concepts have their origin in the kind of mind frame you have or your understanding. But it cannot be understood in isolation. Truth is inclusive of everything. Many of the times one's understanding happens in ignorance which some people like to believe as bliss. This may be a bitter truth, but you cannot deny that truth is truth.
It is said that everything that comes into the knowledge of the senses like seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching are oriented outside and they are not capable beyond physicality. This implies that all that comes under the purview of senses do not exist permanently. Our bottom line is that truth is always there. There is no absence of truth anytime and anywhere. Once you realize the supreme truth there will be nothing left unknown. The good news is that anyone can know what is unknown – the indestructible truth.
It is very disheartening to see how the society is continuously shrouded in blind faith. They assume that they will be able to achieve what they believe. But it is like the blind men trying to know how an elephant looks like. The other reason is that people are engrossed in the social and cultural realities whose sole purpose is to integrate into a composite social and cultural order. Our masses are not able to lift their head from the mud given the kind of the traditional knowledge that has come down to us. It requires the enhancement of perception which is the only way in and out. For this, it is necessary that there is a profound effort to realize the truth. Sense perception is better than confidence which may only bring hallucination. For the general information of all the Vedas contain 100,000 verses of which the Prakriti and shakti alone is contained in about in 96, 000 verses and the spiritual part has just the 4,000. This gives a clear understanding how our society is more attached to karma kanda.
Illusion is something that appears like a coiled-up rope at some distance, but you mistake it for a snake. It could also be like a mirage in a desert. Another example could be a big electric bulb wrapped with different colors would look to be of a certain color according to the position from which a beholder looks at it. But that's only an illusion. If you remove those colors, there will be just the white colorless bulb which is the reality. Illusion is heavily laden with your mental aspirations and what is being cooked up by your mind. Truth is that brilliant reality that happens with a matured perception. Anyone with a sincere mind can easily grasp this supreme reality.
In the conclusion, it can be said that there is no nationality to spirituality. It is sans border meant for well-being of the human kind. There is no accreditation to any group for the origin of spirituality. This would only send a message contrary to this great wisdom we are all sharing with the human community. Let us also not forget that after receiving Adhi Yogi's blessing the sapta rishis spread to different parts of the world where they spread the vision of the Adhi Yogi. We of course realize that the knowledge coming out are half-truth or are distorted but we are fortunate that the greatness of this yogic wisdom is a cause for celebration in the works of Agasthya Muni.
It thus can be said that all the social and traditional performances people so stringently undertake are necessary a factor that constitute our social life. It may offer us a way to integrate our society, but it cannot be a reality. Because it involves an individual's personal approach towards realization. It is said that it is only through individual transformation that you can transform the world. All these concepts have their origin in the kind of mind frame you have or your understanding. But it cannot be understood in isolation. Truth is inclusive of everything. Many of the times one's understanding happens in ignorance which some people like to believe as bliss. This may be a bitter truth, but you cannot deny that truth is truth.
It is said that everything that comes into the knowledge of the senses like seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching are oriented outside and they are not capable beyond physicality. This implies that all that comes under the purview of senses do not exist permanently. Our bottom line is that truth is always there. There is no absence of truth anytime and anywhere. Once you realize the supreme truth there will be nothing left unknown. The good news is that anyone can know what is unknown – the indestructible truth.
It is very disheartening to see how the society is continuously shrouded in blind faith. They assume that they will be able to achieve what they believe. But it is like the blind men trying to know how an elephant looks like. The other reason is that people are engrossed in the social and cultural realities whose sole purpose is to integrate into a composite social and cultural order. Our masses are not able to lift their head from the mud given the kind of the traditional knowledge that has come down to us. It requires the enhancement of perception which is the only way in and out. For this, it is necessary that there is a profound effort to realize the truth. Sense perception is better than confidence which may only bring hallucination. For the general information of all the Vedas contain 100,000 verses of which the Prakriti and shakti alone is contained in about in 96, 000 verses and the spiritual part has just the 4,000. This gives a clear understanding how our society is more attached to karma kanda.
Illusion is something that appears like a coiled-up rope at some distance, but you mistake it for a snake. It could also be like a mirage in a desert. Another example could be a big electric bulb wrapped with different colors would look to be of a certain color according to the position from which a beholder looks at it. But that's only an illusion. If you remove those colors, there will be just the white colorless bulb which is the reality. Illusion is heavily laden with your mental aspirations and what is being cooked up by your mind. Truth is that brilliant reality that happens with a matured perception. Anyone with a sincere mind can easily grasp this supreme reality.
In the conclusion, it can be said that there is no nationality to spirituality. It is sans border meant for well-being of the human kind. There is no accreditation to any group for the origin of spirituality. This would only send a message contrary to this great wisdom we are all sharing with the human community. Let us also not forget that after receiving Adhi Yogi's blessing the sapta rishis spread to different parts of the world where they spread the vision of the Adhi Yogi. We of course realize that the knowledge coming out are half-truth or are distorted but we are fortunate that the greatness of this yogic wisdom is a cause for celebration in the works of Agasthya Muni.
- DILIP BISHWO, Iowa, USA
Contact the writer at: bishwod@bhutaniowa.org
Contact the writer at: bishwod@bhutaniowa.org
The article presented in this column is the personal opinion of the writer and doesn't represent the opinion of BCI or any other organizations what so ever. The BCI has only offered the medium to the writer for expressing his opinion through this website.
