Considering that the purpose of life is to realize the truth and reality about our own inner self, it becomes very essential to be clear about the meaning of everyday words such as truth & fiction, real & imaginary, and belief & disbelief.
The Mind instinctively accepts what it perceives through its five senses as REAL and as the TRUTH. It also accepts its own experiences as real. If there is an event that it was not a part of, then it requires PROOF before it accepts the event as a FACT. This PROOF could be the assertion of many many other people who actually experienced the event, and supported through pictures, and videos (from an "authentic" source), which replays the event for a remote observer.
The Mind has the ability to will accept only what it perceives as the Truth and what it thinks is REAL.
So what we cannot perceive through the senses also becomes unbelievable and hard to accept.
Since the Manas cannot perceive itself through its senses, it loses faith in itself and relies on stimulus through the senses for its sustenance. The Manas starts to believe in the illusion it creates, and dismisses its own self. As far as the Manas is concerned, it no longer exists except to experience the senses. So powerful is the dominance of the senses on the Manas. The Atma is now completely trapped in the perceived world.
The Bhagavatha Purana points out that it is this trap of the Atma in the wandering Manas that is the root cause of the cycle of births and deaths.
Like a child enamoured by the toys that it given by its parents, the Manas is unable to let go of its perception of the world through the senses.
To make matters worse, we even think that the story of life that is spun from within us is the real part, and that the inner source from which it emerges is the imaginary part!
The Paramathma wants us to turn this perception upside down. He wants us to understand that what we are perceiving through our senses is the illusion and that the inner self from which it emerges is real. The ILLUSION has been created to enable the REAL to look at its own reflection and observe and learn about itself.
The perceived world is only a product of our own thoughts. Just like the spider spins a web from within itself,without knowing how it is able to do it, we spin this perception from within ourselves without knowing anything about the process of how our inner selves work.
TRUTH, according to the Paramathma, is that which is UNCHANGING. That which is Permanent. That which is not subject to the influence of Time (Kala). Observation or experiencing of transient events can never be the TRUTH. For example, to say that "I was Happy when I was five years old", does not represent the TRUTH, because no one will be five years old forever. It is a passing phase.
TRUTH is the treasure that is discovered through the process of REALIZATION.
Truth, according to the Paramathma is that which is ABSOLUTE. There is no negotiation here.
TRUTH cannot be TRUTH only when attached with an IF Condition. You cannot say that "I will be good,and do good, if and when I become Rich".
TRUTH can never be subjective. There is no truth in saying "The criminal was prosecuted, so justice has been done".
TRUTH is that which is not obtained in an EXCHANGE, Any business transaction that involves exchanging goods and services for money, falls out of the category of TRUTH. As soon as a PRICE is fixed for an act, it loses its ABOLUTENESS. GIVING without expecting anything in return, represents TRUTH.
This is a fundemental concept and requires an explanation; GIVING without a payback, is a PERMANENT transfer from one individual to another. On the other hand, when something is received in return, the GIVEN object simply comes back in a different form. So, effectively, nothing was ever given. To say that something was given, when the giver actualy received FAME & PUBLICITY in return, means that nothing was GIVEN, becausethe given object was taken back in a different form. So the TRUTH of the statement and the action is lost.
The Puranas go to the following next step in explaining the impact of this DHARMIC TRUTH.
When the act of giving is performed in anonimity and in relationship to an unrelated person, it is a display of having attained a higher state of existence. The given object, however small or however large, whether long lived or short lived, whether in the form of material wealth or knowledge, is a reflection of the state of mind of the giver. Once attained, such a state of mind will never revert to its prior state of existence. THis represents a PERMENANT EVOLUTIONARY ATTAINMENT. Giving without receiving anything in return is a hallmark of a state of permanent higher attainment.
Here's the next level (as laid out in the Puranas);
Which is the TRUTH? Is it the PERCEIVER (the ATMAN) or the PERCEIVED (the material world). The PERCEIVED objects are always transient. They are passing experiences and are never steady. The PERCEIVER, on the other hand is always there to experience the passing .events (from Janma to Janma till MOKSHAM is attained). It is however often mixed up. It is always thought that the perceiver is temporary and passing. Living objects die, but the inanimate world seems to keep going on and on. So the mind concludes that it is temporary, while the inanimate world remains eternal (though in different forms). The MIND then embarks on its journey of pursuit of worldly attainments.
Detaching the mind from its illusory pursuits and turning it onto the path of self realization is the first step in the process of evolution.
The PARAMATHMA and the PURANAS expend considerable effort in setting right this misperception, and getting us back on the right track!
More on this under the EVOLUTION section of this web page.
In grappling with the problems of this world, the mind assumes many forms, plays many roles and in the process, forgets its real nature and its real identity.
The world of MAYA takes on the priority and intellectual development is targeted at developing "skills" that have no value in our journey after this life.
The teachings enable us to view the external world in the correct perspective, develop the ability to interpret the events and translate the knowledge to drop the transient aspects and retain the permanent.
The development of these abilities and the accumulation of the permanent aspects of knowledge will enable us to evolve the mind to the next higher level of existence and transcend to a state of unification with the Paramathma.
These evolutionary steps are the core of the teachings. We have attempted to lay them out in simple terms, without losing any attention to detail, and without compromising on the quality of the content.
These evolutionary steps are the core of the teachings. We have attempted to lay them out in simple terms, without losing any attention to detail, and without compromising on the quality of the content.
The perception of the world through the senses appears so REAL & PERMENANT to the mind, that it forgets its own true nature and gets entangled completely in the observed world. The Mind has to be told and also is to be reminded that the objects of this world are only illusionary and that its own self is the REALITY. Unfortnately, in the process of observing the material world and the observing mind becomes confused and delusional. The Paramathma clearly says in Srmad Bhagavatham that the perceived world is only a product of our own thoughts. Just like the spider spins a web from within itself,without knowing how it is able to do it, we spin this perception from within ourselves without knowing anything about the process of how our inner selves work. To make matters worse, we even think that the story of life that is spun from within us is the real part, and that the inner source from which it emerges is the imaginary part!
The Paramathma wants us to turn this perception upside down. He wants us to understand that what we are perceiving through our senses is the illusion and that the inner self from which it emerges is real. The ILLUSION has been created to enable the REAL to look at its own reflection and observe and learn about itself.
1. There are two entities involved in the process of living our lives. One is the external world that we perceive every waking moment. The other is our inner self which is responsible for the perception and awareness. |
2. WE (WRONGLY) BELIEVE THAT THE EXTERNAL WORLD IS REAL AND PERMENANT AND THAT OUR INNER SELF IS AN ILLUSION AND TEMPORARY. THIS IS WHY WE CHASE AFTER ALL THE MATERIAL WEALTH, COMFORTS, AND PLEASURES ALL OUR LIVES, WHILE COMPLETELY IGNORING OUR INNER SELF. THE THOUGHT PROCESS LOSES ITSELF IN PURSUING MATERIAL AMBITIONS. THE PARAMATHMA ON THE OTHER HAND CLEARLY STATES THAT THE EXTERNAL MATERIAL WORLD IS "MAYA" AND IS NOT REAL. HE SAYS THAT ANY PURSUIT OF MATERIAL OBJECTIVES OTHER THAN FOR A REASONABLE PHYSICAL SUSTENANCE IS A WASTE OF TIME. 3. WHAT WE PERCEIVE AS THE "EXTERNAL WORLD" IS ACTUALLY A PRODUCT OF OUR OWN THOUGHT PROCESS. THIS IS WHY THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, DISAPPEARS ENTIRELY AFTER OUR DEMISE AND WE ARE RID OFF ALL PHYSICAL OBJECTS INCLUDING OUR BODIES WHEN WE DEPART. THE PHYSICAL WORLD DOES NOT HAVE AN EXISTENCE OUTSIDE OF OUR THOUGHT PROCESS. 4. THE MIND LEARNS THE RULES OF LIFE AND ACCUMULATES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION DURING ITS LIFE TIME. ALL THESE ARE MOSTLY ABOUT THE EXTERNAL WORLD. VERY LITTLE IS ABOUT ONE"S OWN INNER SELF. THE PARAMATHMA WANTS US TO DO AN ABOUT FACE AND TURN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING INWARD ONTO ITSELF AND ONTO THE ATMA. HE SAYS THAT EVERYONE OF OUR EXTERNAL WORLD EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE ANALYZED ONLY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW THAT THE ExPERIENCE IS JUST A REFLECTION OF OUR INNER SELF AND THOUGHT PROCESS. IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE EXTERNAL WORLD EVENTS HAVE NO OTHER SIGNIFICANCE, OTHER THAN TO ENABLE THE THOUGHT PROCESS TO LEARN ABOUT ITSELF AND, ULTIMATELY, TO EVOLVE OUT OF THIS PHYSICAL EXISTENCE. 5. WE TRY TO IMPROVE OUR LIFESTYLES BY GAINING PHYSICAL CONTROL OVER THE EXTERNAL WORLD AND TRYING TO MANIPULATE IT IN ORDER THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE WILL DISAPPEAR AND OUR HAPPINESS IS MAXIMIZED. SO WE SEEK INNER PEACE AND HAPPINESS BY TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE EXTERNAL WORLD. THE PARAMATHMA CLEARLY STATES THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DISSIPATE OUR PROBLEMS AND ATTAIN PEACE IS TO WORK ON OUR INNER SELF. ONCE WE SET RIGHT OUR INNER WORLD, THE EXTERNAL WORLD WILL AUTOMATICALLY FALL INTO PLACE AND WILL NOT TROUBLE US ANY LONGER. 6. ACCORDING TO THE PURANAS, THE EXTERNAL WORLD IS A PRESET SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (KARMA) THAT ARE MEANT TO STIMULATE THE MIND. ONCE STIMULATED, THOUGHT MUST BEGIN THE JOURNEY OF SHEDDING ITS KARMIC SHELL AND ATTEMPT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THIS JOURNEY IS POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN THE FOCAL POINT OF THOUGHT IS TURNED AWAY FROM THE REFLECTION WHICH IS THE EXTERNAL WORLD AND ONTO ITSELF TO FIND THE ANSWERS. 7. THERE IS ONE VERY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MODERN SCIENTIFIC APPROACH (WHICH IS INGRAINED INTO US) AND THE PATH TREAD BY OUR ANCIENTS. ACCORDING TO THE MODERN APPROACH, THE EVOLUTION OF MAN DEPENDS ONLY ON THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED ABOUT THE EXTERNAL WORLD. ACCORDING TO OUR ANCIENTS, EVOLUTION WILL OCCUR ONLY WHEN WE LEARN TO USE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATERIAL WORLD FOR THE PURPORSE OF LEARNING ABOUT OUR INNER SELF. IN A NUTSHELL, THE PARAMATHMA SAYS THAT OUR INNER SELF (OF WHICH OUR MIND IS A MAJOR COMPONENT) REPRESENTS THE REALITY AND THE ULTIMATE TRUTH. ALL OTHER PHENOMENA ARE ONLY REFLECTIONS OF THE INNER SELF. LEARNING TO CONTROL THE INNER SELF IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE, AND WHEN CONTROL IS ESTABLISHED, SELF REALIZATION HAPPENS, WHICH IN TURN FREES THE MIND FROM THE SHACKLES OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH WHICH IT IS BORN. |
In grappling with the problems of this world, the mind assumes many forms, plays many roles and in the process, forgets its real nature and its real identity.
The world of MAYA takes on the priority and intellectual development is targeted at developing "skills" that have no value in our journey after this life.
The teachings enable us to view the external world in the correct perspective, develop the ability to interpret the events and translate the knowledge to drop the transient aspects and retain the permanent.
The development of these abilities and the accumulation of the permanent aspects of knowledge will enable us to evolve the mind to the next higher level of existence and transcend to a state of unification with the Paramathma.
KrishnaUnlimited 
