The True Nature of this World

The World is a mirage! It appears, as if, real, but not so. This is the Vedic doctrine. The Veda explicitly states, "It is , it is not"! If the world is real it cannot be unreal; so also, the other way. A real one cannot become unreal overnight. However, this is true in the case of the world that appears real, but not true. The machine made of parts give way when parts are removed. So also everything made of parts disappears when the parts are removed. The world made of space filled with air, water, fire and earth disappears when these parts are removed. The space is a non-entity and cannot be seen or touched! Still this space holds the gross objects like air, earth, water and fire. In fact, water exists in the form of clouds, that are nothing but water vapor. Clouds appear and disappear. Water appears as gross liquid and ice, but disappears as vapor? The gross elemental materials disappear into subtler invisible elements like water into oxygen and hydrogen? So also, the human body made of water and soil (food) disappears into soil or ash when it becomes dead or inert. Thus, whatever that appear and disappear in course of time is not real, true. Only that which is always existing in the same form is true. Whatever that comes within the grasp of time, space and cause and effect are not true. Anything that depends on an other for its existence is not true, real. Hence, Shankaracharya termed it 'maya', 'mithya prapancha'. Maya is that which is measurable, ma and ya stand for limitations, niyati, upadhi. 

   Further, the objective phenomenal world  is mysterious that it appears different to different persons. Each jiva perceive the world in its own way. 'yad bhavam tad bhavati' is the doctrine that governs the world. The world appears as we want or feel, bhavana. In fact the world disappears in a minute if we close our eyes, or go unconscious, or even in deep sleep! Such a vulnerable thing is not real. Another interesting thing about the world is that 'it has no beginning or end' The world always exists! It existed before we were born and continues even after we depart in physical form! Hence, there is nothing real about either the world (made of space, time and causation) or ourselves, made of different parts (organs that are susceptible to breakdown, failure!). The world begins with our opening of the eyes and application of our mind and senses to it, and disappears as soon as we withdraw our mind and senses to it! 

    Hence, nothing is certain about our world of changing objects. Nothing is real, including ourselves who go on changing year after years! Everything is a mystery. A jnyani who knows this always happy and blissful since he /she knows the truth.