Swami Sarvapriyananda discusses the alignment between Adwaita Vedanta and the hard problem of consciousness. He explores the concept of the real and the unreal, intrinsic and incidental properties, existence and borrowed existence, appearance and underlying reality, coexistence of reality and appearance, and seeing the divine mother in everything.
Understanding the distinction between appearance and reality leads to clarity and freedom from delusion and sorrow.
Existence is the ultimate reality, while all entities in the universe are mere appearances that derive their existence from Brahman.
The experience of isness, the sense of being, remains unchanged and intrinsic, pointing to the underlying reality of Brahman.
Deep dives
Appearance and Reality
According to Shankaracharya's commentary, all entities in the world are appearances or modifications that have no independent existence. They borrow their existence from a higher reality, which is pure being or existence (sat). These appearances are called mithya, meaning false or unreal. The reality, sat, is unchanging and eternal, while the appearances are temporary and changing. Shankaracharya gives examples like clay and pot to explain how modifications depend on their material cause for existence. He emphasizes that the entire universe, including the body, mind, and external objects, are appearances of Maya, and their underlying reality is Brahman, which is pure existence. Understanding this distinction between appearance and reality leads to clarity and freedom from delusion and sorrow.
Existence as an Intrisic Property
Shankaracharya explains that existence (sat) is the inherent property of the ultimate reality, Brahman. Unlike the appearances in the world, which come and go, existence is unchanging and eternal. He gives the analogy of waves in an ocean, where waves are appearances that depend on the underlying reality of water. Similarly, all entities in the universe are appearances that derive their existence from the underlying reality of Brahman. Shankaracharya invites us to see existence as the all-pervading ocean, and the appearances as waves that arise and subside. This understanding of existence as the ultimate reality can lead to a profound spiritual practice and a shift in perspective towards the true nature of oneself and the world.
Reality and Falsity
Shankaracharya addresses the question of how the same thing can be true (reality) and false (appearance) simultaneously. He compares it to seeing a mirage, in which one sees the appearance of water, but there is no real water present. The reality is the desert and the appearance is the water. Similarly, existence is the underlying reality, while all appearances in the world are mere appearances. These appearances are false because they depend on the underlying reality for their existence, and without it, they cannot be found or experienced. Shankaracharya clarifies that reality and falsity can coexist in the sense that appearances point to the reality, but they do not have independent existence. Understanding this distinction helps one rise above delusion and experience the unchanging reality amidst the ever-changing appearances.
The Two Components of Experience
According to Shankaracharya, every experience has two components: the object of experience (Vishaya) and the experience of isness. For example, when you see a clock, the object is the clock itself, and the experience of isness is the realization that the clock exists. These components exist in every experience, and while the objects may change, the experience of isness remains constant.
The Nature of Isness and Appearance
Shankaracharya argues that the objects we experience, such as clocks, books, or hands, are constantly changing and dependent on borrowed existence. However, the experience of isness, the sense of being, remains unchanged and intrinsic. This unchanging isness points to a reality that is always present. Shankaracharya contends that the changing objects are appearances (asatt), while the unchanging isness is the underlying reality (sat). This continuous experience of isness connects us to the ultimate reality, Brahman.
Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Chapter 2 (Verse 16) of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".
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