What Is Maya? The answer to it is found in the Kaivalya Navaneeta of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
What is maya? The answer is: It is anirvachaniya or indescribable.
To whom does it come? The answer is: To the mind or ego who feels that he is a separate entity, who thinks ‘I do this’ or ‘This is mine’.
Where does it come from and how did it originate? The answer: Nobody can say.
How did it arise? The answer is: Through non-vichara, through failure to enquire ‘Who am I?’
If the Self and maya both exist, does this not invalidate the theory of Advaita? The answer is: It need not, since maya is dependent on the Self as the picture is on the screen. The picture is not real in the sense that the screen is real.
If the Self and maya are one, could it not be argued that the Self is of the nature of maya and that it is also illusory? The answer is: No, the Self can be capable of producing illusion without being illusory. A conjuror may create for our entertainment the illusion of people, animals and things, and we see all of them as clearly as we see him, but after the performance he alone remains and all the visions he created have disappeared. He is not a part of the vision but solid and real.
Additional Explanation - Further Teachings:
The relationship between the Self and maya (illusion) is a profound concept from Vedanta philosophy, often explained with analogies like the conjuror’s trick. Here, the Self is compared to the conjuror who remains unchanged and real even after the illusions he creates vanish. Let’s expand on this:
Core Explanation:
- The Self: Represents the ultimate, unchanging reality—pure consciousness or Brahman. It is eternal, indestructible, and unaffected by the material world.
- Maya: Represents the illusion or the cosmic power through which the world of names and forms appears. It veils the true nature of the Self and projects the appearance of diversity and duality.
Just as a conjuror’s tricks seem real during the performance but dissolve once the show ends, maya creates the illusion of the material world. However, the Self remains unaffected and real, like the conjuror who is not part of the illusion he creates.
Simple Explanation with Day-to-Day Examples:
The Movie Screen: Think of a cinema screen. The screen (the Self) is unchanging and real, while the movie (maya) projects dynamic, colorful scenes of joy, sorrow, or fear. No matter how vivid the scenes are, the screen remains unaffected. When the movie ends, the screen alone remains.
The Dreamer and the Dream: In dreams, a person might see themselves walking, flying, or interacting with others. The dream feels real until the person wakes up and realizes it was an illusion. Similarly, maya creates the experience of a world, but the Self (the dreamer) is untouched by it.
The Sun and Reflections: The sun reflects on countless water bodies, creating the illusion of "many suns." Despite these reflections, the true sun remains one and unchanged. Likewise, maya creates the illusion of multiplicity, but the Self remains singular and unaltered.
Deeper Meaning and Importance:
The Self Is Not Limited by Maya: Maya is a power inherent to the Self, but it doesn’t diminish the Self’s reality. A conjuror creates illusions without becoming part of them. Similarly, the Self sustains maya without being trapped by it.
Encourages Self-Inquiry: Understanding this relationship inspires people to question their perception of reality. Are we identifying with the illusion (maya) or with the eternal Self? This questioning leads to spiritual growth and liberation.
Dispels Fear of the Temporary: Recognizing the illusory nature of maya helps us detach from fleeting pleasures, sorrows, and anxieties of life. The Self, being eternal and unchanging, becomes a source of peace and strength.
Benefits in Modern Life:
Emotional Resilience: Understanding that challenges and pleasures are temporary can reduce anxiety and attachment. It helps people stay balanced and focused.
- Example: Losing a job or facing a conflict can feel overwhelming. But if seen as a temporary "projection" of life’s ups and downs, it becomes easier to maintain perspective.
Inner Peace: Identifying with the Self rather than the ever-changing maya fosters calmness. Meditation, for instance, allows one to momentarily detach from maya and experience the serenity of the Self.
Enhanced Creativity: Like the conjuror who plays with illusion, understanding maya as a creative force inspires individuals to embrace imagination and innovation without losing touch with reality.
Conflict Resolution: Recognizing that people’s egos and conflicts arise from maya helps one cultivate compassion. You realize that beneath the illusions, the same Self resides in all.
Practical Tools to Apply This Knowledge:
- Meditation: Regular practice helps separate the observer (Self) from the observed (maya).
- Mindfulness: Cultivates awareness of how fleeting emotions and experiences are, reinforcing detachment.
- Self-Inquiry: Techniques like asking "Who am I?" help uncover the difference between the Self and the illusory identifications.
- Simplification: Living simply and reducing attachment to material things reflect the recognition that they belong to maya.
By understanding that the Self is not illusory despite producing maya, one cultivates a life of clarity, purpose, and tranquility. The Self becomes a beacon of stability in an ever-changing world.