People refuse to accept the universe is an illusion, because they are unaware that they are part and parcel of that illusion.+

People refuse to accept the universe is an illusion, it is because they are unaware of the fact that they are part and parcel of that illusion or Maya. The reality of the illusory universe often confuses people.

Sage Sankara:~“The world, filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream: it appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.

Only when one acquires Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana then realizes the world in which he exists is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self.

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

The universe is a reality on the base of ‘you (ego). You are the false self within the false experience (waking). The universe is an illusion from the standpoint of the Soul, which is the Self.

The Soul is in the form of formless consciousness. This is because of some logical reasons. First, you have to analyze a definition of truth, and hence why the universe is not considered as a reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

People who strongly believe this world is real must realize: ~

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignores that in a dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real.

When you finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you, your experience of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC "As layers of clouds generated by the sun's rays cover the sun and alone appear (in the sky), so egoism generated by the Self, covers the reality of the Self and appears by itself."

Sage Sankara: ~ VC~ "All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

In Self-awareness-- the witness and witnessed are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ VC-63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

Sage Sankara said: ~ Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Brahman or the Soul, the Self. If one gets knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake will vanish. Even so, if he gets knowledge of Brahman, the illusion of the body and the world will vanish.

The snake is only an idea: it disappears on inquiry but deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the rope is also an idea and its reality will be exposed when wisdom dawns. There is neither a snake nor a rope in reality because, from the ultimate standpoint, the duality is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the root element of the universe.

From the consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into consciousness, the universe is dissolved. Consciousness is the parent of all that is there . Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God in truth.

Thus, whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person is a reality within the waking experience (duality) but the waking experience (duality) itself is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

We contemplate that reality in which everything exists, to which everything belongs, from which everything has emerged, which is the cause of everything and which is everything.

People’s opinions are based on the dualistic perspective based on the false self (ego or you) within the false experience (waking). Therefore, people go on arguing holding their accumulated knowledge as a yardstick.

The pursuit of truth is the pursuit of verification not the pursuit of an argument. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification.

The judgment has to be based on the Soul, the Self to understand, assimilate, and realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The judgment based on the non-dualistic perspective leads to Self-awareness. In Self-awareness, the Soul, the Self, will remain in its own awareness in the midst of the diversity.

Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed. Realizing form, time and space are one in essence and that essence is consciousness leads to non-dualistic or Advaitic Self-awareness.

When we drop all accumulated knowledge and start afresh it becomes easier to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Sage Sankara said: ~

(1) Brahman (Atman) is real

(2) The universe is unreal,

(3) Brahman is the universe.

He did not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the ‘Self’ and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self. Hence Maya or illusion and reality are one and the same.

The realists criticize the concept of illusion without understanding it.

Sage Sankara said:~

(1) Consciousness (Atman) is real

(2) The universe or mind is unreal

(3) Consciousness is the universe because the universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

One need not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the Self (Atman or consciousness) and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self (consciousness). Hence illusion and reality are one and the same because both are one in essence. Realizing the essence, which is the Soul or consciousness, is Self-Realization or Truth-Realization of God- Realization.

Thus, Sage Sankara‘s declaration is the rational truth, scientific truth, and also the ultimate truth.

The seeker has to have the inner urge to know the truth seriousness, patience, and humility to reach the ultimate end of understanding. A man of truth will not indulge in the argument he keeps his distance with such a mindset. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar