The Illusion of Ego, Oneness as the Ultimate Reality

Day 121

The Illusion of Ego, Oneness as the Ultimate Reality

The Gold Analogy

Vasishta begins with the powerful metaphor of gold. Just as a gold ring might lament its lost "goldness," forgetting its true essence, so too does the Self in ignorance imagine itself as a limited, separate ego. This underscores the illusory nature of the ego-self and its imagined suffering.

Questioning the Unreal

Rama, still caught in a web of doubts, asks how this illusory ego could arise within the perfect, infinite Self. Vasishta redirects Rama's attention – one should only question the real, not the illusion. Just as a "barren woman's son" doesn't truly exist, neither does the limiting concept of ego.

The Silver in the Mother-of-Pearl

Vasishta uses another analogy: the illusion of silver seen in a shell. This perceived silver isn't real, and while the delusion exists, it has no practical use. Only when the true nature of the shell is recognized does the illusion disappear. In the same way, the ego exists only within ignorance; when self-knowledge arises, it vanishes.

Beyond All Concepts

Vasishta then goes into an expansive description of the true reality of the infinite Self. Nothing exists outside this Self: no creation, no duality, no division of 'I' and 'other', not even the concepts of 'truth' and 'falsehood'. The seemingly solid world is, in this view, akin to a reflection of a city in a mirror - seemingly real, yet without substance.

The Limitless, Untouched Self

The universe, the infinite Self, is unchanging, beyond birth or death. It remains a still ocean, not fragmented by the waves of creation. The notions of 'you' and 'I' are as unreal as the distinctions we make between objects reflected in a mirror, despite appearances.

Key Insights

• The ego-self is a mistaken identity, an illusion created through ignorance.
• Questioning the true nature of reality is more valuable than focusing on the unreal.
• All that truly exists is the infinite, unified Self, unchanging and eternally whole.
• The perception of division and separation is an illusion, arising from ignorance and dissolving when true understanding dawns.