Day 221 -The Illusory Nature of Perception

Day 221 -The Illusory Nature of Perception

Jiva's Perception of Reality

The Lord said: "The jiva (individual soul) perceives its body and the world within the void, just like a dreamer sees diverse objects within their mind. Even today, cosmic consciousness perceives the universe of diversity within itself, similar to a dreamer perceiving their own dream.

Thought-Forms and Egosense

The Lord continued: "The jiva thinks of itself as Brahma, Vishnu, etc., but these are just thought-forms. These thought-forms perceive and experience other thought-forms. The primary reality in these perceptions is the egosense, which arises the moment consciousness conceives an object within itself. This moment creates time and space, and in every atom, this self-veiling and self-knowledge drama unfolds, all as thought-forms in cosmic consciousness, which remains unchanged.

Dreams and Reality

The Lord explained: "A mountain in a dream appears to exist in time and space, but it does not occupy space or time. Similarly, the world appears to exist. The creation of beings, from Lord Rudra to a blade of grass, happens the same way, whether they are microorganisms or colossal entities.

Understanding Samsara and Self-Knowledge

Enquiry and Realisation

The Lord continued: "By enquiring into the nature of samsara (world-appearance), the perception of diversity disappears with self-knowledge or God-realization. Illusory creations arise if the nature of infinite consciousness is forgotten for even a fraction of a second. 'Brahman' signifies the state of being firmly established in infinite consciousness. When disturbed, this gives rise to an endless sequence of diversity—gods, demons, humans, subhumans, plants, and worms. However, if one remains in cosmic consciousness, one realizes the ever-present truth.

Vasistha's Revelation

Vasistha said: "O Rama, after receiving the Lord Shiva's teachings, I began worshipping the omnipresent non-dual self. By worshipping the infinite self, I remain free from sorrow, performing natural actions without attachment. Yogis are vigilant, and this vigilance is worship of the self. Adopting this attitude, I roam the forest of samsara without suffering. In times of great sorrow, enquire into the truth, and you will not be affected by joy or sorrow. Knowing the nature of things, you will not be deluded. You are pure consciousness, unaffected by the illusion of diversity.

....to be continued