"Indeed, maya has two powers of the nature of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates the world beginning from the subtle body (the experiencer) to the total universe (the experienced)." - Verse 14
Excerpt From Commentary
The Seer and the seen are shown to be of opposite nature by discrimination. The Seer is Existence-Consciousness. The seen is non-existent and inert. How can there possibly be any relation between the two? For instance, no one can marry a barren woman's son since he does not exist. Yet the seen world seems to be inseparably knotted up with the sentient Seer. The cause is said to be maya. It should be noted that maya does not really exist, but us postulated only to account for the experience of the world.
Sri Sankaracharya in Atma Bodha says:
The world is different from the Reality. Other than the Reality, there is nothing. If anything else is experienced, then it is an illusion like the mirage water.
In fact, other than the sand there is nothing in the desert. If water is seen, then it is only an illusion. Illusion is due to ignorance and ignorance is called maya. Maya can seemingly create the most impossible incongruities.
Maya has two powers: the veiling and the projecting. The former veils the Truth and the latter projects the illusion. For example, a rope is mistaken for a snake. The non-apprehension of the rope is due to the veiling power and the misapprehension of the snake is caused by the projecting power. Similarly, maya veils the Truth and creates the entire world of experiences and the experiences as well. This lone ignorance can create the entire multiplicity of names, forms, colors etc. The projecting power functions only when supported by the veiling power. It is only when the waking world is not known that the dream is projected.
Vivekachudamani says:
The mind by its own power alone and without any objects, creates an entire world and its experiences in the dream state. Similarly, in the waking state, this world is a projection of the mind alone.
The mind produces a box-office hit or a flop, a comedy of errors or a tragedy, a suspense plot or a medley of confusions. By giving these appearances a reality, we laugh and cry. The projections of the mind cause bondage and agitations, and we adopt various means to quieten these agitations.
The fear caused due to the snake notion of the rope cannot be removed by beating the snake. The sorrow from its bite cannot end by taking medicines. Only when the rope is known, does the snake illusion and the agitations disappear simultaneously.
Ignorance is not an entity in itself which one can possess like a radio. In addition, it cannot be known. If known, it cannot remain ignorance. Just like darkness is not a thing nor can it be seen by a light, ignorance is related to an entity which exists, like ignorance of physics. With the knowledge of the object, ignorance related to it is dispelled. Maya is ignorance of the Self, and Self-knowledge puts an end to maya. Maya cannot be called real since reality cannot be negated. Maya is dispelled by knowledge. Also, it cannot be called non-existent since its effects are experienced. That which cannot be described as existent or non-existent is called an illusion, like the snake which cannot be said to exist in the rope. It cannot be called non-existent since it is experienced - it is only an illusion.
Reality too is indescribable. Is it also an illusion? NO. Both Reality and maya are indescribable yet there is a difference between them.Maya's effect is experienced but its exact status cannot be determined. Reality being the subject can never become an object of experience. Reality exists and yet is indescribable, and maya is indescribable and therefore an illusion. Also, there can be no illusion without a real substratum, and that substratum is called here in Vedanta as Brahman.
Advaita Makaranda says:
If I am infinite, why do I experience finitude? In reply, we ask whether this question is asked by one knowing oneself to be infinite or finite? If I know I am infinite the question would not arise. If thinking myself to be finite I ask the question, then the answer is: know yourself to be Infinite. Such inquiry is difficuly for an unprepared and unguided mind. Hence the Gita says:
The tamas aspect of maya veils the Truth, the rajas projects the illusion, and the sattva helps discriminate between the Real and unreal. The knowledge born of such enquiry takes one across the river of maya. On reaching the other bank, the river is seen to have disappeared.
The fear caused due to the snake notion of the rope cannot be removed by beating the snake. The sorrow from its bite cannot end by taking medicines. Only when the rope is known, does the snake illusion and the agitations disappear simultaneously.
Ignorance is not an entity in itself which one can possess like a radio. In addition, it cannot be known. If known, it cannot remain ignorance. Just like darkness is not a thing nor can it be seen by a light, ignorance is related to an entity which exists, like ignorance of physics. With the knowledge of the object, ignorance related to it is dispelled. Maya is ignorance of the Self, and Self-knowledge puts an end to maya. Maya cannot be called real since reality cannot be negated. Maya is dispelled by knowledge. Also, it cannot be called non-existent since its effects are experienced. That which cannot be described as existent or non-existent is called an illusion, like the snake which cannot be said to exist in the rope. It cannot be called non-existent since it is experienced - it is only an illusion.
Reality too is indescribable. Is it also an illusion? NO. Both Reality and maya are indescribable yet there is a difference between them.Maya's effect is experienced but its exact status cannot be determined. Reality being the subject can never become an object of experience. Reality exists and yet is indescribable, and maya is indescribable and therefore an illusion. Also, there can be no illusion without a real substratum, and that substratum is called here in Vedanta as Brahman.
Advaita Makaranda says:
Even then, this inexplicable something (maya) appears as long as one lives in the absence of enquiry. It s like the thick mist in the space of consciousness that lasts till the rise of the sun, in the form of enquiry.The rope which is the substratum of the snake illusion would firmly ascertain that the snakke never did exist. Even a man who sees the rope wonders how a snake can ever be seen there. Similarly, having known oneself to be Infinite Conscisouness, the world ceases to be real.
If I am infinite, why do I experience finitude? In reply, we ask whether this question is asked by one knowing oneself to be infinite or finite? If I know I am infinite the question would not arise. If thinking myself to be finite I ask the question, then the answer is: know yourself to be Infinite. Such inquiry is difficuly for an unprepared and unguided mind. Hence the Gita says:
This maya of mine, made up of the three gunas is difficult to cross over. They who surrender to me alone can cross it.
The tamas aspect of maya veils the Truth, the rajas projects the illusion, and the sattva helps discriminate between the Real and unreal. The knowledge born of such enquiry takes one across the river of maya. On reaching the other bank, the river is seen to have disappeared.
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