The world is like a 'paper flower'!

We have heard about ‘paper flowers’. It may look so real but lacks the pleasant aroma of the flower. There is no softness to touch. Only for outer view, it looks like a flower. The world of creation too is like the paper flower. You can just view it, nothing more nothing less. It is like the falling pictures on the screen, seems very real for viewing but vanishes soon. The pure white screen is the only permanent thing. The Brahman or the supreme consciousness is the only reality behind the false appearances. As long as we are hoodwinked by the mischievous mind, we won’t understand this basic Truth. All Vedas, Puranas, Ithihasas or epics and the Upanishads teach only this Truth!

Some may argue that the world is cognized not only by me, but it is the experience of everyone here! It is like this. There is a big painting in which a King is watching a performance of dancers. The king watching the dance is also an illusion, since it is only a painting. Likewise, let any number of people assert the reality of the world, but they are all part of the big canvass painting. But it is difficult to grasp. For those, who are unable to grasp this theory, it can be said, “God has created this big universe with multiple beings. They will be satisfied with these explanations. Shri Ramana Maharishi of south India has stated that the ‘seer and seen constitute the mind principle. The seer and seen are simultaneously rising once the “I” thought arises which is nothing but the mind.

Are you aware of the world during deep sleep state? No. You are not aware even of your body and whereabouts. You are blissfully unaware of anything since the mind is quiescent during deep sleep state. During dream state, the mind creates its own world and beings including him and the individual undergo many experiences in the dream state which seems so real until one wakes up. Then the dream state vanishes and the waking state starts. The waking state look so real with all the sensual experiences till one goes to bed and sleep. Now the individual starts dreaming. Hence the dream state and waking state alternates and they look real during their respective states. Nothing lasts, neither the waking state which is interfered by dream state nor the dream state which ends during waking. Anything which comes in the middle and goes in the middle cannot be true! Based on this logic, both the states are illusory. This could be realized ultimately when one wakes up in the SELF. Since we are not aware of the supreme state, we feel that our experiences during waking are real.

Now let us analyze the dream. The mind creates the dream experience and dream world. When it is capable of creating the dream experience, it is equally capable of creating a waking experience too. For instance, without the involvement of the mind, we cannot perceive anything in the world or undergo any experience or emotion or feeling. All these clearly prove that as long as the mind is active, one perceives the universe and the beings as different from him. The sense of separation is due to the ego or body attachment. The body is impermanent and inert. How the body can be ‘you’? You are the indweller of the body. This is the reality. When you are living in a house, ‘can you assert that you are the house? It will be utter foolishness. Likewise the body is the dwelling place for the “I”, the individual self who is not different from the supreme self. As the one sun is reflected in many pots which contain water, the same Atma is reflected in each body! This is the whole truth of all the scriptures. With the passing of the body, the self never dies. Self is like the ‘ether’ which is everywhere. Pots and other utensils seem to divide the ether but the fact is when once the pot is broken, the ether inside the pot merges with the ether outside. Likewise bodies seem to divide the Self which is all pervading. Once the bodies die, and put into fire, the Self within become one with the Self outside. Even terming the self as inside and outside is wrong! The Self is one monolithic principle but the illusory bodies seem to divide the Self. One needs to go beyond the body/mind complex in order to realize his identity with the self. Prayers, worship, devotional songs and devotional literature aid in the process. Service to mankind is the best way to reach the Self or God!