Is the world a lie?
 | Shri Siddharoodha when he was still learning with his guru Swami Gajananda one day asked his Guru "Master, how to understand this world appearance as non-real?" Guru explained with love "Dear, is the world's existence of the realm of the senses? is it of the realm of mental vrittis (patterns)? or is it of the realm of the chaitanya (intelligence/ creation)? When we inquire whether it is of the realm of senses it can't be of the realm of senses, Body senses are made of five elements and are inert, when body falls if it is true that the world is of the realm of senses, eyes should be able to see, but they can't. |
We can't say the world is of the realm of mental concepts or mental patterns, If we cover a pot with clothes mind can only see the clothes but not the pot. (when mind repeatedly believe in something, it will naturally believe it to be real, it will not go into further inquiry into the reality. For example when we see someone we like, our mind registers it as someone favorite to us, the reality is to see that person also as a manifestation of flesh and blood which can be further divided into atoms and molecules)
If we see the world as of the realm of chaitanya, it would only mean that the world is an union of the realms of mind and senses. Even it can't be direct perception. Our perception of world through indirect sources like senses and mind can't be real. World is illusory like the ornaments in gold. World's perception is not direct, hence it is not real.
"But why does it still appear to be of these realms?" Siddharoodha questioned further.
"Appearance is ruined by the appearance, we appear different when we are a child, young and old, hence appearance is not real, understand the appearance to be non-real this way" said the Guru.
(Note: Sense are enough for the survival of beings, but not enough to know the truth, the appearance as perceived by the senses can't be real as the same thing is viewed by different beings as different. For example what we humans can't hear a dog can hear easily, with just our senses we can't say there is no sound just because we don't hear it. Earth appears to be flat, but with further inquiry we now know it to be (almost) round. Also different minds perceive a single thing differently depending on their mental patterns)