Maya's role is it true or false?

[Guest guest]

Om Tat Sat...<br><br>As mentioned in the previous

post, one type of Maya is, Maha Maya or Mano Maya. This

is that which is the cosmic creative force or

manifested as reality. The body that we have will partake of

food, activity, rest, drink, and knowledge in order to

live and prosper. In this way, we can touch our arm

and feel mass, we can sense space, and time or

utilize any of the sense organs and confirm that this is

"real". This Maya can be called 'real' in that it can and

will eventually carry our body and ego towards death.

This body, that houses the eternal Atman, is finite

which lives in this world in this regard, in relation

to Maya (in the world of Samsara--life in the world

of illusion) is true or real.<br><br>So, Maya as

Maha Maya is Real in terms of the world of creation.

It is, relative to itself as real as real can be in

terms of a created reality. As an actor/actress in a

play will become the part that has been ascribed to

him or her. <br><br>But, Maya is also known as

illusion. In the <br>grander scheme of existence: the

illusion that<br>binds us to this world of delusion. This

Maya <br>in relation to reality as a whole is not

real. This is the Maya of the bright lights and sounds

of a circus that distracts the children on the way

home. <br><br>Originally, Maya meant supernatural power

as can be seen in the Ramayana, where Maya is the

Asura, as the divine artist of illusion, a magician that

gave Mandodari, his daughter, in marriage to Ravana,

the demon king. <br><br>The concept of Maya differs

according to the manner of interpretation of each school.

For example, Sankara's Vedantic interpretation is

that Maya is pure illusion or unreality and is thus,

an evil force that must be overcome. In this point

of view, Maya can be perceived as the 'original sin'

that has created the world of duality and false

knowledge. Please, those more versed, post a commentary, if

this is incorrect. And, please expand on this

thread.<br><br>In Tantra and, it seems, Saivism, for example, Maya

is one of the three bonds [pasa] that limit<br>the

soul, but, in the process, encourages the soul's

evolution. This is due to the fact that Maya is seen as a

relative reality, as already stated, and not as pure

illusion. Thus, one may observe a Tantrik, for example,

would utilize Maya for growth and spiritual

liberation.<br><br>This would be done by noting the cycles, the events,

of the "personality's or ego's response", so as to

observe the levels of spiritual growth still necessary

for final liberation. <br><br>Om Shanti