MAYA AND ILLUSION

[Guest guest]

Posted by: " Uttishthata " uttishthata

Sun Oct 7, 2007 8:01 pm (PST)

 

MAYA AND ILLUSION - Swam Vivekananda

 

Coming from abstractions to the common, everyday details of our

lives, we find that our life is a contradiction, a mixture of

existence and non-existence. There is this contradiction in

knowledge. It seems that man can know everything, if he only wants

to know; but before he has gone a few steps, he finds an adamantine

wall which he cannot pass. All his work is in a circle, and he

cannot go beyond that circle. The problems which are nearest and

dearest to him are impelling him on and calling, day and night, for

a solution, but he cannot solve them, because he cannot go beyond

his intellect. And yet that desire is implanted strongly in him.

Still we know that the only good is to be obtained by controlling

and checking it. With every breath, every impulse of our heart asks

us to be selfish. At the same time, there is some power beyond us

which says that it is unselfishness alone which is good. Every child

is a born optimist; he dreams golden dreams. In youth he becomes

still more optimistic. It is hard for a young man to believe that

there is such a thing as death, such a thing as defeat or

degradation. Old age comes, and life is a mass of ruins. Dreams have

vanished into the air, and the man becomes a pessimist. Thus we go

from one extreme to another, buffeted by nature, without knowing

where we are going. It reminds me of a celebrated song in the Lalita

Vistara, the biography of Buddha. Buddha was born, says the book, as

the saviour of mankind, but he forgot himself in the luxuries of his

palace. Some angels came and sang a song to rouse him. And the

burden of the whole song is that we are floating down the river of

life which is continually changing with no stop and no rest. So are

our lives, going on and on without knowing any rest. What are we to

do? The man who has enough to eat and drink is an optimist, and he

avoids all mention of misery, for it frightens him. Tell not to him

of the sorrows and the sufferings of the world; go to him and tell

that it is all good. " Yes, I am safe, " says he. " Look at me! I have

a nice house to live in. I do not fear cold and hunger; therefore do

not bring these horrible pictures before me. " But, on the other

hand, there are others dying of cold and hunger. If you go and teach

them that it is all good, they will not hear you. How can they wish

others to be happy when they are miserable? Thus we are oscillating

between optimism and pessimism.

 

to be continued...

 

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 2 [ Page : 91 ]

(Lecture Delivered in London)

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

The greatest help to spiritual life is meditation. In meditation we

divest ourselves of all material conditions and feel our divine

nature. We do not depend upon any external help in meditation.

- Swami Vivekananda