Reality is only One

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONETHE

WORLD – REAL OR ILLUSION?He would not be entangled in apparent disagreements duemerely to a different viewpoint or mode of expression.Devotee: The Buddhists deny the world whereas Hinduphilosophy admits its existence but calls it unreal, isn't that so?Bhagavan: It is only a difference

of point of view.D.: They say that the world is created by Divine Energy(Shakti). Is the knowledge of unreality due to the veiling byillusion (Maya)?B.: All admit creation by the Divine Energy, but what isthe nature of this energy? It must be in conformity with thenature of its creation.D.: Are there degrees of illusion?B.: Illusion itself is illusory. It must be seen by somebodyoutside it, but how can such a seer be subject to it? So, how canhe speak of degrees of it?You see various scenes passing on a cinema screen: fireseems to burn buildings to ashes; water seems to wreck ships;but the screen on which the pictures are projected remainsunburnt and dry. Why? Because the pictures are unreal andthe screen real.Similarly, reflections pass through a mirror but it is notaffected at all by their number or quality.In the same way, the world is a phenomenon upon thesubstratum of the single Reality which is not affected by it inany way. Reality is only One.Talk of illusion is due only to the point of view. Changeyour viewpoint to that of Knowledge and you will perceive theUniverse to be only Brahman. Being now immersed in the world,you see it as a real world;

get beyond it and it will disappear andReality alone will remain.11 Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, 446.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010 11:26 PM

 

Reality is only One

 

 

 

 

 

The Teachings

of Bhagavan

Sri Ramana Maharshi

in His Own Words

 

CHAPTER

ONE

 

THE WORLD – REAL OR ILLUSION?

 

He would not be entangled

in apparent disagreements due

merely to a different viewpoint or mode of expression.

 

Devotee:

The Buddhists deny the world whereas Hindu

philosophy admits its existence but calls it unreal, isn't that so?

 

Bhagavan: It is only a difference of point of view.

 

D.: They say that the world is created by Divine Energy

(Shakti). Is the knowledge of unreality due to the veiling by

illusion (Maya)?

 

B.: All admit creation by the Divine Energy, but what is

the nature of this energy? It must be in conformity with the

nature of its creation.

 

D.: Are there degrees of illusion?

 

B.: Illusion itself is illusory. It must be seen by somebody

outside it, but how can such a seer be subject to it? So, how can

he speak of degrees of it?

 

You see various scenes passing on a cinema screen: fire

seems to burn buildings to ashes; water seems to wreck ships;

but the screen on which the pictures are projected remains

unburnt and dry. Why? Because the pictures are unreal and

the screen real.

 

Similarly, reflections pass through a mirror but it is not

affected at all by their number or quality.

 

In the same way, the world is a phenomenon upon the

substratum of the single Reality which is not affected by it in

any way. Reality is only One.

 

Talk of illusion is due only to the point of view. Change

your viewpoint to that of Knowledge and you will perceive the

Universe to be only Brahman. Being now immersed in the world,

you see it as a real world; get beyond it and it will disappear and

Reality alone will remain.1

 

1 Talks with Sri

Ramana Maharshi, 446.