Understanding Maya
At the heart of human experience lies the paradox of seeking eternal or permanent happiness, absolute freedom, and complete fulfilment in a world that is ever changing and uncertain. Every person naturally desires a state of everlasting contentment, but this aspiration must be pursued within an ever-changing world. No state can be permanent while being part of change. If change is the fundamental nature of the world, why do humans yearn for permanence?
The very existence of this desire suggests an underlying awareness — perhaps deeply hidden — that such a state is possible. Although we are programmed to seek eternal happiness, the means to attain it remain unclear. This lack of clarity drives people to pursue fulfilment through various avenues: relationships, wealth, appearance, status, power, or a combination of these. However, even those who reach the pinnacles of wealth or power do not find lasting happiness. The search for permanence in a world of change and for certainty amid uncertainty persists throughout human history and will continue indefinitely. The reason for this persistent illusion is a misunderstanding of reality itself.
The Nature of Reality and Maya
Reality, by its true nature, is unchanging and non-dual — one without a second. This non-dual state of pure consciousness is immortal, eternal, and the very embodiment of freedom and fulfilment.
How does one reconcile this non-dual & unchanging reality with the reality that we face every day in the world — changing & uncertain? This reconciliation is impossible as change and permanence cannot exist together. Only one has to be true. It is, therefore, very natural to see the world of change is real as it is our direct perception every moment of our life. What is obvious does not need an explanation- it is an everyday experience.
However, if we start from the premise that reality is non-dual and unchanging, explanations become necessary. The crucial question arises: how can the one, unchanging reality appear as the many? This is where the concept of Maya comes in. Maya can be described as an error of “measuring the immeasurable and dividing the indivisible.”
Exploring the Concept of Maya
To see multiplicity is to perceive separateness and difference. Separateness results from division, and differences arise from measurement. According to Vedanta, perceiving many in the one is an error — an error caused by division and measurement. However, it is difficult to accept this as an error, as it contradicts our everyday experience. The answer is found when one questions one’s own living experience. Deep contemplation of one’s own experiences reveals that Maya is a profound concept, not easily grasped intellectually. As one’s lived experience deepens, the workings of Maya become evident, though any explanation remains intellectual.
Illustrating Maya: Time and Space
Since we are discussing the subject of Maya and any discussion is only possible at an intellectual level, let us attempt to understand Maya using logic and reasoning through two examples: time and space. All of creation exists within the time and space frameworks, and we cannot conceive of any experience outside them.
The Illusion of Time
Time is fundamentally a measurement — a human invention for convenience. A day is marked by Earth’s rotation on its axis, a year by its orbit around the sun. We are measuring the change. But the change is continuous and it is one unitary motion without a beginning and an end. That is characteristic of Nature and everything in it changes. It is immeasurable. Change existed before the concept of time was devised. Thus, time is an illusion, a mental construct. Even without measurement, nature continues its ceaseless motion. Despite this, humans bind themselves to time, allowing it to drive all actions. The very tool created for convenience becomes a source of bondage and suffering.
Imagine, for a moment, a life completely free from the constraints of time. In such a world, the day would simply break and eventually come to an end, with darkness enveloping the night and light emerging as morning arrives. These transitions are nothing but changes from one form to another, unfolding naturally and effortlessly. Similarly, our bodies and minds are in a constant state of flux, always changing with every passing moment.
If we align ourselves with this inherent rhythm of change, life becomes smooth and harmonious, flowing seamlessly with the currents of nature. Existence, in this state, is like a dance — unrestricted and free — revelling in its own innate essence. This is the way nature intends all its creations to be: plants, animals, and every living being effortlessly following the natural order, responding to change without resistance.
However, human beings possess a unique gift — the faculty of thought and the mind. It is this very gift that has led to the creation of the concept of time, an illusion that has gradually taken hold of us. Instead of experiencing life in its pure, uninterrupted form, we have become bound by the artificial measures we have constructed. In becoming slaves to time, we have distanced ourselves from the effortless flow of existence, subjecting ourselves to the limitations and pressures that time imposes.
This is Maya in action: measuring the immeasurable. When one steps outside the confines of time, even briefly, a sense of freedom and joy is experienced — a glimpse beyond Maya.
The Indivisible Space
Space is a term for that which is limitless — without boundary or center, all-encompassing. Existence occurs within space, which does not distinguish between what it contains. Space itself is non-dual, yet we perceive divisions: my planet, my country, my city, my home. Duality introduces difference, which leads to conflict and disagreement. For space itself, there are no divisions; it holds everything as one. The division of this one indivisible space is Maya at play, creating the illusion of separateness. Recognizing the limitless oneness of space, even briefly, can transform one’s experience.
Transcending Maya
Unconsciously, we experience this freedom and bliss by stepping outside of time and feeling oneness in deep sleep. This is why everyone seeks a good night’s rest. Imagine experiencing this consciously while awake — liberation from Maya and realization of one’s true self, even briefly.
The One Reality
Ultimately, there is only one reality: pure consciousness. Everything happens within this consciousness. All experiences are mere appearances — fleeting and impermanent, however real they may seem during their occurrence. The mind, driven by ego, clings to these events and experiences, prolonging these unnecessarily. Maya veils true reality, making distinctions through division and relativity through measurement. Yet, the underlying ground of all things remains the same: oneness, awareness, pure consciousness — that is our true self!!
