Thursday 17 March 2011

Grades of Empirical Realities and Unrealities by Adi Shankaracharya


An image of a Deity shaped artificially, from clay for instance, is unreal in the sense it is nothing but clay, shaped according to one's notions, and the idea of the Deity is superimposed on it. We even immerse the image in waters after the worship, and the clay image disintegrates. But on that account we do not lack devotion or fervour when we worship the Deity through the image, for though the image is artificial and later is discarded, the Deity whom we have invoked and whom we worship in and through it is considered Infinite and Eternal and does not disappear with the image.

A currency-note is only an authorised symbol of the money-value denoted on it, and derives its value from the gold in deposit to support it. Inherently, it has mere paper-value; still, as long as it is not demonetized, it serves the purposes of real money for all our transactions, and we look upon it as such and keep it safely. Similarly, though Isvara is phenomenal since Brahman is the Reality behind Him, He can act, as God as long as the universe and the jivas are there, and we can really live and worship Him, as He is no other than Brahman personified.

The supposed water seen in the mirage is an empirical appearance and empirically unreal for it does not serve the purpose of water. However, it is an experience of which we make literary use.

A reflected image of a face in the mirror is unreal for it does not really exist inside the mirror, but in our brain, though we seem to see it out there; still it serves the purpose of showing our face to us, and helps us do our face. Again a shadow, though not a positive entity, can serve several useful purposes, and give us some knowledge. As an experience it is real, but as a substance it is unreal.

This is His Grace. He is ideal of Perfection and, like a mirror showing us our image, helps us to correct ourselves and realize our true nature. Hence Brahman, though Itself neutral, as Isvara makes possible all our life's activities and ideals and helps us to perfect ourselves.

An image of a Deity shaped artificially, from clay for instance, is unreal in the sense it is nothing but clay, shaped according to one's notions, and the idea of the Deity is superimposed on it. We even immerse the image in waters after the worship, and the clay image disintegrates. But on that account we do not lack devotion or fervour when we worship the Deity through the image, for though the image is artificial and later is discarded, the Deity whom we have invoked and whom we worship in and through it is considered Infinite and Eternal and does not disappear with the image.

A currency-note is only an authorised symbol of the money-value denoted on it, and derives its value from the gold in deposit to support it. Inherently, it has mere paper-value; still, as long as it is not demonetized, it serves the purposes of real money for all our transactions, and we look upon it as such and keep it safely. Similarly, though Isvara is phenomenal since Brahman is the Reality behind Him, He can act, as God as long as the universe and the jivas are there, and we can really live and worship Him, as He is no other than Brahman personified.

The supposed water seen in the mirage is an empirical appearance and empirically unreal for it does not serve the purpose of water. However, it is an experience of which we make literary use.

A reflected image of a face in the mirror is unreal for it does not really exist inside the mirror, but in our brain, though we seem to see it out there; still it serves the purpose of showing our face to us, and helps us do our face. Again a shadow, though not a positive entity, can serve several useful purposes, and give us some knowledge. As an experience it is real, but as a substance it is unreal.

This is His Grace. He is ideal of Perfection and, like a mirror showing us our image, helps us to correct ourselves and realize our true nature. Hence Brahman, though Itself neutral, as Isvara makes possible all our life's activities and ideals and helps us to perfect ourselves.

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