Illusions

08/06/04

" My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable Superior Spirit who reveals Himself in  the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a Superior Reasoning Power which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God "  ...... Albert Einstein

       Hello  everybody !                         Sukravaaram  Suprabhaath !

       It is interesting and fascinating to ponder over the topic of Illusion vis-a-vis Reality.  What looks like stark reality, often turns out to be an illusion which would disappear either by close investigation, or just in course of time. Illusions often arise due to misapprehensions or sheer mental  imaginations.  Take the classic example of the meanderous rope at dusk, in failing light, appearing as a snake.  Once the mind succumbs to become a victim, then the imagination runs wild.  One would believe, without the slightest doubt, that it is a real snake, that would even move and hiss, making one run for life !  Only on closer examination, or on putting a torch, , the horrific illusion would disappear, and the rope revealed. But, for a while, the illusion looked so real.  Similar is the illusion of mirage, the deceptive appearance of water at a distance, on a hot day.

       There are many other types of illusions, some of them make-believes, revealing how vulnerable human mind is.  After all, illusions are just what we think them to be actual and real, while they are indeed not. 

       Here is an illusion of common occurence. As we move fast in a train, we see trees, houses, poles ... everything on both sides of the train, speeding backwards. We feel and believe we are stationary, and everything moving back, whereas actually the reverse is true in that we are moving forward, and the rest stationary.

       Physically, we see the  sun rising, moving up till noon, then moving down on the other side, and setting at dusk behind the hill or horizon. Actually we know it is the earth that is moving round.  Also, though earth is rotating, and revolving round the sun, we feel it is stationary. These are all the illusions of relative motion.

      If a torch, or flame is rotated fast in a circle, we clearly perceive a ring of light. We tend to believe in the solidity and existence of the ring. Next, consider the cinema. The various characters, different places, the entire world as it were, and then the terrific  actions, sometimes even houses aflame !  Physically, in reality, there is nothing but a large piece of cloth, or some solid screen, lying just idle there. The whole thing is just an illusion that is appearing so real. Actually, the projected movie itself is an illusion, when we learn that it is but a specified number of static pictures per minute turned fast that results in the feeling of continuity. The above phenomena we know are based on the principle of 'persistence of vision', a gift of Nature or God. If the speed of rotation of the movie is reduced or increased, there would indeed be fun ! 

       Then, we have the activity of 'acting'. One portraying at different times, various roles, hero or villain, sage or a crook, judge or convict, ..... all appearing so true and convincing. Actually it is the one actor appearing as so many. Just an illusion. Consider even playback  singing, or voice dubbing. We feel the actual actor singing, but alas an illusion !  Then we have the ventriloquist making the object or doll to speak or squeak, whereas they are actually the sounds of the ventriloquist.

       Again, now-a-days take the sights of multi-colored flowers, plants, creepers, crotons, even trees etc., in houses or public places, appearing so tender, fresh and natural, that it is difficult to decide whether they are live and natural, or artificial, being of plastic or nylon. Again an illusion, a deceptive appearance.

       Another common illusion. On a windless day, on the quiet water surface of a lake, if a piece of stone or a pebble be thrown, one would perceive concentric rings of water emanating and progressing radially outward, from the point of contact of the pebble or stone. Actually, every drop of water is where it is, but only undergoing transverse vertical oscillations. It is the only the wave form that is traversing radially outwards, and not the water. Thus an illusion.

       If we delve into atomic science, we learn that what we observe as a solid, is itself an illusion, as all matter consists of molecules, which are but groups of atoms, which in turn are not solid particles, but infinitismally small electrons and protons etc., revolving in orbits around a nucleus, and almost entirely an empty space ! 

       To beat all the above, we have the biggest illusion, the 'dream', almost a mystery.  As one sleeps, and the bodily and sensual activities ( save the breathing, and the internal functionings ) cease, then the dream-world bursts forth, a whole new universe ... people, things, places, travels, interactions, feelings of joy and sorrow, and what not .... everything appearing so real, solidly real !  But in reality, all but a weaving and projection of the mind. Fantastic appearances, all of which just vanish, disappear in a split second, on waking up !  No wonder that a super-scientist of yester years mused that the more one thinks, the more one is inclined to believe that the whole world seems to be a mere projection of one's thought !

       Thus, the more and more we delve deeper, the more is the component of delusion and illusion, resulting in a sort of confusion and even skepticism, whether there is anything 'real' at all !  Now, the Philosopher, the Vedantist, enters the arena, and queries :  Who is recognizing all these illusions and delusions ?  One can say something is false, only when there exists a truth.  Similarly, behind all illusions, there must be something which is not an illusion, but a stark ' reality '.  The Advaitist reveals that, piercing all these curtains of a myriad illusions, one can discover the One Reality, the Absolute Truth, Eternal and Changeless, a Silent Witness to all this illusory universe, woven through Its own 'Maaya' or 'Prakriti', the dynamic and creative aspect of the Divinity Itself.  The Advaitic Doctrine comprehensively deals with, and explains the entire phenomena, including the realization that your ' True Self ' is itself verily the Omnipresent and  Omnipotent  Universal Self, the Supreme Divinity !