What is Ontological Status of Maya – Part 23
In previous part 22, we heard how maya's veiling and projecting power works.
They work in tandem.
Veiling power (āvaraṇa-śakti) causes partial knowledge.
For example, if we see the top, we're under the influence of veiling power. Because we don't see the bottom.
Thus any opinion about the object is partial-knowledge because it's limited to top side only.
Even if we see all sides, we still remain ignorant of the molecular structure of the object.
Even if we know it's molecules, we remain ignorant of the number of atoms comprising it's molecule.
Therefore, because we don't have full-knowledge of the object, the innocent by-product is to project what we think it is.
For example, if the top looks red, then the bottom surely looks red. We assume. This is projecting power (vikṣepa-śakti).
In reference to our absolute identity (ātmā), it remains partially known as “I exist”. But instead of “I exist as Limitless Consciousness”, we assume “I exist as body-mind”.
We sure know we exist! But exist as something we're not.
This false notion ordains body-mind slavery, attending to it as though it is absolutely real.
Having introduced maya's magic trick, let's see what's on the students mind…
“Who or what is maya? What is it's status of reality?”
” We need not say if maya exists or not.
A single word cannot capture the reality of the cosmic-power.
Neither existing nor non-existing.
Neither real, nor unreal.
A curious ontological phenomenon.
It does not even sustain intellectual analysis of it's status, because it is constantly changing. By the time we say ‘A' about it, it is already ‘B'.
It is depending on the One Limitless (brahman) for it's existence.
It is bound by time and space.
It momentarily appears be real with a name, form and function.
We can use it for transaction.
Yet we cannot categorically state it really exists.
This is the mystery of māyā.
Since maya derives it's existence from a conscious being (ātmā), it is mithyā, a dependent-reality.
This is māyā's ontological status. “
