Do we exist in reality?

Existence explained:

The word ‘existence’ always conveys the meaning of ‘is’ in relation to the objects. For example, the world exists, and it conveys the meaning ‘World is’. Similarly, we exist and therefore, ‘We are’. The word ‘is’, and ‘are’ have a deeper significance in conveying the meaning of objects. It conveys the meaning of permanence, it conveys the meaning of existence in infinite space and time and conveys the meaning of existence through eternity. The question is do we exist throughout eternity? Does the world exist throughout eternity? Everyone is well aware of the fact that at some point of time in future, the world and the objects will expire. Can we expect a life span of 100 years? So in the existence of infinite space and time, our existence, and the existence of the world is infinitesimal. In fact, it is so finite that it cannot be compared to infinite time.

Man existence is infinitesimal when compared to infinite space and time.

Man’s finite existence:

The man is always afraid, that his existence in a name and form, and in the mold of a body in the physical plane, will be obliterated. He is in constant fear of losing the form and identity of his finite existence. This is the individual consciousness in the human body and it always corresponds to the existence in the physical plane. We have this body mechanism, metabolic functions, chemical and biological functions, everything operates in the plane of individual consciousness. This is the consciousness with the sense of a ‘being’, with a sense of losing the being, and with the sense of defending the being against any external aggression or by nature.

Man and Animals:

All beings have this individual consciousness, with the sense of a ‘being’. In fact, animals have more sense of this individual consciousness than human beings. That is the reason we find that the claws of a tiger to be sharper than the fingernails of the human being, and that is the reason we find that the eye of an Eagle to be more powerful and penetrative than the eye of a human being. But the greatest asset which the human being possess is the progression from individual consciousness in limited time and space to that of universal consciousness in infinite space and time. Man’s physiological structure (backbone) is more suited to this purpose of transcendence than the animals. If man were lacking this transcendence he would still be lurking in darkness in caves.

Ancient man hunting and living in caves

Evolution of man in material phenomena:

This is the whole process of evolution and man wants to live up that universal consciousness in infinite space and time in this material phenomena. The result of such experiments is what we are seeing now. Man’s search for God–Particle, Man’s seeking of alien life, man’s search for existence in faraway planets like Mars etc. Even the expansion of communication networks, the internet, and social media all points out the struggle for expansion of individual consciousness into universal consciousness in this material phenomena.

God particle experiments

Evolution of man in spiritual phenomena:

But man is still evolving in the material phenomena. But the highest fulfillment of universal consciousness in infinite space and time is attained in the spiritual sphere. It simply involves the breaking of individual identity into a universal identity. How to do it? Name and form place a major role in this process. The World is nothing but the multitude of name and form, in the form of objects. There are an innumerable number of objects from grass, tree, animals, and human beings and there are objects like wall, stone, table, chair etc. But the universal consciousness is one. If I want to integrate with the universal consciousness, then I would like to integrate with the consciousness of all objects into one. How can I and the wall be the same? How to integrate? There are two methods of integration. One is the direct one and another is a one step process. First we will have a look at the one-step method.

The method with a name and form:

                Since it is difficult for the man to shed name and form in its entirety, the man takes recourse to a single name and form with universal consciousness. All multitude of name and form is integrated into single name and form. This is what we call God. God has a name and form, and with universal consciousness. We integrate all our lives into this single name and form. For example, a man who practices devotion to God attributes everything to God. All emotions, will, and the reactions arising from the multitude name and form is merged into this single name and form. He sees God everywhere, in the multitude (the famous example is our Bhakta Prahalad when he said to his father that his God resided in the pillar). Man recognizes his individual form and forms a relation with the universal form. The relationships which he forges with the name and form of universal consciousness are humane. He thinks of God as a kid, as a friend, as a lover and as a servant and so on. But ultimately man has to forgo this name and form as well to reach the realm of universal consciousness without name and form. People don’t recognize the truth behind such name and forms of God and sometimes ridicule them. We don’t recognize our own religion. Very sad.

Gods - Converging all name and forms into one.

The method without name and form:

In the direct method, there is no name and form on either side. There is no name and form on the human side and no name and form on divine side. What exists is one, the universal consciousness. According to this reality, the existence of the world is unreal; so is the body and the multitude of objects. Everything is a grand illusion. There is no emotional relationship with God. There is no necessity for temples, books, and rituals as they are always associated with name and form. The practitioners of this method cut of all name and forms and simply merge with universal consciousness in meditation.

Reality without name and form.

All realities are true:

There are many saints in our country who has attained this state. Some of them in their writing have even questioned the efficacy of pilgrimage and ceremonies etc. They say name and form are just ignorance. There lies the beauty of our religion. Just because a saint has said that the pilgrimage and worship of name and form as ignorance, we don’t form any militant groups and ransack all the place of pilgrimage and loot temples and destroy idols. We recognize all kinds of reality to be true. The reality of universal consciousness with name and form is as true as the reality without name and form.

IS destroying Palmyra in Syria

According to the direct method, existence is an illusion. The idea of existence in a body is an illusion and the idea that we are born and that we are going to die is the illusion. Therefore, we never are born and never are we going to die.

The basis of morality and ethics:

All morality and ethics are based on the idea of the evolution of man into this universal consciousness. Why do we teach our children to share things with other? Why do we teach them to give? Why don’t we teach them to be selfish? We teach them to expand their consciousness in infinite space and time.

Thank You.

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