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7/29/2019 Why Do We Experience Multiplicity
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http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-
spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicity
WHY DO WE EXPERIENCE MULTIPLICITY ?
Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati Chinmaya Mission Delhi.
All our scriptures say that there is no duality, everything is one. At the same
time, they speak of three distinct entitiesIsvara, jiva and jagat. How is this
paradox to be resolved?
From an ordinary standpoint, the jivas have not created jagat and jagat did not
create the jivas. So it is accepted that there is Isvara with infinite power Who is
the cause of both jiva and jagat.
Suppose that there is a canvas with a scene embroidered on it with thread and
in the scene there is also a person, a seer, looking at the scene. If you pull the
thread the entire scene with all its mountains, rivers and also all the beings,
including the seer will come into your hand. The thread can be compared to
Isvara and jiva and jagat the embroidered scene. They are not three but are, in
fact, one only. It is the one Isvara alone, who appears, as the seer and that
which is seen. In fact, it is the one supreme Reality alone who appears as Isvara
and also manifests as the seer and the scene.
http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicityhttp://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicityhttp://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicityhttp://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicityhttp://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/why-do-we-experience-multiplicity7/29/2019 Why Do We Experience Multiplicity
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If everything is one, then why does it appear as three? Why is there an
experience of multiplicity and how does this experience of multiplicity dissolve?
Simply stated, as long as there is an I-notion, there is also a notion of this and
that.
In grammar, we speak of the first, second and third personsI, you or this
and he, she or it. The first person is the reference point. When there is a
reference point, then other points also appear. For instance, when we talk of
the directionsnorth, south, east and westthere should be some reference
point. Without any reference point, east, west etc. do not make any sense.
Suppose that you are up in space and moving everywhere because of zero
gravity. In that zero gravity if you are asked, which is east, north or west, you
cannot say because there is no reference point. But when you come down to
earth, the earth becomes a reference point. From there, the sun rises in the
east, the sun sets in the west. All the directions can be indicated.
Similarly, in that pure Reality, there is no division, because there is no reference
point. Everything is equal everywhere. It is homogeneous pure Existence, pure
Consciousness and pure Bliss. There is no I, there is no you, he, she and it.
At present we have an I-notion and since we have this notion of I there is also
the notion ofthis and you. The I-notion is confined to the body. What is
other than the body is called this if it is inert and if it is a living entity that
becomes you. The third person becomes she, he or it. In these three
personsI, this and hethe third person, he is Isvara, the second person, this
is jagat and the first person, I is jiva. So, I am the jiva, you is the jagat and
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he is Isvara. All these three come into existence together. It is like a
mathematical equation. If one of these is there, the others come automatically.
Therefore all the scriptures begin by first explaining these three.
If one talks of Isvara and of the jagat, then one also talks about various actions,
the results of actions and other lokas like svarga and narak. All these concepts
are born when the I-notion is born. When the I-notion is not there, like in the
deep sleep state, there is no jagat and no Isvara also. This is everyones
experience. So there is an experience within 24 hours, when temporarily for a
short time, there was a state when all three were not there. If one can remain
permanently in that state, all three would not have been there at all. Only when
one is awake can one talk about jagat and Isvara. All these three are
experienced when the I-notion is experienced.
It is the I-notion which gives rise to this notion of difference. When this I-notion
dies in deep sleep, all the three get dissolved and we experience the bliss of
sleep. So, the dissolution of this I-notion brings about the supreme state. And
this is what all of us are directly or indirectly striving to attain. To dissolve this I-notion and remain as that non-dual Reality is our ultimate goal, because that is
the Truth.
Differences are not real, they are mere appearances. If one can enjoy the
appearance and nothing happens to one, then that is fine. But that is not the
case. If one wants to be free of all problems, then one has to dissolve the I-
thought.
With the deep sleep state, it becomes easy to understand that there is a state
free of the I-notion. Therefore, everyone likes this deep sleep state. Dream
states do not give us good rest. Only in the deep sleep state there is total rest.
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Everything gets suspended but it is only a temporary phase because the I-
thought is not destroyed, it is only deactivated temporarily.
Even the state of death is not the ultimate. It is like sleep. We go to sleep in one
body and wake up in another body. It is quite strange. One wakes up in a new
body without even knowing that one had died. Only the others know. One
knows only about ones birth, because the deep sleep state is not something we
can know. Every day we go into deep sleep but we cannot know what it is.
Similarly, death is like deep sleep, we cannot know what it is. In death also the I-
notion is not destroyed, so one is born again.
When we forget ourselves there is joy. This is every ones experience. When we
watch a cricket match, we forget ourselves. We have great fun. In self-
forgetfulness there is joy. But if I have forgotten myself, who is enjoying? I
become of the nature of joy. The I-notion goes away and joy alone remains.
Suddenly you notice that your mobile phone has been stolen, then the I comes
back and so does the sorrow.
Normally we need some outer support to forget ourselves. In the pure present
moment also there is no I. In adventure sports like bungee jumping, one
intensely becomes aware of the present moment. For a fraction of a moment
there is great joy. And for that people want to repeat the experience.
Temporarily the ego stops functioning.
All the threejiva, jagat and Isvaraare experienced when the I-notion is
there. The I-notion can be dissolved permanently, through surrender or enquiry,
or both and we attain the supreme state. That is the state of enlightenment.
One becomes of the nature of peace and joy. There is no I only peace and joy.