Reality Vs. Illusion

(written on October 12, 2019)

(References: SB 12.4.25-30.)

The difference between reality and illusion is that reality is in relation to the Absolute cause, whereas illusion is based on relative cause and effect. Srila Prabhupada gives an example of illusory cause and effect in his purport of SB 12.4.28 that, “the burning nature of fire cannot be perceived without observing the effect of fire, such as a burning object or ashes.” Since the cause and effect are interrelated and relative to each other, they are not on the Absolute platform, they have a beginning and an end, and hence are illusory.

How we understand what is illusion and how to understand reality is further explained in SB 12.4.29, “Although perceived, the transformation of even a single atom of material nature has no ultimate definition without reference to the Supreme Soul. To be accepted as factually existing, something must possess the same quality as pure spirit — eternal, unchanging existence.” There are two characteristics without which anything cannot be accepted as factually existing: it has to be unchanging and eternal. The body is constantly changing. We were born as a baby but later on we become old. The billions of cells in our body get replenished over and over again. Hence, this body is constantly changing. It is also temporary. Then what is actually reality? The soul is reality and the Absolute Truth is a reality. The soul is eternal and unchangeable. After the total annihilation of the material world, the soul is suspended and lies dormant till the next creation; it never stops existing. This is explained in SB 12.4.22, “This is the annihilation called prākṛtika, during which the energies belonging to the Supreme Person and His unmanifest material nature, disassembled by the force of time, are deprived of their potencies and merge together totally.”

The only way to connect with reality is to understand the relationship with absolute truth as given in SB 12.4.24, “A lamp, the eye that views by the light of that lamp, and the visible form that is viewed are all basically nondifferent from the element fire. In the same way, intelligence, the senses and sense perceptions have no existence separate from the supreme reality, although that Absolute Truth remains totally distinct from them.” So, anything that is described in reality must be explained in relation to the Absolute cause otherwise it is illusory.