Is the Truth we speak always true?

     Truth is a rare 'commodity', especially in today's digital world, where the torrent and turbulence of data makes it virtually impossible to get to the core/ bottom of truth.  

How do we discern truth, especially when market-place and mind-space is flooded with a surfeit of surreal and sometimes surreptitious information? 

      Though everyone believes that he knows/ speaks the truth, the paradox of truth is that anything or everything known/ spoken as truth needn't be the truth.  

This is because Truth can be intentionally or inadvertently twisted or even tweaked. Hence, courts of justice, for example, have the unenviable task of discerning truth through the maze and haze of testimonies, each purportedly truer than the rest. 

Truth is of three kinds: 

Subjective truth 

Relative truth 

Objective truth  

Subjective truth is truth as perceived by an individual, for example, beauty, comfort, performance. The individual sees the truth through his imperfect senses, or evaluates/ expresses it with his belief-laden intellect. Consequently he sees/ expresses what he imagines the truth to be, and not necessarily what it actually is.  

Relative truth is truth as seen by collective individuals, for example, sun-rise, gravity, size.  The truth has validity relative to each other.  

Individuals within a group may have the same perspective about the truth, but other groups may have even diametrically opposite opinion. For example, people who are on space travel see earth as a dangling water-ball (or the sun as a dazzling fire-ball), while a driver coursing through a sub-Saharan Grand Prix would see earth as flat as a pancake, lacking curves and contours, save a few local ones. 

Absolute/ Objective/ Transcendental truth is truth independent of perception, the perceiver or the perceived. Very few are privy to Absolute truth, as only a detailed and determined enquiry reveals it.   

     Theoretically subjective truth should be the easiest to confront/ correct as it has a shaky/ non-existent foundation, besides being imagined/ interpreted by just one individual. In practice, it's the most difficult to disprove, as the beholder doesn't want to correct himself/ his belief. Pointed and poignant proof only makes the individual retreat more into a defensive mood or offensive mode.  

Relative truth is comparatively easier to unravel, if mind is trained in logical reasoning.  Sometimes it is difficult to prove, especially those which are beyond the reach or reasoning power of  intellect, for example, emotional feelings, sub-/ supra-/ meta-physical objects/ events, etc. 

It's also difficult to disprove, especially when belief overrides logic.   

Absolute truth is the toughest to crack as elaborate preparation is an essential prerequisite. (The preparation centers around subduing the rampaging senses and a ratiocinating mind). But it is the easiest to comprehend, as Transcendental truth is one only. Besides, limited senses and listless intellect have no role to play.  

     Subjective truth exists within the individual's mind; hence, defies exploration, except for a trained mind. Relative truth exists outside the mind (world); hence, open to exploration, except for an untrained mind. Absolute truth transcends mind and world; hence, beyond exploration, except for a 'silent' mind! 

     Subjective truth has only one hue, the colour perceived by beholder's senses or 'painted' by his intellect. Relative truth has many hues, the colours as perceived/ 'painted' by different groups, and shades by different individuals of the same group. Absolute truth is 'colourless'!! 

     A subjective truth occasionally has validity, but mostly no reality. A relative truth mostly has validity, but occasionally any reality. An absolute truth has both validity and reality!!! 

     Subjective truth arises due to strong belief system or weak intellect of individuals. Due to the intensity it generates, a subjective truth can be the cause for conflicts within individual/ between individuals, which sometimes drag even families, societies and nations into conflicts (Adolf Hitler's subjective notion that Aryan race was superior led the entire world to brink of extinction). Longer the truth remains uncorrected, greater is its damage potential (some religions' subjective notion that their God is superior to others has led communities to holy wars/ crusades whose echo is still heard across continents and over centuries). 

Unraveling subjective truth is the domain of legal practitioners/ psychological counselors/ social reformers/ talented statesmen. As logic is given a go-by, and emotion is granted a stand-by, it is open to differing interpretations, the reason why a good professional is always in demand. 

Unraveling relative truth is the purpose/ passion of scientific pursuits. No wonder the longest rated scientific theory by the highest ranked genius is Theory of Relativity, an ode to underlying relativity principle/ truth.  

It's the might and weight of a conditioned intellect that enables a seeker to enquire into the 'relativity' enigma. However, the extent and number of truths beckoning to be unraveled being infinite, most scientists seldom scrape past the surface.  

Also, because the truth is not absolute but relative, no scientific theory has gone unchallenged/ unaltered within a few days to few years of discovery. Besides, deterministic truth (= predicable/ measurable truth) is not questionable, but probabilistic truth (= quanta/ heuristic) is open to different interpretations. 

Is unraveling Absolute truth such an awesome task? 

     From spiritual perspective, if we define our life as a quest to find (Absolute) truth, we aren't very much off the mark. Education, employment, experience, etc. are simply the means or collateral in our journey/ enquiry to unearth objective truth. 

Unraveling Absolute truth is the purpose of higher (spiritual) pursuits. It's the illumining intuition (and divine blessings) which enables a seeker to achieve his goal. The truth being one, there are many seekers who have scripted success in their pursuits. And, of course, the Truth is absolute as well as ultimate; hence, remains unchallenged forever. 

If someone has already traversed the path to ultimate truth, why should everyone undertake the journey afresh/ anew? 

     It's indeed true that a fortunate few have navigated the path to truth successfully and their journey has been well chronicled. But, for others, that doesn't translate into a travel-guide, or add up to an action-plan.  

Individuals are not automatons; they can't be programmed to follow a rigid path or a rigorous process. Each one is an individual, with distinct likes and differing capabilities. In addition, each one is designed/ destined to have experiences. This can make exploration exasperating, but life becomes exciting.  

Why do we need a lifetime of enquiry to discover just one truth? 

     Actually objective truth, per se, doesn't need experimentation or exploration. But, unfortunately it has infinite clones/ variants, some of which are easy to distinguish, but majority are difficult to differentiate.  Besides, the path/ means of enquiry are numerous. 

Both the colourful clones and the labyrinthine lanes can easily confuse an ill-prepared inquirer. It needs lifetime of training and efforts, prayer and blessings to reach the goal. In fact, it needs several lifetimes to hit the bull's eye. 

So, in a way, our journey called life is really not an exploration of truth, but an expedition to eliminate non-truths (non truth is not same as untruth, the latter is a lie, while the former is a look-alike/ shade of real truth). 

     When non-truths are eliminated, what remains is the Absolute truth, profound and pristine, simple and scintillating, divine and delightful!!! 

Where to find God?

The battle-royal between theists (Astika) and atheists (Nastika) regarding the reality of God has tested and taxed the wits of the warring wizards for long.

Theists expect prior-acceptance of God before proof of His existence can be provided, as God is more of an internal experience.  Atheists reiterate that what does not stand to reason is not acceptable even if the highest authority were to declare it as a dictum. The following enquiry is an attempt to resolve the catch-22 situation, without contesting the conditions of the atheists, or contradicting the contention of the theists. 

The riddle:

1. Many people wonder if God exists. Some again wonder why they can't see the Omnipresent God, despite Scriptures claiming that 'Everything is verily God (Sarvam Khalavidam Brahman)'.

2. Many people wonder if God created life and the lifeless  (life= 'I'/ Jeevas. Lifeless = Nature/ World). Some again wonder when and how creation started, and whether it will have a permanent end (Samhara).

Many people wonder why individuals undergo birth-life-death. Some again wonder if and why they will be born again, and whether they can have a permanent end (Moksha).

3. Many people wonder why they have sleeping, dreaming and waking states (Avasthatraya). Some again wonder why they undergo unending experiences in waking and dreaming states, but not in sleeping state.

The Preamble:

Let us start with riddle 3, by far the simplest to analyze and understand.

Our day (waking state) is followed by night (of almost equal duration). The night has alternating cycles of sleep-dream (of unequal duration). The cycle begins and ends in sleep, with dream state in between.

Correlating/ extrapolating this microcosmic fact with that of macrocosmic existence can be an exercise in confusion/ controversy, unless the associated assumptions appeal to an analytical mind.

Assumptions will be acceptable if they conform to certain conditions of Occam's razor principle.

Simply put, the principle postulates that among competing/ contradictory hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected; then, any change in assumption will not alter the already accepted solution.

Our enquiry actually starts with just one assumption, and that is:

The Created (= Individuals) are made in the image of the Creator (= God).

The offshoot of the assumption is that individuals have the same qualities/ powers/ experiences as that of God, though not on such a grand footing, but on a much smaller setting. (Actually, it's not an assumption, but a fact whose QED we will witness in the end)!

If so, microcosmic experience of sleeping-dreaming-waking states must be similar to that of Creator! It means that a Day of Creator is followed by a Night (of equal duration). It also means that Creator's night has alternating cycles of Sleep-Dream-Sleep.

Creator's night cycle begins and ends with sleep, with dream in-between. But in contrast to humans, God's dream and sleep are of fixed frequency, definite duration and predictable pattern. 

God's dream state is called Manvantra, and His sleep state, Sandhya. In all, there are 15 Sandhyas (Sleep) and 14 Manvantras (dream) during one night of Creator (the cycle always starts and ends in Sandhya).

Now the fascinating part/ fact unfolds:

What we call/ consider/ experience as Creation is actually the dream state of God. We are, therefore, dream-figures in God's dream.

Just like the dream-figures of our dreams have no knowledge about the dreamer's identity, similarly, in God's dream, the dream figures (the Created) have no knowledge about the Dreamer (Creator). This is the reason why no one can see/ know God, despite He being Omnipresent (Sarvavyapi).

Now, let us look at certain concordant and contrasting details between individual and God's dream:

Individuals (Jeevas) being Alpajni (limited knowledge), they have very little memory of their dreams/ dream characters. God being Omniscient (Sarvajni), He has perfect knowledge of His dream process/ figures.

Individuals being Alpashaktiman (limited power), they have no power to start or stall dream, nor control its tenor and tenure. God being Omnipotent (Sarvashaktiman), He has total control over the dream-process and the dream-figures, besides complete control over its commencement and conclusion.

Individuals being Alpavyapi (limited presence), their dreams have limited content and context. All the happy and haphazard happenings are as per karmic template. God being Omnipresent (Sarvavyapi), Creation has infinite canvas. There is countless type, frequency and intensity of objects, people and situations.

A dreamer (individual) is not amused/ outraged in the least, despite all the happening in the dreams. God (the Dreamer) is not sullied/ surprised in the least despite all the happenings in Creation (Individuals and World).

The dreamer (individual) is just a (helpless) witness. God is a detached witness (Sakshi).

For individuals, Dream is a spontaneous event. For God, Creation is a spontaneous event.

In dream, Jeeva sports with itself. In Creation, God sports (Lila) with Himself!

For individuals, dream is an effortless event. Despite all the excitement and exhaustion in a dream, a dreamer doesn't expend any energy. For God, creation of our universe of immeasurable proportion, similarly other/ infinite universes, is simply an effortless endeavour.

In/ through Creation, God creates, sustains and destroys. In dream, an individual creates, sustains and destroys.

Sleeping state:

Sleep state is the causal state for God as well as all living beings. In this state, the subject (God/ Jeeva) has no objects to play with/ experience. The subject experiences itself. In sleeping state, both God and individuals have similar 'experience-less' experience, oneness with oneself.

Waking State:

In waking state, individuals indulge in incessant and interesting activities due to innumerable desires. In contrast, God has no action to perform (Naishkarmya), as He is desireless (Aspruha). In that state (daytime), God remains in ‘meditation’.

Actually, God has one desire and one action: "I am one, let me be many (Eko'ham, Bahu Syam)" is His only desire, and that is what triggers Creation.

Austerities (Tapas) is His only action. No wonder, it's Tapas which sustains Creation, and not surprisingly, it is equated with Brahman (Tapo Brahmeti).

God's desire being a universal desire (Nishkama), it has no karmic residue. Similarly, God's action being an actionless action (Naishkarmya Karma), it has no karmic residue either.

His desire is the 'seed' of Creation. His one desire is the 'source/ cause' of created beings' infinite desires, never-ending and ever-changing.

His action (Tapas) is the axis of 'wheel' of Creation. (By definition, the axis (God) doesn't move, but the wheel (world) is ever-moving and never-ending).

Every created being's actions is an austerity (Tapas), in tribute to/ directed towards God (like Akashat patitam toyam sagaram prati gacchati ...).

Now another interesting fact:

For the created, creation exists as three dimensional – Space, Time and Causation. Hence, we are subject to mass, movement and modifications (changes).

With respect to Creator, however, creation is a mental process, hence, two dimensional – Time and Causation. This is the reason why individuals' dreams are also devoid of Spatial content/ constraint.

But relative to each other, His dream figures experience creation as three dimensional, constrained and contoured by space, but all within the confines and configurations of His two-dimensional dream/ mind.

In sleep state, God has no 'experiences'; He is all by Himself. He exists as one dimensional – Causation.

Similarly, our sleep state is also devoid of Space and Time content/ context. Absence of time means, there is no movement and change. Consequently, we have no experience in sleep. Jeeva is all by itself. Rather, Jeeva experiences itself.

Beyond Death:

At the end of His life, God ceases to exist, i.e. dimensionless. He integrates with Unity of existence, also called Pure Consciousness (Brahman).

Similarly, on liberation (Mukthi), individuals (Jeevas) also cease to exist. Individuals' liberation may be Instant (Sadyo) or Gradual (Krama) depending on what they integrate with.

Individuals, who are Self-realized, attain instant Liberation (Jeevan Mukthi). They directly integrate with Brahman.

 

Individuals, who meticulously lived as per tenets of Law of Dharma, attain gradual Liberation (Krama Mukthi).  They reach Creator immediately on death, but later integrate with Brahman at the end of Creator's 'life'.

 

Either way, they have no more births and deaths (na Punar avartate ...). 

Individuals who fail to cross this milestone, are subject to Law of Karma. They pass through karmic-life/ transmigratory journey again and again.

Thus we have the ultimate proof of the greatest spiritual declarations: 

1: God is the Truth (Brahman Satyam): God is the Dreamer. He alone exists, prior to, during and post Creation (dream). God is, thus, the only Truth.

2: World is a myth (Jagad Mithya): Mass, Movement and Modification which define and drive Creation ('I' and World), is a simple mental process of God. They have validity with respect to the created, and relative to each other.

But with respect to the Creator and in absolute terms, they have no reality. This validity sans reality is called Maya. Everything created experience Maya.

Creator is the puppeteer par excellence pulling Maya's infinite strings. As a corollary, individuals are 'robots' in Lord's eternal play. The dream world/ figures appear and disappear as per His will and wish. World is, thus, a dream/ a myth.

3: Individual is not different from God (Jeevo Brahmaiva naparah): Just as a dream figure has no existence, identity or experience apart/ different from the dreamer, similarly the created beings have no existence, identity or experience apart/ different from the Creator. An individual is, thus, not different from God. Our original/ only assumption that individuals are made in the image of God is proved quid pro quo.

Thus,

God is an absolute and the only existence.

'I' and World are products of His imagining mind. Consequently, every development in world/ life is a cosmic design, brilliantly camouflaged as natural event/ individual experience.

Because individuals are His dream figures, no one knows his or His true nature or origin.

This is also the reason why an individual can't exit his existence, unless blessed by God (Ishwar Anugradeva Pumsam Advaita Vasana).

No wonder, Scriptures settle our search for the elusive God through a profound proclamation (Mahavaakya), 'You are That (=God) (Tat Twam Asi)^'.