Is reality just an illusion?
by Vic Shayne
author
Consciousness: The Potentiality of All Existence: Exploring reality and belief as a subjective experience
We have to first consider what a reality is before we consider what an illusion is. Reality has been defined by different people in different ways. Jiddu Krishnamurti tried to distinguish between reality and actuality. Ramana Maharshi suggested that reality is that which exists, or is, that is permanent. To take this a bit further, reality is what remains after all impermanent events, forms, phenomena, etc., are removed. It is a baseline of sorts.
The common use of reality is what we say we experience, see, or perceive. This can be an out of body experience, the waking state, a dream, a hallucinogenic experience, deep meditation, a vision, and so on.
However, for some it becomes apparent that there is nothing at all that really exists except for the Self of consciousness. This is impossible for me to explain. If I try to think about it I cannot come to terms with it; it just is. There is a permanence, like space, that exists, but even the word “exists” is inadequate. Siddharameshwar referred to it as a stateless state.
A certain permanence
This permanence of “reality” permeates everything, but it is not a thing. It becomes apparent, if you realize this, that everything is some sort of reflection in consciousness, appearing to happen, appearing to arise, appearing to fall, and so on. Such appearances may be called illusions simply because they have no permanence.
To the mind, which buys into the permanence and importance of the world that it perceives, the world is real, problems are real, emotions are real, and experiences are real. This is because the mind is ignorant of what lies prior to it. It is the wrong instrument to apperceive the reality to which Ramana, Nisargadatta, Papaji, and others have tried, but failed, to describe. This failure is not due to any lacking on their part, but rather it is due to the inability for words and ideas to convey what is beyond words and ideas.
