Question: What is real is determined by thoughts. Are thoughts real? Are they long lasting, substantial, and independent? No. They are brief, immaterial and dependent. They are unreal, imaginary, mind made.
Is reality then determined by the imaginary? By what authority does the imaginary determine reality? What is the relationship between the imaginary and the real? There can be no real distinction between the imaginary and the real. There can only be a distinction between the real and the real.
The real and the imaginary are disparate. Unable to be compared. There is no relationship between them. Any judgement regarding what is real or the nature of reality is imaginary not real.
You are now wholly dependent on the imaginary(thoughts) to realize the absolute lack of authority regarding the determination of what is real. In other words, you simply cannot know what is real or there is no distinction between what is real and what is imaginary.
Sundari: You are correct that there is no valid authority to determine what is real – if you are talking about the world of apparently real objects, both subtle like thoughts and feelings, and gross, like a chair. In the apparent reality, where duality rules, anything can be true and/or false, depending how you are looking at it. Though the natural laws of physics (as far as we understand them) are constant, are they eternal? No, they are not, because this world will end sooner or later. Perhaps to reappear again. But there is one factor that is not subject to this ever-changing world, one that does not come and go, and that is nondual Consciousness. It is always present or how would we even know we and the world exist?
You can determine this is true by asking one simple question: How do I know what I know? You cannot be what you know. No object – which is anything known to you – whether subtle or material, is conscious. Objects do not know you. You know them. Who is you? Consciousness has to be there at all times, prior to everything, the unchanging witness of your ever changing thoughts and feelings. Therefore, you must be Consciousness.
So the real question to ask is: what is the definition of real which stands up to all objective and scientific examination, one gives us infallible authority to discriminate between that which is real and that which is apparently real? This is where Vedanta, the science of Consciousness, comes in. It reveals the unexamined irrefutable logic underpinning your existence, and the existence of the apparent world your body/mind appears in.
Contemplate this, and see if you can find a way to deny it:
The definition of real Vedanta gives us is this: There are two orders of reality – that which is always present and unchanging, which can only apply to nondual Consciousness because it is the only factor in any situation that cannot be negated. And there is duality, that which is not always present and always changing, which is everything else that comes and goes (the person and the world of objects) and can thus, be negated.
Nonduality and duality seem like two orders of reality, but they are not actually because duality is a superimposition onto nonduality – like a mirage on the desert floor. Therefore, duality and nonduality do not oppose each other. Everything resolves into nonduality because that alone is real as per the definition provided. Thus – though unreal objects seem to be disparate – in actuality, they are not, because everything arises out of Consciousness. But Consciousness does not depend on anything to exist. It alone is present, whether objects are present, or not.
Nonduality means nothing other than, and it ends the hypnosis of duality (separation). It alone resolves the subject/object split. So what does that mean, for you as a person? Do you cease to exist? Yes and no, it depends who you think you are, which is why Vedanta does not call the world and the person unreal, but apparently real. This is a big distinction, because the person does exist, you can and are experiencing this. It is understanding what that experience/existence means with reference to nonduality that is the hard part.
Nonduality ends the identification with who you are as an ever-changing body/mind driven by likes and dislikes, as your PRIMARY identity. You take nondual, ever-present, unchanging unborn Consciousness to be your true identity. Duality is then no longer a problem and you are fine with who you are as a person, the one that is born and dies, because you can discriminate between duality and nonduality at all times. You know you cannot die. You are the ever-present witness of the ever changing person and their world. The suffering caused by the anxiety and stress of separation, is over for you. And are free of the person, and you enjoy a great life as a person, too.
Based on this logic, you are not correct in saying the only possible distinction is between that which is real and that which is real. How could that be? If it were, it would mean nonduality is not real, and duality, i.e., the subject/object split, prevails. Remember, nondual means nothing other than. Therefore, if there is only one underpinning and fundamental principle in reality, which is nonduality, it has no parts. It is a part-less whole.
Obviously, we can discriminate between one object and another object as a person. We do have relative free will to choose an apple over an orange, honour our feelings, or make choices in life that promote success. But if you are talking about determining irrefutable nondual truth, you can only discriminate between that which is apparently real (changing/not always present) and that which is real (always present unchanging). This discrimination is the essence of self-inquiry.
You can negate everything except Consciousness because to negate it you would have to be conscious. The question is, as I said above: What does it mean to BE Consciousness? That is where all the teaching of Vedanta takes place. For this you need to be qualified, determined and properly taught. Vedanta stands alone because it cannot be negated by any other knowledge and does not come from anyone. It is Universal Wisdom. It is your ticket to freedom.
Love,
Sundari
