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Hermann Kuhn
tire world in a distorted way. Drastic examples for this type of misconception are absolute dictators who feel secure in the loyalty of their people - until their fall makes them perceive a 'more genuine' reality.
On this plane (sthapana) we direct our consciousness towards those contents and values we feel - positively or negatively - attracted to. This alignment happens mostly without us being aware of it. Yet we do possess the ability to fully influence and control this automatic process. The Tattvarthasutra describes the mechanisms available for this purpose.
- The plane of all potentially possible features of the
elements (dravya) contains in inactive, latent form all the potentially possible qualities and variants of all the basic elements of our reality (consciousness, matter, space, karma etc.).
This plane comprises all variations that the elements may possibly assume during their manifestations. We do not perceive this plane directly since it exists as a solely potential, unmanifested state.
Though at first sight this may sound academic, we often handle inactive, potential qualities in our daily life. One example for potential, unmanifested qualities is an architect who is presently sailing a boat. While he is on the water his ability to build houses certainly does not cease. It continues to exist, but on a latent level that does not manifest at this particular time. One further example is a book decoratively positioned on a bookshelf, whose latent potential to convey ideas is inactive at that moment.
The existence of this plane forms the basis for the identical perception of reality by a wide variety of people. The function of this fundamental plane (dravya) is not influ
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