Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 52

Doctrine of degrees of reality...
real creations, but they are sublated when a higher experience takes place. Here in all these cases a lower order of reality is superimposed on a higher order. It comes into existence witb the perception and goes out of existence with the cessation of the perception. Though, these objects are perceived by an individual for a brief moment, they are perfectly real until higher experience takes place. These objects that are perceived by an individual for a few minutes, belong to the lowest order of reality, known as pratibhasikasattā. This pratibhåsika experience is not completely real as it suffers cootradiction. The unreality of the effects of this imagipary standpoint can be realized only when the empirical standpoint is attained. The snake seen in a place of rope disappears when we come to know that there is only a piece of rope lying in that place. The rope which remains after keen observation, certainly, belongs to a higher order. It can be perceived by anybody and any number of times. It is the same to the same individual and same to the different individuals at the same time. So also the shell, mirage and trunk of treo etc. This type of experience undoubtedly belongs to higher level than pratibhasika experience and it is called Vyāvaharika (empirical) reality. This world which is the ground of all our activities and experiences, the individual ego, 7 svara, belong to this order of reality. This world is relative, phenomenal and finite. But it is not illusory like pratibhasika. This phenomenal world and worldly objects exist because we all experience them. All experiences, thus, of worldly things belong to the level of empirical reality. This empirical world is real for all practical purposes. No one can deny it. If this world and individual souls are unreal, then it would be against the practical notions of our ordinary life and expe. rience. Sankara recognizes the relative, empirical and pragmatic reality of the world. The empirical world cannot be called completely non. existent because, then the practical utility of all worldly experiences would collapse. According to Sankara, the entire complex of phenomenal existence is still true to a person who has not reached true knowledge and realized his Self. On account of ignorance (avidya), we believe that this world and individual souls are completely real. As long as one is in the grip of this ignorance, the reality of the world and self is vouchsafed for him. For ordinary, ignorant people, this empirical order is the highest reality, because they do not rise to a higher level of experience. Yet actually it is not the highest reality, because it becomes sublated after realization of Brahman or Supreme Self. Though the world is not real in the ultimate analysis, it is not absolutely unreal like the hare's horn. The unreality of the world is realized only when the absolute is realised, Till then, it is true for all practical purposes for man.