Mind's Perception Vs Deception

What we perceive through our major 5 senses, are they real?

Our nature of perception of the world is not real but an illusion, it's like the upside down tree reflection of a tree on a lake. Of course, the image on the waters are not real. Like mirage. However, that's how we're perceiving this world right now! Let's see...

Reality Check is a must for every seeker who wonders what's illusion (Maya)

Mind is projecting the lights, distance, space, myself, other people, actions & smells too

In the waking state, you definitely have a body, mind and the identity of "I" (as an individual & person(ality). Then, what happens in the dream state? You're lying on a bed in a dark room, may be in a blanket. But still, how come all senses are active in the dream? Who's illuminating the lights, events, emotions, moods and actions when you're actually idle, resting on the bed? Who is doing this? Well... none other than Mr.Mind.

Yes, mind is projecting the lights, distance, space, myself, other people, actions & smells too. Mind manifests everything in the dream and makes you feel & believe it's so real. You wouldn't know 'it's a dream' while you're inside the dream, right?

Hypothetically let's say, if I barge into your dream and say "hey, it's your mental projection, not real" - would you accept? No, you would chase me off; especially if it was a great dream where you're a king or a queen in a palace :-))

Similarly, if two people go to bed both have individual dream, not the same.

Sri Ramana Maharishi words:

So now, this reality is without your body, motion & emotion, feels real, even though you wake up and discard. Well... this is the same thing you would do - discard this so-called wonderful waking state because it's just illusory & multi-dimensional mind's play & projections. It is important to know, when you realise your true Self, your personhood is gone. There's no separate 'you' identity which will merge into that One Consciousness & Life. This is the experience of all realised & enlightened masters, yes - they can't see you other than themselves. Here's Sri Ramana Maharishi's profound response to a related question:

Q: How are we supposed to treat others? Sri Ramana's answer: "There are no others"

For many, this answer will be very hard to comprehend & come to terms with Ramana! That's because if you try to understand this with your mind oh no! Mr. Mind will never let that happen, as long as he's there. Because then, that would be the end of him if entertains even as an idea! Therefore, this takes us to the next very critical & existential question on our deep sleep - what really happens here, in this state, have you ever introspected?

In this deep sleep state, there's absolutely no mind, no body, there's no 'I' identity or personality. Does that mean, you're dead? No! you were very much there but only were not aware of anything until you get up. Upon wake up, senses come alive one by one (first your "I"dentity followed by your location, what happened last night, what's next, this & that... you're 'on' for the day's chores.

In this deep sleep state, you did exist but not as a person or with any personality. You existed completely nameless & a formless, resting in the ultimate Being! This state is very important for a seeker, because this is where the 'clue' for both death & enlightenment lie. One must hold on to this deep sleep state and may contemplate the following:

• What really happens in deep sleep state?

• How and why am I not aware of anything and what was I?

• Why am I never bored of sleep as compared to all my other activities of life, which I easily get bored, quickly. But, deep sleep - no; even though it's endlessly so repetitive, every day, why?

• How is it that it's so rejuvenating & refreshing after every good sleep?

Honestly... we just can't even imagine two consecutive hellish sleepless nights, right? So, this is where a true seeker should spend some quality time, contemplating. Not as a sleeper but as a seeker, dying to know as to what's really happening in the deep sleep.

Well, it's not tough many Beings have figured this out and it's definitely possible for us too. Deep sleep state is called sushupthi in Sanskrit. See the Sanskrit terminologies below:

Jagrat - Waking state

Swapna - Dream state

Sushupti - Deep sleep state

From Ramana Maharishi on this subject: Whatever state one is in, the perceptions partake of that state. The explanation is that in the waking state (jagrat) the gross body perceives gross names and forms; in swapna (the dream state) the mental body perceives the mental creations in their manifold forms and names; in the sushupti (deep dreamless sleep), the identification with the body being lost, there are no perceptions; similarly in the Transcendental state identity with Brahman places the man in harmony with everything, and there is nothing apart from his Self.

The world is ‘sensed’ in the waking and the dream states or is the object of perception and thought, both being mental activities. If there were no such activities as waking and dreaming thought, there would be no ‘perception’ or inference of a ‘world’. In sleep there is no such activity and ‘objects and world’ do not exist for us in sleep.

Hence ‘reality of the world’ may be created by the ego by its act of emergence from sleep; and that reality may be swallowed up or disappear by the soul resuming its nature in sleep. The emergence and disappearance of the world are like the spider producing a gossamer web (a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders) and then withdrawing it. The spider here underlies all the three states - waking, dreaming, and sleep; such a spider in the person is called Atman (Self).