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3-Pratibhasika Satyam – Subjective Reality – A reality that is based on each individual’s perception of the other two realities.
The last order of reality is a real doozie because it is based purely on a person’s own view of the world. Simply put, any number of people attending the same event will all come away with a perspective that, while similar to the other attendees, is uniquely his/her own. Why? Because everyone is coming from his/her own background, specific experiences, individual grasp of the situation, likes or dislikes and reactions to that situation and other myriad factors. From each person’s own standpoint, his/her perspective is totally valid, and no one can say otherwise in that regard.
Yet, subjective reality being what it is, it may or may not be in keeping with what actually occurred at that event. At a minimum, it should line up the commonly experienced aspects of the event, such as the time it started, the type of food and drink that was served, what the entertainment may have been.
Thereafter, any reactions, interpretations and perceptions may end up being a total departure from those basic experiences. In other words, the takeaways may be entirely different. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions in these matters, when there is too much of a disconnect from what actually occurred and/or it does not align with the situation then the person is at a serious disadvantage and will suffer from the consequences of those misinterpretations.
That is why anyone trying to spin a reality that is too far out of sync with the transactional reality is living a life that is marginal at best since there is such a departure from what it is as a transactional event. If a person is able to realize this, then he/she can focus on how his/her mind works and avoid all the spin thinking that blocks him/her from seeing the world for what it truly is. If the perception/disconnect is continuous then it is especially harmful because that person is always out of sync with what is actually there and is unable to derive any benefits from it. When it is in the extreme, then that person has a continuous misperception of the world and he/she is considered to be crazy and/or suffering from some mental problem or the other.
The question then arises: “How do I ensure that my world view/perception is accurate while at the same time I can create my own individual unique perspective that is beneficial and not harmless to myself or others? The answer is simple – focus on the Absolute Reality first and foremost and thereafter you can see both the transactional and the subjective realities for what they are and will deal with them accordingly. You will not get fooled again since your foundation – the Absolute Reality – is solid and reliable. Because of its unchanging, supportive and complete nature, the world it provides is an unshakeable perspective that is never displaced despite being amidst the ever-fluctuating world. Like the water is never displaced, affected or challenged by the ever-changing ocean and waves that it not only supports but is also the very essence of both. Similarly, the Absolute Reality is the basis for both the transactional and subjective realities but is always free from both of them. When this is fully recognized on an individual basis, the knower ever stands free and clear of all of the stress, aggravation and sorrow of the transactional and individual realities. OM TAT SAT
Jane (Janani) Cleary (Copyright – January 2021 – All rights reserved) studied under Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a renowned teacher and scholar in Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit, who conducted an accredited course of study at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya at Mumbai, India, in 1978. Since her return to the United States she has been teaching Vedanta classes in affiliation with Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, and for the past twenty years has taught the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads at the TS Lodge in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
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