achalam

The basis of Duality

By

Achala Bhakthan 

Vedic Principles:

We are all living in the principle of Duality (Dwaitham), whereas Vedas proclaim Adwaitham (One-ness).  Aadi Sankara Bhagawatpaada declared: “Brahma Satyam Jaganmitya”, i.e. Brahmam is the Real existence and Jagat (world) is unreal.  This is a relative expression.  From the point of view of Brahman, Jagat is Mithya.  But people who are in the world, we cannot convince them so easily. The modern man needs some logical answer to prove this, because all are basing their beliefs in Science. Therefore, people do not accept our Vedic declarations easily. They forget the fact that Science itself is part of this Adwaitham.  Our Vedas are all-inclusive, all pervasive, ever existent and there is nothing in the universe, which is not declared or proclaimed by Vedas. The principles enunciated in Vedas cannot be subjected to logical test because they are all beyond logic.  Even the logic is part of this principle.      One will not understand a new principle unless one is given an example, of which one is already aware of.  All of us know what is Sweet, Sour etc.  If I talk to you about a new phenomenon, of which you are hearing for the first time, you will not understand it.  To make you understand I have to cite something else as an example about which you already know.  Vedic principles are subtle and cannot be explained in plain words. They have to be taught only through some stories. All of us are looking for some role-models in this modern world and we folloow their footsteps easily than merely listening to principles and following them.  We need visual of known facts to follow.   Therefore, our Seers have invented puranas, ithihasas etc. to inculcate Vedic knowledge about the Supreme – a method of teaching Reality through role-models or say going from known to unknown (relatively speaking). 

What is Duality?:

Our Vedas proclaim Adwaitham (non-duality), whereas we are living in Duality.  What is Duality?  Man and Women, Pleasure and Pain, Happiness and Sorrow, Good and Bad, Heat and Cold, Life and Death etc.  All these are opposites.  If one is there the other has to be there and if one is not there the other one has no existence and are down as Dwandwas  This is the principle of Duality.  If one is there, then only the other is there. Now let us analyse this principle a little further. Wherefrom these arise?  If one arises, the others automatically come. When none of these are there, what is the status known as? ‘SOONYA’ isn’t it.   Soonya is described as ZERO in numerical terms.  Zero stands alone and is the base and all other numbers are unreal, because they are relative to this Zero.  Without one you cannot say two, three etc.  Thus, the moment one arises, the plurality comes.  To put it in another way, Zero is the base and real for all other numbers, which are unreal and relative.  Why I say Zero is the base or real?  Look at the Zero circle.  Can you locate the beginning or end of the circle there?  Has it got a shape like 1, 2, 3 etc., in which you can find out the beginning and end of the strokes.  Circle is beginning less and endless once you have drawn it, whereas even after writing the other numbers, the beginning and end are visible or can be located.  When you draw a Zero, the point where you start and end is the same whereas all numbers are having a beginning and end in their shape.Therefore, zero is beginningless and endless and, therefore, it is wholesome. Mathematically also Zero is proved to be infinite whereas all other numbers are finite.  Though we call this figure “O” as soonya, it is not soonya but it is the fullness because it has no beginning and end and therefore, it is real.  Thus, Zero is the base and real and all others are relative and unreal.  We used to say Zero has no value.  But, it is invaluable because you add a zero to 1 its value increases ten times.  Add two zeros to 1, its value shoots up to hundred and so on.  Now tell me what is the value or power of Zero?  Infinite isn’t it?  This is how we should look at Reality.

The Base of Duality (Dwaitham):

This is how our Vedas base their discussion on Adwaitham.  Adwaitham is the basis for Dwaitham (Duality) because for everything to exist, some base is required and that base should be real and ever permanent.  Without there being a reality, there cannot be an unreality.  Unreality is relative to reality.  Without '0' all other numbers are incomplete since after 9, 10 requires a zero and after every 9 numbers next number requires zero to complete the circle of numerical expressions. Zero is therefore more valuable than other numbers and is the basis of all numbers. Similarly,  without Adwaitham, there cannot be Dwaitham.  You will agree, therefore, that Adwaitham is the base because it stands alone and all others are stemming out of it or depending on it. Adwaitham is ever permanent and real whereas Dwaitam is impermanent and unreal.  Now, can Adwaitham be called Soonya state?  No, because we have seen that Zero (a circle without beginning and end) is not soonya but invaluable and infinite.  Really speaking there is no state as Soonya.  Either there is Fullness (infinite), which is invaluable or divisions (finite).  There is no other status to describe as Soonya, because this is a state where there is no dependency or relativity.   Then, what is the cause of this Duality or Dwaitham?

Cause and need of Duality:

Let us see this principle from our own worldly experience because to understand an unknown phenomenon, we have to go from or through the known phenomenon.  The charcoal when ignited with fire, gives flame.  When electric current passes through an electrical instrument, it activates the instruments, giving different effects – fan gives air, oven gives flame, air-condition gives coolness etc.   Why?  Relatively speaking, the fire and electric current are the Energy and the charcoal and electrical instruments are the Matter.  When energy enters the matter, the matter is activated.  Matter is inert and energy is active or power.  Matter, thus, needs power to become active.  Here comes the need for Duality or this is the cause for Duality.  Male and Female uniting together gives rise to multiplicity through procreation, which is the natural law.  Male is the Energy (Purusha) and Female is the matter (Prakruti).  Thus when the Energy enters into Matter, the Matter is activated. The Matter (Prakruti) without the Energy (Purusha), is inert.  Similarly, the Energy (Purusha) without the Matter (Prakruti) cannot manifest.  Thus, the Energy (Purusha) manifesting through the Matter (Prakruti) is the cause of Duality.  If the Energy exists alone, there will be no activity.  Energy requires Matter to act upon.  When Energy stands alone, there is no duality.  The moment it enters Matter, the duality arises and then the multiplicity. Energy is power, real, ever existent and matter is inert and unreal.  Thus, when reality mingles with unreality, there arises Duality.  It is something like saying that when “O” stands alone it has no value but its value becomes infinite and visible when it comes after any numbers like 1, 2, 3 etc.  Similarly, when Energy exists alone, it is unmanifest and not useful and when it enters the matter, the power of Energy becomes immeasurable depending on the capacity of the matter.  So, Energy existing alone is not useful and its power is not manifest, though its power is immeasurable.  Thus, comes the need for Duality.  Therefore, I call this Energy (the universal power) as the Adwaitham (non-duality) and the universe activated by this Energy as the Dwaitham (Duality).  This is what our Vedas proclaim.  The union of Purusha with Prakruti is the cause of duality.

You may ask, why then this duality required?  Why not the Adwaitam stay alone?  The answer is you and I cannot interact if Adwaitam alone exists.  You may further ask then why Vedas should talk about Adwaitham, when living requires Dwaitham?  Vedas only ask you not to be carried away by these Dwaitams, not to lose site of your real nature, which is Adwaitam.  It calls upon you to realize that you are invaluable, your power is immeasurable and you are ever permanent and real, which fact you have lost site of.  Vedas do not say do not believe the world or do not live in this world or do not indulge in the world but it teaches you not to get entangled in the worldly pleasures and pains and do not lose site that you are ever present,  ever existent and  ever powerful (omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent).  Live in Dwaitham but do not lose site of your real status as Adwaitham.  Remember you are the activating Energy (Purusha) and all others with which you are dealing with are the inert Matter (Prakruti).

What should be our Aim:

Once you have understood the above principles, you will agree that there is nothing wrong in living in Dwaitam (which is mandatory if one takes birth) but we should ever remember that our real nature is Adwaitam.  This will guard us from getting tossed in the worldly Dwandwa effect (duality or plurality effect).  We should live a life of a realized soul like a drop of water on the lotus leaf – live but do not get tossed in the worldly pair of opposites.  It is here our Vedas will come to our help in making us remember always our real nature.  Therefore, everyone should take a deep look into our Vedic Principles, which is universally applicable and is called HINDUISM, which should not be misunderstood as “Hindu Religion” or “Hindu Matham”.  Hindu Matham is just as any other religions like Jaina Matham, Muslim Matham, Christianity etc.  These Mathams are opinions of some leaders or learned persons, based on unification of a set of people depending on the then circumstances.  Hinduism is the Sanatana Dharma universally applicable and encompassing everything in the world.  Hinduism is  “the principle of right living” and does not belong to one set of people alone.

To conclude, can I say that we should aim at realizing our Adwaitham status while living in Dwaitham status?  This is what our Vedas call upon us to do.

OM SHANTIH: SHANTHI: SHANTHI: