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What is duality? || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2014)
Acharya Prashant
2K views
11 years ago
Duality
Non-duality
Truth
Fear
Confidence
Security
Insecurity
Loneliness
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that duality is the fundamental nature of the human brain, where every concept exists only in relation to its opposite. He describes how the self and the world are inextricably linked, noting that one cannot exist without the other. This dualistic structure means that every experience, such as pleasure and pain or happiness and sorrow, is part of a single unit. He argues that chasing one side of duality is futile because it inevitably brings the other side along with it, much like two faces of the same coin. For instance, the desire for confidence only arises from a state of fear, and the pursuit of security is a direct indicator of underlying insecurity. He further elaborates that seeking a partner or companionship often stems from a deep-seated sense of loneliness, as the pleasure of the idea depends on the presence of its opposite. Because every dualistic pursuit results in obtaining the very thing one might be trying to escape, Acharya Prashant suggests that wise individuals recognize this cycle as foolish. He concludes that the only thing truly worth seeking is that which is non-dualistic and beyond opposites. This non-dual reality is the truth, as it does not depend on a contrary state for its existence, unlike the temporary and cyclical nature of worldly experiences.