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Is reality absolute or relative? || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2015)
Acharya Prashant
534 views
8 years ago
Absolute Reality
Relative Reality
Truth
Duality
Mind
Mental Representation
Image-maker
Enlightenment
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the concept of absolute versus relative reality, noting that any discussion involving numbers or categories is inherently mental. He explains that humans are entirely relative beings and questions the possibility of experiencing an absolute reality, which by definition is total, beyond definition, and impossible to point at. He asserts that if an absolute reality exists, there would be no one separate from it to speak of it. Regarding the search for truth, he clarifies that the mind is an image-maker that cannot search for anything without first forming a mental representation of it. Even when searching for the imageless, the mind creates an image of the imageless because it can only operate within the domain of duality. He emphasizes that while what we call the absolute is relative to our own perception, this does not mean the absolute does not exist. Finally, he points out that the underlying tendency of the mind remains the same whether one is seeking spiritual enlightenment, money, or social success, as all these pursuits are driven by the same mental motives.