Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi Complete ... - BrahminVoice.org

Talk 399.
Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
15th April, l937
Mr. Bose, the Bengali Engineer, has since read Gaudapada Karikas
and Sir S. Radhakrishnan’s Indian Philosophy and so asked questions
as follows:
D.: Is there any genuine difference between dream experience and
waking state?
M.: Because you find the dream creations transitory in relation to the
waking state there is said to be a difference. The difference is only
apparent and not real.
D.: Is the waking state independent of existing objects?
M.: Were it so, the objects must exist without the seer; that is to say,
the object must tell you that it exists. Does it do so? For example,
does a cow moving in front of you say that she is moving? Or do
you say of your own accord “There is a cow moving”? The objects
exist because of the seer cognising them.
D.: Gaudapada in Mandukya Karikas says that there is no difference
between the two states from the standpoint of Reality-Absolute.
M.: Of course not.
D.: I believe Bhagavan also says so. Prof. Radhakrishnan in his Indian
Philosophy says that in his Brahma Sutra Commentary Sri Sankara
makes a distinction between the two states. Is it a fact? If so, what is
it? How can there be any distinction from the viewpoint of reality?
So long as the mind exists in any form there will be distinction.
But from the standpoint of Atman, non-dual Brahman, can there
be any distinction?
M.: The dream is for the one who says that he is awake. In fact,
wakefulness and dream are equally unreal from the standpoint of
the Absolute.
D.: In pure Advaita can evolution, creation or manifestation have
any place? What about the theory of vivarta according to which
Brahman appears as the world without forgetting its essential
nature, like the rope appearing as snake?
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