THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com

""""""""""""""""""""HISTORY OF THE WORD "MAYA" 31underlying mystery being more emphasizedlater on, it came to mean in A.V.(2) Magic, illusion. And, further, we saw thatin the Brahmanas and the Upanisads alsoit meant(3) illusion, and that this meaning was moreand more fixed subsequently,till in thetime of Sankara it was established beyonddoubt. The sense of illusionmay easilybe found to exist in form even in the Vedicusage of the term, e.g., where in the R.V.it meant power or skill italways meant"supernatural" or "wondrous" power andnot the ordinary physical power.XThe idea of mystery or wonder always waspresent, and it is this very element that in its developed form gives the sense of illusion or appearance." The idea of magic in A.V. formed alink between the old meaning of supernaturalpower and the modern one of appearance orillusion." As we have, already pointed out,maya has been viewed principally from twoaspectsAs (1) the principle of creation maya as acause corresponding to the sense of sakti(wondrous power), or(2) As the phenomenal creation itself mayaas an effect corresponding to the sense ofillusion,"appearance,"etc.This short summary, we hope, will suffice as an