COSMIC IDEATION

Cosmic ideation is the thought, or ideas germinating from Cosmic Mind (Hiranyagarbha) of Cosmic Self, or Brahman, the Supreme Being. This ever-agitated mind, Swami Sivananda explains, having come into existence out of the ineffable Brahman, creates the universe according to its own Sankalpa (thoughts). He avers that the play of the mind arising out of Chaitanya (pure consciousness) constitutes this universe. Mind is Maya (illusion). Maya is the mind. The workings of the mind are nothing but the workings of Maya itself. Attraction or attachment in the mind towards forms is Maya. Identifying one's own self with the mind is considered Maya. There are two powers associated with Maya – Avarana-shakti (the veiling power, or the power of concealment, or the power of illusion or ignorance that obscures the true nature of reality) and Vikshepa-shakti (the power of projection that superimposes the world over the Atman, or the power that causes distraction and dispersal, often associated with the illusion of the external world, Māyā). They describe how the mind manifests itself in the world. The motion or vibration of Prana (life force or vital energy) moves the mind. The movement of the mind generates the universe. The mind manifests itself as the external world. Nama-Rupa (names and forms) arise owing to Vikshepa-shakti, one of the powers of Maya. The Vikshepa force operates both in the Jagrat (waking) and the Svapna (dreaming) states. This power alone projects the entire world. In deep sleep, it disappears. The world enters the mind through the eyes, ears, tongues (speech), and old Samskaras. If you remain in the seclusion, you can shut out these first three doors. By practicing Vichara (the right inquiry into the Supreme Self), you can eliminate the Samskaras, which are a series of sacraments, sacrifices, and rituals that are ways of life, systems of belief, and practices. This is the fourth route. Then Jnana (Knowledge of Self) will dawn. All the universes with their heterogeneity, though really Atma-Jnana, shine as worlds only through our illusory mind, like the blueness of the sky which is really non-existent. The Self-light of Para-Brahman (Supreme Being, the one Ultimate Reality, transcends all universal existence, beyond all manifestation, knowledge, and comprehension) alone is appearing as the mind or this motley universe. Mind is Prajna-Shakti (the power of the highest form of wisdom, or knowledge of Self). Matter is Bhuta-Shakti (the powerful energies associated with the Pancha Bhutas, or the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space, or Akasha). These "Bhutas" are fundamental to creation and are also considered the building blocks of the physical and mental aspects of beings. Prana (life force or vital energy) is the Kriya-Shakti (creative energy, or the dynamic power that facilitates the creation, manifestation, and transformation of the universe) of Brahman (Cosmic Self). Everything belongs to Brahman. In reality, there is no Jiva (individual soul or living entity). It's a spark of the eternal consciousness, a part of the divine, but with a limited perspective due to being in the material world. There is only Brahman. The mind that rises and falls with desire thinks this illusory universe is real, but if it learns the truth, it will see it is Brahman.

1. Outline

An existent entity is always existent—past, present, and future—and a nonexistent entity is always non-existent—past, present, and future. The Vedantic Reality is that an existing entity is never non-existing, and a non-existing entity is never existing. This has verily been affirmed by the Srimad Bhagavad Gita (2.16).

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ

ubhayorapi dṛiṣhṭo ’nta stvanayos tattva-darśhibhiḥ

The unreal has no existence, and the real has no non-existence. Another interpretation is that the transient lacks endurance, while the eternal experiences no cessation. The seers of the Truth have verily observed and concluded this distinction after studying the nature of both. The knower of the truth has experienced the final truth of these two, says the Bhagavad Gita (2.16).

The Upanishads, according to Swami Sivananda in his Essence of the Svetasvatara Upanishad, speak of Brahman (Supreme Being or Cosmic Self) as being declared to be the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe. He is the material and efficient cause of this universe. According to Swami Sivananda, a single, organised thought in the cosmic mind has materialised as a seeming universe. This phenomenal universe is but an outcome of the Divine Will, seeming to be real through the workings of the mind. One must have a vivid mental picture of the entire drama in their mind before writing the script. One writes it out in succession in four acts. When we stage it, we perform each part sequentially. Similarly, the universe with its movements is a vivid mental picture in the Cosmic Mind. There is neither past nor future for Him. Everything is 'Present' for Him. There is neither 'near' nor 'far' for Him. Every place is 'here'. Every time is 'now'. The events come out in succession on the stage of the long world drama as Time rolls on. Atoms rotate continuously. Old becomes new, and new becomes old. In reality, there is no such thing as old; there is no such thing as single. The Jivas, each possessing individual minds, are witnessing the events as they occur in succession. But Supreme Being knows all events in one sweep. He is Sarvajna (all-knowing). He is Sarvavit (all-understanding), too. He knows every detail of His creation. The Cosmic Mind creates the Maya. Individual minds receive things under delusion. This universe is nothing but a mode of the mind, self-evolved from Brahman, the cause of the universe. All the universes that appear only through Manas (mind) are none other than their modes. The mind is subjectively consciousness, and objectively it is this universe. Hence, this all-pervading world is nothing but consciousness itself. The Jiva (individual, human being) and the universe are Brahman in their innate condition only. The universe will vanish as quickly as darkness before the sun unless the thought of 'I' is considered. Mind and 'I' are one. If you destroy the 'I', the mind will also perish.

2. Scriptures

Manah-kalpitam Jagat, or the Creation of the World, is an imagination of the mind (Yoga Vasistha, 3A.1.60 and 4.11.18). It suggests that the universe, including all its objects, time, and space, is ultimately a construct of the mind. Just as a dream is a creation of the mind, the waking world is also considered a mental construct, with the difference being the duration of the experience. Yoga-Vasistha emphasises that the universe, as we perceive it, is not an independent external reality but rather a mental projection. Just as we experience a world within a dream that is entirely created by our mind, the waking world is also considered a similar mental construct, albeit with a longer duration. This universe is no apart from the mind itself. Just as a dream can create another dream, the mind, which has no visible form, generates things that do not actually exist. This perishable universe exists only when the mind exists but disappears with the absence of the latter. If the mind, which is the instrument of knowledge, perception and activity, vanishes, then this subjective world also disappears. We perceive time and space as objective realities, but the mind also creates these concepts. A moment in the waking state can feel like years in a dream, and vice versa, highlighting the subjective nature of time and space. The whole world is a combination of five elements. Analyse, realise the illusory nature of all objects, and abandon all false ones. When you begin to analyse, the whole world vanishes, and with it, the notion, sound, and objects also. The working of the mind causes the happiness and misery experienced in this world. All the hosts of pains and pleasures arise from the mind only. The pains and pleasures will cease to exist if the mind is extinguished through stainless discrimination and spiritual Sadhana. The three worlds are created for the pleasures and pains of the mind. Suspension of the mental activity will cause the three worlds to disappear with their misery.

 The creation is a manifestation of Brahman, facilitated by the power of Maya.The Srimad Bhagavad Gita asserts (9.10)

mayādhyakṣheṇa prakṛitiḥ sūyate sa-charācharam

hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

Working under My direction, this Prakriti (nature) brings into being all moving and unmoving entities or objects. For this reason, the material world undergoes the changes (of creation, maintenance, and dissolution).This verse is key to understanding Maya, in that it highlights the non-doership of Brahman (Supreme Being, or Cosmic Self). Prakriti means Jada' or insentient. Paramatma (Supreme Self) is of the nature of consciousness. By the presence (or supervision of the Supreme Being, or Brahman), Prakriti (Prakriti is synonymous with Maya) causes this Jagat. The word "Adhyakshena" indicates the non-attachment or indifference of Brahman. Just as iron particles move and arrange into a pattern in the presence of a magnet, in the presence of the Supreme Being, the Prakriti brings forth Jagat. The magnet itself has no role, but its presence causes the movement of the iron particles. The Supreme Being is always present, which indicates a volition in creation; likewise, Prakriti is animated by the volition of the Supreme Self, which then brings forth the universe.Prakriti, a power composed of the three Gunas—Sattva (purity), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance)—is nothing other than the Maya. We also refer to Maya as BIja (seed). Maya is Jada (inert) and by itself, it cannot be the creating power of the Jagat (world). However, Maya can do wonders through the support of the ever-existent Brahman. Our experiences in the Jagat are a reflection of the testimony of Brahman in our intellect. Similarly, the witness of Brahman in Maya enables the creation of Jagat. Elsewhere in the Bhagavad Gita(13.26), Sri Krishna says,

yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam

kṣhetra-kṣhetrajña-sanyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣhabha

In this world, according to Bhagavad Gita, whatever being - moving or unmoving, animate or inanimate - is born, know that to be created from the union of Kshetra (field) and Kshetrajnya (knower of the field).The characteristics of Kshetra and Kshetrajnya are different. The Kshetra is visible and inert; the Kshetrajnya is invisible and of the nature of consciousness. What does the union of two distinctly different objects mean? It is not like the union of a pot with a rope, for the Atman (Kshetrajnya) is without limbs or organs. Is it like a union of cloth and yarn? It can't be so! Since the cloth originates from the yarn, a natural union exists between the two. But the body and its knower have no such natural union. Adi Shankaracharya states in his Bhagavad Gita Bhashya that this union represents the incorrect identification of the Jiva (Kshetrajnya) with the body (Kshetra).

3. Remarks

Though truth is unitary and Brahman is absolute, the realisation of it is possible only by stages and by a gradual rise of consciousness from its Jivahood in various degrees of reality which it experiences in the different stages of its evolution, so says the sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda. According to him, both the world and the soul, with their unique characteristics, seem to possess a reality at the outset; therefore, the Sadhana (disciplined practice or method to realise Self) of the Jiva should commence from this fundamental stage. The creation of the world, which is being taken for granted by the Jiva, is to be first analysed. It is to be shown now that the creation of the world as it is, and as projected by the will of Isvara, is not the difficulty of the Jiva. Towards this end, the two types of creation are being studied here. Sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda elegantly explains the scriptural basis of cosmic ideation. The Atman alone was in the beginning, and it willed to create the many by a cosmic ideation; so says the Aitareya Upanishad. Brahman was truth, knowledge and infinity, and from it arose ether, air, fire, water, earth, the different bodies, and so on, and the variety of creation was effected by the primeval contemplation of the Divine Being to appear as the many: so says the Taittiriya Upanishad. In the beginning, there was only pure Existence, which gave rise to the idea of becoming manifold, and from this idea, it created the luminous medium of fire, from which water, earth, and other bodies emerged as effects: so says the Chhandogya Upanishad. As sparks emanate from fire, all the variety consisting of conscious and unconscious beings came out from the one Imperishable: so says the Mundaka Upanishad.

-Asutosh Satpathy