what is maya "illusion"?

Answer 1

Maya (Sanskrit māyā, from mā "not" and yā "this"), in Hinduism, is a term describing many things. Maya is the illusion that the phenomenal world of separate objects and people is the only reality. For the mystics this manifestation is real, but it is a fleeting reality; it is a mistake, although a natural one, to believe that maya represents a fundamental reality. Each person, each physical object, from the perspective of eternity is like a brief, disturbed drop of water from an unbounded ocean. The goal of enlightenment is to understand this—more precisely, to experience this: to see intuitively that the distinction between the self and the universe is a false dichotomy. The distinction between consciousness and physical matter, between mind and body, is the result of an unenlightened perspective.

Answer 2

It is a concept by which an Advita vedantist explains the phenomenon of the contra reality appears to be real to a jeevatma, which is mired in its Karma. The reality is that jeevatman and paramatman are one and the same. But due to the play of maya or illusion, the jeevatman takes the illusion for real and forgets about his own real self, which is immortal and bliss full. It may be explained by this example of a rope in darkness being mistaken for a snake by a person who is deluded into such a belief because of the darkness. The darkness that creates the illusion of a snake out of the rope is Maya. But, if the reality is different from the illusion, why the God, who is all knowing does so? For this, the only answer is that it is the Lila or the divinely play of the God.

Answer 3

Maya is the reality of things. If you see a leaf laying on the side walk, you would swear to it that it is green, it is two inches long and it is light weight fluttering in the wind. If you ask an entity that is microbial, it will give you a completely different picture of its reality per its observation.

Thus Maya in a nut shell is the reality that is unreal at the same time!! There are many other subtleties and meanings of Maya for which you have to be a scholar, which I am not.

I hope this simple answer makes sense for most situations.

Answer 4

Maya is the illusion that the phenomenal world of separate objects and people is the only reality.

According to the concept of maya, the very existence of an individual as a separate entity is unreal. As long as the individual thinks that he is different from the rest of the creation and strives to work for his own ends, protecting, furthering nurturing and defending his own ego or individuality, he suffers from illusion and his ego continues its journey into an unknown future shaped by his endless actions and desires. The purpose of human life is to realize this truth and work for unity with the Divine.

Answer 5

I like this philosophy "maya". This is the ultimate truth.Everything is an illusion,including us. Amazing. To understand this philosophy,one should overcome all prejudice and start expressing true love towards humanity.

Answer 6

Maya in hindusim is very vast meaning, when u fell in illlsion(maya) u not know any thing, u r going to wrong way, u not know what is right for society,country and for family, u do what u think not the others think,
In spirtual terms it is that u consider in God u r only thinking about worlds things(Saamajic Vastoo) u npt pray for right God u only use the extra and ****** things,(Bhog Vilas), but this is not truth when u gt died or after died u know the truth,
Maya get confused you and she stop ur ways for u not acheving ur goals whether it is spirtual or scally.
So when u focus on ur goals and not consider other things so u r not congused and safly acheive ur goals.

Answer 7

clarity in the mind is what humans lack.
while taking any decision, we cannot judge the outcome. Hence everything in this world seems illusion or maya.
we are always not sure of the outcome of the event which we approve of at any given time. This world itself is maya.
AND ONLY HE (GOD) IS OUT OF THIS ALL.

Answer 8

Maya is explained in Bhagavad-Gita (7.14).
God (Krishna) Says that
“This divine energy of Mine (Maya), consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.”
So Maya is one of the energy of the God. The discussion of Various Energies of Lord is a very detailed topic and it’s explained in details in Bhagavad-Gita.
Maya consists of 3 modes – Goodness, Passion and Ignorance. These are the characteristics that are seen in all living entity. Though these are not the Characteristics of the Spirit Soul, these qualities are acquired by the soul from this Maya Energy.
Maya has 2 functions – Cover the intelligence of the soul (Avaran) and cause the souls to remain and fall in illusion (Prakshepat).

The biggest illusion is that we identify our self with this body when actually we are Soul, Part and Parcel of God as his children. In this world every one desires to become God or the supreme Controller. God fulfills even this wish of ours and this energy Maya helps us in forgetting our real nature and thinking our selves as God of all I survey.

And there begins all the trouble and it becomes even harder to come out of this trouble. Many people try to control their senses to avoid doing what they know is wrong but they are unable to, being covered by this Maya energy.

But in the same verse God explains a way to come out of this trouble. That way is to surrender to him. In Bhagavad-Gita it is explained in details how to Surrender to him and why to surrender.

You can read Bhagavad Gita As It Is online at
http://www.bhagavadgitaasitis.com/en

Answer 9

In my opinion,reality is an illusion,but leaving that we all have our own self-illusion.
There are also higher levels of illusion as well,which is everywhere and which gives us many types of ways and thinkings about the nature and it's things,and self knowledge also.
Therefore Self-Realization is more important thing than learning about reality or spirituality.Self-Illusion is more powerful in us,than what reality has its illusion.
Overcoming self-illusion is a great achievement in life(from my point of view).
Reality is what we see with our naked eyes but our own self-illusion motivate us in different thoughts, of that "particular thing" or
subject,or about any person etc. etc..
I think we are more bound to our own self-illusion.
I think Our "eyes" is one of the great illusionary senses.
I also think that, we can see illusionary power in people's eyes.
Eyes are one of the only sense, from where we could directly look into someones soul or deeper self.
Just try looking directly into someone's eyes.
I think Great Magicians have nice knowledge about these subjects,because they always work with these things.
Magician like P.C SORKAR.