Mystic Mantra: Vanity, maya and us

India has now joined the elite group of nations who have launched a spacecraft in the orbit of Mars and which has already started sending data to Isro. On that day I also came across verses from the Book of Proverbs in the Bible: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?”

My mind then went back to the days when I studied Indian philosophy and religion during my training for priesthood. The memory particularly paused at the concept of “maya” or “illusion” — which at that time had especially intrigued me. The meaning of maya is that when the atman (the soul) mistakenly identifies with the body and accepts such thoughts as “I am white and I am a man,” or “this is my house, my country, and my religion”. The “illusioned” soul identifies with the temporary body and everything connected to it, such as race, gender, family, nation, bank balance, and sectarian religion and ends up serving lust, greed, anger and other vices. Compounding mistake upon mistake, falling deeper into illusion.

Gautam the Buddha and Lord Mahavir not only spoke of utter detachment from desires which lead to pain and suffering, but they also demonstrated through their own lives, how one could indeed attain “nirvana” or “eternal bliss” by looking beyond material things.

The Bible and other scriptures inform us that God is the Creator of this world. If so, He must then like it. Jesus gently but emphatically tells his disciples, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you…” Progress we certainly must, but without being enslaved to all things material.

Father Dominic Emmanuel, a founder-member of Parliament of Religions. He can be contacted at frdominic@gmail.com