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What is real and what is unreal?

A discourse on the nature of reality and spiritual practice.

"Brahma satyaṁ jagat mithyā means that whatever is born, created, or manifested has limitation. That which is born will die."

"Therefore, what is changeable is unreality, and what is not changeable is reality. That reality is Brahman, the Supreme One that is within you, within me, within other creatures."

A speaker explains the Advaita Vedānta maxim that Brahman is the only unchanging reality, while the perceived world is unreal due to its impermanent nature. Using analogies like space within a hall, the talk distinguishes the eternal essence from changing forms. The discourse then shifts to practical advice, urging intense spiritual practice (abhyāsa) and mindful action in the face of time and destiny, citing Tulsī Dāsa and the story of Arjuna.

Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Summer seminar

God is like the sky, equally present everywhere. This is non-dualism. The statement "Brahma satyaṁ jagat mithyā" means that Brahman, which is everlasting and one, is the truth, and this world is unreality. The philosophy of Dvaita, or dualism, does not accept this. Is it unreality that we are sitting here together? Is it unreality that we were singing bhajans? The answer is both yes and no. To simply say yes and no is not an answer, so what is meant by this? "Brahma satyaṁ jagat mithyā" means that whatever is born, created, or manifested has limitation. That which is born will die. What is created will be destroyed. Sooner or later, perhaps in a few billion years, there is an end to that thing. Therefore, what is changeable is unreality, and what is not changeable is reality. That reality is Brahman, the Supreme One that is within you, within me, within other creatures, in every plant, and in every atom. It is the same one. The only difference is in quality—individual quality. The individual becomes defined through individual quality. Through quality, one is a thief; through quality, one is a murderer; through quality, one is a criminal; and through quality, one is a good person or a saint. But within that, the essence is the supreme. That essence is unborn and will not die. The space in this room, this hall, was always here. It will be here. It is here. The hall will be removed someday; perhaps something new will be constructed. This is the changing aspect. What is now will, after a few minutes, become like a dream—it is gone. The past you cannot make present. You can only make past and present in your memory and thinking. If it is a beautiful memory, then keep it, for there are some memories which are nourishment for your inner soul. If they are bad memories that terrorize your inner self, then forget them; try to overcome them. So, what was yesterday is today a dream. You can remember that dream; you can have similar dreams, but not that exact day. Therefore, "Brahma satyaṁ jagat mithyā." In Vedānta, it is also said: abhyāsa, practice, practice, practice ... You know, two days are gone, Saturday and Sunday. It is already Monday here, more or less, and only four days are left. In these four days, you can achieve many things. So, concentrate more on your practice. If you do not feel like eating, do not eat; that is healthy for you. Just drink nice, pure water; it is good. Or, when you are hungry, you will like this food for what it is. If you are hungry, then you will like this food. You do not like this food because you are not hungry. So, do not think of your lunch or your dinner, your meal. Do not think of your comfort and discomfort; think of your practice. Think of your practice. TulsÄ« Dāsa said, "Humans are not the great; great is the time." TulsÄ« Dāsa said, "Man is not that great in this time, man is not that great in this time." When Kṛṣṇa was gone, then Arjuna had no more power to fight. So, who knows what tomorrow's time will bring? Which constellation will come tomorrow? And which destiny will come to my life? And from that destiny, which karma will sprout up? Which kind of karma will come out? Therefore, we have to be careful and alert at each and every step. We have to take every single step mindfully. --- Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Summer seminar

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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