Ignorance is the lack of the divine ability to see the supramental Truth; it is the part of our consciousness that does not perceive, as opposed to the part that sees and knows the truth.
concept
Reality
Across world spiritual traditions, reality refers to the fundamental nature of existence. Traditions converge on the idea that reality is multifaceted and complex. However, they diverge in their perspectives on its ultimate meaning and composition.
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The distinction between knowledge and ignorance starts with the hymns of the RigVeda, where knowledge means being conscious of the Truth and what is right, and ignorance is being unconscious of the Truth and what is right, opposing it and creating false or negative effects.
The Jivas are distinct from God and matter. According to Madhva, the difference between Brahman and Jiva is real.
Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, and realize
The Eternal is beyond time. Brahman is timeless, an eternal reality that transcends time.
God can be realized through truth alone.
The root cause of a person's suffering is their pride. Even if someone makes a sacrifice, they can still get caught up in their own pride. What is the point of such a sacrifice? It is pride, or ego, that should be sacrificed. That is where true happiness and bliss are found.
We have been given this human life to understand the all-pervading, omnipresent God. This knowledge can only be given by someone who has themselves realized God. Life becomes truly happy only after meeting such a God-realized person.
There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor do these lightnings shine — how then this fire? He alone shining, everything shines after him; by his light all this shines.
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः । तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ १४॥
There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars; these lightnings do not shine—how then this fire? When he shines, everything shines after him; by his light all this shines.
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः । तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ १५॥
Brahman alone is this immortal—in front, Brahman; behind, Brahman; to the right and the left. Below and above it stretches. Brahman alone is all this universe, the highest.
ब्रह्मैवेदममृतं पुरस्ताद्ब्रह्म पश्चाद्ब्रह्म दक्षिणतश्चोत्तरेण । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च प्रसृतं ब्रह्मैवेदं विश्वमिदं वरिष्ठम् ॥ ११॥
There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars; these lightnings do not shine—how then this fire? When he shines, everything shines after him; by his light all this shines.
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः । तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ १०॥
Beings are unmanifest in their beginnings, manifest in their middle states, and unmanifest again at their end, Bharata. What cause for grief is there in this?
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत | अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ||२-२८||
Of the unreal there is no being; of the real there is no ceasing to be. The truth about both of these has been perceived by the seers of reality.
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः | उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ||२-१६||
Krishna told Arjuna that having even one occult power would prevent him from realizing God.
If the slayer thinks he slays, and if the slain thinks himself slain, both fail to understand: this one neither slays nor is slain.
हन्ता चेन्मन्यते हन्तुँ हतश्चेन्मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायँ हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ १९॥
The knowing Self is neither born nor dies; it did not come from anywhere, nor did it become anyone. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient, it is not slain when the body is slain.
न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चि- न्नायं कुतश्चिन्न बभूव कश्चित् । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥ १८॥
What is invisible, ungraspable, without lineage, without color, without eye or ear, without hands or feet, eternal, all-pervading, everywhere, most subtle, undecaying—that the wise perceive as the source of all beings.
यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्ण- मचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम् । नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ॥ ६॥
They consider the fourth to be this: not conscious of the inner, not conscious of the outer, not conscious of both, not a mass of consciousness, not conscious, not unconscious; unseen, beyond dealings, ungraspable, without marks, unthinkable, indescribable, whose essence is the certainty of the one Self, in which the world has ceased, tranquil, benign, non-dual. That is the Self; that is to be known.
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् । अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ ७॥
All this is indeed Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters.
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोऽयमात्मा चतुष्पात् ॥ २॥