Illusion

The religions and philosophies have got one thing right. Everything is an illusion. Nothing is real. 

Including all these words told in the scriptures.

That is the conclusion I am drawing from trying to translate Viveka chudamani and then also from reading about fictitious religion called Bokononism in a novel Cat's cradle. 

At least that book on that religion tells out right 'every thing in this book is a lie'.  Thank you for being honest! Unlike books of religions we do have currently.

Because people are miserable and there is no way of alleviating their pain, some concept called religion was founded. Which tried to make people moral, righteous and to some extent peaceful. How successful are the religions in making people moral, righteous or peaceful is clearly evident in the society. Now more than ever!

Let us look at a very rough analogy.

Tell a child not to snatch others' toys. It asks why shouldn't it. You tell it, because mom says/dad says. And the child strongly believes that mom/dad knows everything and if they have told something, it must be obeyed without question. 

Once we grow into adults, we do not believe others' words. Because where is that one person, who is the authority figure who is always right, has no selfish interests, who has our best interests in his/her mind? There may not be such person. But we do need guidance, rules, encouragement, some restrictions. Coming from person who is always....

How about an imaginary figure called God?

Yes, God. Thought the inventors of religions. They told us "He/She must be there, telling us what to do, taking care of us". Just like we tell beautiful imaginary stories to our children to guide them to right path.

And do remember in the good old days, people did not know many of the things. Common people did not know - they were not educated, not schooled. That's why they attributed God's will to each and every event they witnessed and found solace. 

I have simplified and explained the origin of religion - for infinitith time. 

My mom used to say ' if you don't believe in God, your belief in self must be very strong'. Many of us, do not believe in God, nor in ourselves. And our pains and miseries are never to be alleviated. Poor wretched atheists!

Coming back to Advaita philosophy as explained in Viveka chudamani, one should realize Atma - by overcoming five layers of illusion - annamanykosha, pranamaya kosha, manomayakosha, vijnanamany kosha, anandamanykosha.  Why should one do that? To obtain mukti - release for the constant cycle of death and rebirth.

Let us pause a little bit here. First of all, do we believe that there is a rebirth after death? If at all we do believe this, how does it matter to us? How does it concern us at all, what happens to us after we die - whether we are born as a human or a frog or  a million times as million different animals, or we cease to be reborn? 

My rebirth or lack of it  doesn't concern me at all.

Secondly, let us accept all these concepts and say we obtain mukti from the cycle of rebirths. How does all this circus benefit any one else? It doesn't benefit us, as we don't exist - not as an individual at least. It doesn't benefit any other being. 

Of course this is the viewpoint of one non-believer.