mayam tu prakritim viddhi: Know, however, that the world is maya. Shvetashvatara Upanishad
NEW INTERPRETATION
I interpret Maya as a recognition of what modern science has revealed: Whether the sun’s motion in the heavens, the rainbow, solid matter, or aspects of the physical world, are not what they seem to be, their ultimate nature is different from the impressions they create. It is important to realize that not every illusion is trivial, evil, or useless. In fact, many significant elements of culture and civilization rest on grand illusions. Maya is at the root of many enjoyments, institutions, intellectual exercises, and societal interactions. Certain aspects of Maya have helped us gain or construct newer visions reality. Here are a few:
Art is aesthetic Maya. A painting is an illusion giving aesthetic delight. Goethe said, “The highest problem of every art is, by means of appearances, to produce the illusion of a loftier reality.” Actually, art enables us to gain awareness of a loftier reality through illusions.
Literature is emotional Maya. A novel paints imaginary people and events in moving ways; it can kindle a longing for justice and abhorrence for wrongs, it enables us to see our capacities for anger and compassion, helps us understand truths about human nature. Not page in a novel is true. Yet epics and literature move us profoundly by touching our feelings and stirring our emotions.
Democracy and communism, however lofty in principle, are on final analysis, illusions too, for they seldom live up to what they proclaim. Yet, political Maya makes millions feel they enjoy freedom and economic equality. It keeps alive visions of civilized government. Indeed, the conviction of perfection that a human-created entity is perfect is an example of accomplishment Maya.
Mythologies speak of gods and demons, heroes and heroines who never existed, through terms and images that are inspiring and fascinating. They make people feel good, create the impression that their past had magical beings and heroic personages who fought for the Good and defeated Evil. They reveal the inner struggles, defeats and triumphs of the soul. Myths are in effect meaningful and inspirational Maya.
Mathematics reveals the consistency of concepts, and leads to their logical conclusions. It takes us to abstract domains of analysis. Yet, as Kurt Gödel showed, at the ultimate level, we cannot prove logically the inner consistency of mathematical systems. Thus, mathematics, one of the most important factors undergirding human civilization, is logical Maya.
Religions give meaning and purpose to life, and are the source of solace to countless millions, but many religious claims have no factual basis. This does not diminish their relevance in human culture. Religions are spiritual Maya that create the impression that we know about the nature and attributes of a Divine Principle.
Mystical experiences in which one sees visions of a higher reality probably result from non-normal brain chemistry. But the experience is profound, seeming to link one with the Cosmic Whole. Mysticism is a powerful psychological Maya.
Philosophy is play with ideas to create consistent systems in terms of which one interprets the nature of human thought, condition, and world views. But every philosophy has been challenged from other perspectives. Philosophy turns out to be speculative Maya.
History is the narrative of what may have happened. It recalls the past to make a people feel good about their ancestors. Nationalistic histories are in effect patriotic Maya.
Science tries to understand the nature of physical reality. But the history of science shows that many past theories and explanations were totally wrong. Yet the views of science have often been useful in the practical domain. Science is thus fruitful Maya.
Thus, many aspects of civilizations are based on Maya. We are misled by Maya, but we are also enriched by it a variety of ways. This recognition need not lead to a denigration of appearances. Through biological and cultural evolution, many appearances, which are not faithful representations of the real, have turned out to be valuable, insightful, and enriching, sometimes even necessary. Maya has resulted in many fleeting enjoyments which may well be the reason why, evolutionarily speaking, it arose in the first place.
Depending on how one interprets Maya, one may become a serene monk or simply mature and modest. We should celebrate that fact that we have been made aware of the Maya-nature of the world of terrestrial experience. While seeing a movie we should know that the laughter and tears are all just make-believe, but we should enjoy the show while it lasts, not walk away from the theater because what we see on the screen is only light and shadow, mere illusions.
Spurts of Thought 