Since my childhood, if there is one thing I observed common to all Indians, it is their layers of thought. No thought or action is simple and straight. There are convolutions of thought and this happens at different levels.
For every action there is a practical explanation and a spiritual one. This might seem absurd to some of my non-Indian friends and they tend to take us as complicated people. But the truth is simple, if we can understand the way these layers are brought into our daily life, it solves most of the problems.
For most Indians (I am not sure about the western counterparts. I am not qualified to make any comments on it), the spiritual and materialistic worlds form two layers of their life. There are two levels of truths with which we operate in.
1. Vyavaharika satya (practical truths)
2. Paramarthika satya (eternal truths)
Vyavaharika satya is most of the times percieved by one's senses, whereas Paramarthika satya is perceived by the mind. The eternal truth is universal, and unchangeable. One's perception of this world around, and their part in the world forms their vyavaharika satya. This practical truth might differ from person to person, while eternal truth (also called 'Brahman' in Advaitian terms) remains longstanding.
This eternal truth is the one that keeps a person detached from this daily chaos, while still being a part of it. It brings in a sense of bigger entity (God) and a bird's view of life. This idea or thought is very essential to stay stable by not being affected by the traumas of everyday's life. Even in the worst of times, a person can see life from a macro view and get convinced that the situation he/she is in, is a very small one. Paramarthika satya keeps the connection between the eternal entity (God) and a person (Atman in terms of Advaita).
The vyavaharika satya keeps a person strung to the reality and continue to do his everyday tasks. It brings in a sense of practicality and a purpose to life. It keeps you in touch with the reality and senses.
If you see somebody doing a job or doing some act, we can understand his two levels of thought behind it.
Practical truth- he is doing it because it is his job to do it. It is the practical necessity for him to do it.
Eternal truth- By doing it, he is performing his karma and doing what is written in his fate. In a larger sense, he is destined to do it, and he is doing it. This world is just an illusion and his life a passing phase. To reach brahman, he should go through this illusion.
Using my science background, if I can draw an analogy of a man to a bacterial cell in a colony, the practical truth to the bacteria is its existence and survival, where as for someone looking into the microscope, it looks like illusion.
So, all my non-Indian friends, next time you make a judgement about an Indian being complex, try to look into which layer of thought he is in, at that point of time. You might understand him better.
For every action there is a practical explanation and a spiritual one. This might seem absurd to some of my non-Indian friends and they tend to take us as complicated people. But the truth is simple, if we can understand the way these layers are brought into our daily life, it solves most of the problems.
For most Indians (I am not sure about the western counterparts. I am not qualified to make any comments on it), the spiritual and materialistic worlds form two layers of their life. There are two levels of truths with which we operate in.
1. Vyavaharika satya (practical truths)
2. Paramarthika satya (eternal truths)
Vyavaharika satya is most of the times percieved by one's senses, whereas Paramarthika satya is perceived by the mind. The eternal truth is universal, and unchangeable. One's perception of this world around, and their part in the world forms their vyavaharika satya. This practical truth might differ from person to person, while eternal truth (also called 'Brahman' in Advaitian terms) remains longstanding.
This eternal truth is the one that keeps a person detached from this daily chaos, while still being a part of it. It brings in a sense of bigger entity (God) and a bird's view of life. This idea or thought is very essential to stay stable by not being affected by the traumas of everyday's life. Even in the worst of times, a person can see life from a macro view and get convinced that the situation he/she is in, is a very small one. Paramarthika satya keeps the connection between the eternal entity (God) and a person (Atman in terms of Advaita).
The vyavaharika satya keeps a person strung to the reality and continue to do his everyday tasks. It brings in a sense of practicality and a purpose to life. It keeps you in touch with the reality and senses.
If you see somebody doing a job or doing some act, we can understand his two levels of thought behind it.
Practical truth- he is doing it because it is his job to do it. It is the practical necessity for him to do it.
Eternal truth- By doing it, he is performing his karma and doing what is written in his fate. In a larger sense, he is destined to do it, and he is doing it. This world is just an illusion and his life a passing phase. To reach brahman, he should go through this illusion.
Using my science background, if I can draw an analogy of a man to a bacterial cell in a colony, the practical truth to the bacteria is its existence and survival, where as for someone looking into the microscope, it looks like illusion.
So, all my non-Indian friends, next time you make a judgement about an Indian being complex, try to look into which layer of thought he is in, at that point of time. You might understand him better.
