Anitya

The concept of divinity or the Brahaman, in the Advaita school of though can be summarized in three words - Sat, Chid, Ananda - Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute. No form, no attributes nor any personification is admitted in this conceptualization of the only reality of existence. This is so, because form, attributes and personification can only exist or indeed can be perceived as relative to something else that also independently exists, thereby defeating the concept of the one Absolute, the Brahaman.

The Advatins, or the followers of this monoistic school of thought, hold the creation in its entirety, as an elaborate illusion (Maya), that goes through a perpetual lifecycle of waxing and waning. Creation emanates out from this absolute, exists and eventually merges back into this absolute. And then starts over again.

A student of this science is told that the realization of this Brahaman that is all pervading, can be achieved through a process of progressive rejection of everything transient or Anitya, that the mighty Maya, assails our senses with. This process culminates once complete realization or enlightenment is achieved. (Or maybe you get wholeheartedly tired of this affair and go fishing, whichever happens earlier).

The Dvaita Vedantist or the Dualist approaches the concept of creation in his own unique way. An all powerful Personal God or the Ishwara, forms the core of this school of thought. A definite form, a definite set of attributes including those of omnipotence and infinite mercy is associated with Ishwara, to which the individual soul (or Jiva) is bound through an unbreakable bond, in which the Jiva's existence is dependent entirely on the Brahaman. Think of the relation of pixel on the screen of a CRT to the cathode ray gun behind, its something like that, only lot more confusing.

To the dualist, absolute devotion and love (Bhakti) enables a soul to progressively reject all lower form of attachments, until the love for the Lord becomes the sole reason for existence or rather existence itself. This absolute love (Para-bhakti), is in itself, both the means and the end. With true love, claim the students of the Dvaita, comes true knowledge (PS: that sounded like the dialogue from the Spiderman movie, where Uncle Ben tells Peter - With great powers comes great responsibility.;). True love and true knowledge is unencumbered by any attachment to the Anitya.

This concept of Anitya weighs heavily on my mind today, for many things in life are missed only in their passing. With that comes the realization even if one were to try to hang onto a receding tide with the tightest of hugs and promise to never let go, one would only be left clutching thin air.

Alone, wet and with burning eyes....