Talk:Maya (religion)

What is it ?

The following about Maya is not attributed to any source and is only for understanding what it is.

The fog of ignorance. At any point of time, there are sages (what are these) who see certain truths (reality) as absolutely apparent, plain clear in sight and inevitable in consequence but they also witness that the vast majority of others or even everyone else, or those in power cannot understand, see, comprehend any of it. It is as weird as say an astronomer who can see an asteroid coming towards Earth in 10 years but no one else can understand or see the urgency in it. It would appear that everyone else is drunk in distraction, lack of the ability of paying attention, particularly in holding attention (dhyana) that would be required to see all the steps that would be required to comprehend the disaster. To the sage, this inability in others would appear so incredible in lunacy that it would appear like everyone is held in a spell external to the world of humans itself that it is even possible. He could attribute it to the curse on his times that everyone is held in such ignorance, arrogance, power drunk state that they cant see their own looming disaster. Such could be a feeling of a climate scientist who knows what is truly happening and what needs the attention amongst all the misinformation both pro and anti. That he fails to penetrate into the minds of people through this wall of ignorance would be the Maya. People busily going about their daily lives. Men worrying about tomorrows earning, women of the hearth today, young people of their love lives, sex, tv, sports and fun. Scientists whose job it is running for medals, papers and positions. Societies leaders only serving their egos. The government which everyone assumes is responsible totally incompetent, corrupt and short term in thinking, complacent, easygoing and not being taken to task. The media incompetent, corrupt and liars. He may find no one who can understand and would feel helpless in the hands of that powerful world spanning sway of ignorance. That which he knows for sure and can easily explain to another, no one is ready to see. All of these circumstances and this impenetrable worldwide wall of ignorance that faces him is the Maya. It is that same thing which is discussed at the point of Buddha's enlightenment, where Maya has managed to ensure that no one is a witness to Buddha's penance and truth, everyone had been distracted and away. So he says that only Earth has been his incorruptible witness an so it is.

How can this happen ? In that scale ? Is that question from which the religious/theological seeking of the explanations have arisen. The extraordinary pervading of this impenetrable fog of ignorance, united suspension of common sense, the inability in all to pay attention or comprehend suggests that it is not explainable rationally. So one has to look beyond it. And where it well may be.

That hustle that everyone is busy in everyday, raising their children for the day, attached to them but only with the short term understanding of his impending fate, that same ignorance that occludes from him the matters that should be his burning concern today is that same fog of ignorance often descibed as Maya and in the same sense. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.187.62.160 (talk) 13:24, 28 August 2019 (UTC)

Beautiful and well said! Thank you for your wisdom! 104.230.12.92 (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

Need really primary sources for this

Can anyone find (and hopefully translate the gist to English) some articles by actual Hindu scholars on this topic? I can't help but notice that the main sources cited are Western Orientalists who may be foisting their own notions onto an ancient religion. Tibbius (talk) 01:08, 10 April 2021 (UTC)

find (and hopefully translate the gist to English), that's a clear violation of WP:OR. Why do you need Hindu scholars? What's wrong with Western scholars? foisting their own notions onto an ancient religion —Wiki Linuz ( 💬 ) 16:53, 27 September 2021 (UTC)

Even while many Western experts have studied this intricate religion, those who don't truly practice it frequently misinterpret such scriptures. I think what the main commenter was trying to get at it is that the Hindu scholars who actually were taught the original scriptures will be able to have a more "Hindu" view of this concept. As an Indian-American (born and raised in the U.S.), it can be hard sometimes to follow my religion, Hinduism, as many of our scriptures have either been altered by certain Western ideas or destroyed by the Mughals and the British Empire in India. Hinduism is a way of life that is not exclusively focused on seeking enlightenment or worshipping gods but is rather open to the idea of learning about our world on a cosmic level and questioning our beliefs. Our scriptures were created on a certain level of maths and sciences, which were very advanced at the time and are in line of the current timings of the creation of the universe. So yes, Wiki Linuz, there is a need for some sources from Hindu scholars as there aren't any physical sources available to those like myself who wish to study more about their faith. And we don't want people's access to their religion to be restricted because they learned about it falsely online.

p.s. It can seem as I am degrading other religions. I want to clarify that I have no intention of disrespecting any other religion whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, or Islam. If anything at all, my religion has taught me to respect other religions and I'd hate to disobey that ideals. :) 104.230.12.92 (talk) 16:51, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

Being an Indian-American Hindu (born and raised in the U.S.) myself, I cannot offer you any Hindu scriptures on my own. However, this organization seems to be quite accurate when it comes to our Hindu scriptures: [1]https://vedanta.org/what-is-vedanta/the-concept-of-maya/.

This organization called Chinmaya Mission studies our scriptures as well, I used to go here for a "Hindu Sunday School" as a child so I know it is pretty accurate. Here is what they believe Maya is according to our scriptures: https://www.chinmayaniagara.com/what-is-maya/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-maya.

While these may not be the sources you were looking for...I hope they can help you out Tibbius. 104.230.12.92 (talk) 16:59, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

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