Matrix and the Big Dream

pic courtesy google images

Matrix movie makes an extensive use of Hindu themes and principles. The most obvious and fundamental Hindu theme can be found in the basic principle that, in the world of the Matrix films, what most people think of as "reality" is actually a computer-generated simulation. This appears to align closely with the Hindu doctrine that the world as we know is maya [sanskrit terms ma (not) ya (that) mean= that which is not], illusion, which we must break out of in order to achieve enlightenment. Indeed, according to Hindu philosophy, the biggest problem that humans face is our inability to see through this illusion.

Another common theme that appears in the Matrix films is that of mirrors and reflections. If you watch closely, you will see reflections constantly - often in the sunglasses that the heroes wear. Mirrors are also an important metaphor in Hindu teachings, illustrating the idea that the unreal and temporary world we see around us is actually a reflection of the real and eternal world (....the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. Bhagvad Gita 15.1 purport) Thus, in order to understand that the reality we perceive is but an illusion, it is necessary for us to empty our minds first.

Such observations make the movie, The Matrix, a film which borrows Hindu philosophy.

A Big Dream

As widely accepted the hollywood movie Matrix has elements of Hindu philosophy (that explains the recitation of chants of Bhagvadgita in the end of the movie in Matrix Reloaded). Like this world is considered to be a dream dreamt by Lord Vishnu. This whole world is just an illusion. When one comes to know about its true form and connects with the source(Lord Vishnu), he is liberated from the boundaries of this physical world. He can do things like Neo does. The attachments to mortal things (in the movie Neo has towards the chief female character, Trinity) are the problems, once a person understands the truth he gets liberated (like Neo in the end). 

(http://www.inreview.com/archive/topic/16442.html)

Joseph Campbell (in this book, The Mythic Image) mentions Sleeping Vishnu creating the world with each opening of His eye. Here's a quote from one of Campbell's articles:

“Vishnu is pictured as the divine dreamer of the world dream. Vishnu sleeps on a great serpent, whose name is Ananta, which means "Endless." The serpent floats on the universal ocean, called the Milky Ocean.........Vishnu, the God, sleeps, and the activity of his mind create dreams, and we are all his dream: the world is Vishnu's dream. And just as, in your dreams, all the images that you behold and all the people who appear are really manifestations of your own dreaming power, so are we all manifestations of Vishnu's dreaming power. We are no more independent entities than the dream figures in our own dreams.”

According to Vedic/Hindu philosophy  "This material creation is the spirit soul's dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Mahā-Viṣṇu, as the Brahma-saḿhitā describes:

yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jalebhajatismayoga-

nidrāmananta-jagad-aṇḍa-saroma-kūpaḥ [Brahma Samhita 5.47]

This material world is created by the dreaming of Mahā-Viṣṇu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation. 

After being in contact with the material modes of nature, the living entity develops the subtle and gross bodies. When the living entity is fortunate enough to associate with Lord or his servants, he is liberated from this dreamland of material creation and the bodily conception of life". (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.29.83)

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/spiritual-discussions/446104-true-vishnus-dream.htm

......There are plenty of rabbinical and mythological references to God who dreams, thinks, or speaks, and the things come to be.....Clearly, our perception and interpretation is nothing more than cerebral projections from the stimulation of our senses. But this idea doesn't diminish their worth!

(http://www.howardism.org/Mythology/Life_Begins_The_Dream.html)

Here, this is important to understand. This bonafide concept should never be related to mundane Movies like the Matrix, its not like that, the material world is very real, but decays, fades, withers away. The reality of Krishna’s eternal Kingdom is perpetual, imperishable everlasting.

1. Vaikuntha and Goloka is reality that is imperishable

2. The mahat-tattva is reality that is perishable

(http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/spiritual-discussions/446104-true-vishnus-dream.html) 

Avatar

While talking of Hollywood movies with elements of Hindu philosophy, names of films like Avatar  also come in mind. 


Critics saw an "undeniably" Hindu connection between the film's story and the Vedic teaching of reverence for the whole universe, as well as the yogic practice of inhabiting a distant body by one’s consciousness. Another linked the Na'vi earth goddess Eywa to the concept of Brahman as the ground of being described in Vedanta and Upanishads and likened the Na'vi ability to connect to Eywa with the realization ofAtman. One commentator noted the parallel between the Na'vi greeting "I see you" and the ancient Hindu greeting "Namaste", which signifies perceiving and adoring the divinity within others. Others commented on Avatar's adaptation of the Hindu teaching of reincarnation,—a concept, which another author felt was more accurately applicable to ordinary human beings that are "a step or two away from exotic animals" than to deities.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themes_in_Avatar#Parallels_with_Hinduism)

According to one school of Vedic philosophy, all living entities have descended from spiritual realm ... they are put into this dreamland of material creation when they want to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Why has the soul come to the world of exploitation and not the world of dedication? That should be attributed to his innate nature, which is endowed with free will. It is a free choice. This is substantiated in the Bhagavad-gita (5. 14):

na kartrtvam na karmani

lokasya srjati prabhuh

na karma-phala-samyogam

svabhavas tu pravartate

"The soul is responsible for his entrance into the land of exploitation."(http://gosai.com/writings/origin-of-the-jiva-soul)

..Considering this all of us have a spiritual body (nitya deh) residing in spiritual world....the purpose of human birth is to attain that spiritual body....In the movie called Avatar, Jake dying here and getting up as Na'vi in another planet, Pandora is similar to living entity getting rid of temporary body and attaining nitya deh in spiritual realm....movie also shows the beauty of the other world, Pandora (Vedic literature is abundant with  the matchless beauty of the spiritual world)

And most importantly the movies like Avatar, Matrix, Inception and Source Code have some element or the other which indicate to parallel/alternate universes concept or parallel planes of existence theory be it in the dream (in case of Inception)

                                     

pics courtesy google images

...and they have some parallel or the other to Vedic philosophy (though badly distorted owing to the lack of proper understanding or for the sake of creative freedom).......That's all for now....will be back soon with a different topic!

Different Planes of Existence

pic courtesy srimannarayana.50megs.com

As promised, I am here to present the VEDIC/HINDU Standpoint on Parallel Universes....though it took me some time but could finally manage to get little material out of sizable material available on the subject in the texts....

Vedic/hindu texts like Bhagvadgita, Bhagvatam, Upanishads etc. are full of references of the parallel/alternate universes. In Bhagvadgita Lord Krishna says:

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with me”  (Bhagvadgita 9.25)

As per Bhagvatam:

There are 7 lokas above Earth (included) and 7 talas under the Earth. They are planes, levels or dimensions with specific life forms and standard of life (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.23-24)

Below Patala is the Garbha ocean (Garbhodaka) filling half of the universe on which Garbhodakasayi Vishnu lies on Ananta Shesha and from His navel grows a lotus. In the stem of this lotus are situated all the planetary systems (SB 3.28.25, etc.).

Outside this universe Maha-Vishnu is lying on the Causal Ocean and while He is exhaling, millions of universes are coming as bubbles from His body and they are developing again. And when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him. Thus these material universes are being created and again annihilated.

"The Maha-Vishnu, into whom all the innumerable universes enter and from whom they come forth again simply by His breathing process, is a plenary expansion of Krishna. Therefore I worship Govinda, Krishna, the cause of all causes." (Brahma-samhita 5.48) (http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/bhaktiyoga/bhaktiyoga-7.htm)

Sankhya Yoga and many Upanishadas talk of various planes of existence in the universe. As per Sankhya philosophy, Mother Nature is working hard for the enlightenment of human beings, like she is working hard to keep the lower beings to survive. There are 14 planes of existence (sankhya shloka18):

a) Five types of lower entities : This plane consists ofanimals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants

b) Human Beings

c) Pitra loka :- consists of good souls of our ancestors

d) Gandharva Loka : consists of souls higher than pitra loka. They are demi-gods

e) Daiva Loka : lower gods live there

f) Indra Loka : higher gods, who control the nature's jobs (like rain, heat, winter, air etc)….their chief is god Indra, which is taken over by the highest soul, who is entitled to Indra Loka. In each creation a new Indra takes over.

g) Prajapatya : This Plane of existence is for those souls who have even transcended the gods plane…these souls take part in creation of the universes

h)Brahmm Loka : This is the highest plane of existence for the group of souls. The souls who reach here do not take birth in this Kalpa and enjoy being with Brahmaa, the god of creation.

But the souls who reach upto Brahmloka… take re-birth if not in this Kalpa then next… because when their good karmas are exhausted, they have to take re-birth and re-start their sadhna. But there is no re-birth in any form above Brahma loka. The amount of bliss also varies in different lokas.

For the beings below humans there is no bliss, as what ever they do is controlled by nature. Bliss or joy starts from human beings. Thus, as per Brihdanyak upanishada:

=> 100 times the bliss of humans is enjoyed by inhabitants of Pitra loka

=> 100 times the bliss of Pitra loka is enjoyed by Gandharvas

=> 100 times the bliss of Gandharvas is enjoyed by devas (demi-gods)

=> 100 times of devas is enjoyed by Prajapati loka

=> 100 times of prajapati loka is for Brahma loka.

Above Brahm-loka are Videha and Prakriti-Layas. Their bliss is millions of times more than Brahma-loka and they do not take re-birth… but they may choose to come back to earth as prophets or part incarnations of god, if they so wish. Budha, Shankracharya, Jesus etc came from this plane of existence.

Where will we go after death ? which plane of existence will let us go.. is decided by our Karmas. The subtleness of our subtle bodies, gained through our good karma, and our point of consciousness, makes us eligible to enter a particular loka after death.

It is like a sieve where different sized stones are moved and only the specific sized stones will pass the holes of sieve and will collect down… bigger ones will remain in the sieve.

The subtleness of our Sukhma sharira will be allowed only in the loka, which we are entitled to, without any mistake. (http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/hinduism-forum/458456-different-planes-existence.html)

Interesting....Isn’t it?....the next post is going to be on the Hollywood movies which borrowed the vedic concept of multiverses....till then goodbye!!!

Intersection of science and faith

pic courtesy uen.org

As stated in my previous post I am supposed to dwell on the Vedic/Hindu stance on alternate universes....but I thought that before doing so some light should be thrown on ISLAM and CHRISTIAN (two other major faiths in India) view on the subject as Vedic view on the subject is quite detailed and will take couple of posts to cover the topic!

ISLAM’S VIEW

Considering the Islamic view of the subject, we read in the very first Chapter of the noble Quran of Allah Almighty as "the Lord of the worlds" (Al-Fatihah 1:2).

Indeed we see the same expression in several other places too, such as: 

O Moses! Verily I am Allah, the Lord of the Worlds....(Al-Qasas 28:30)

and, Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds...(Al-A`raf 7:54)

In all these verses, the expression, "worlds" gives the idea of a plurality of worlds.

Prof. Faheem Ashraf writes:.......

“Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments (heavens) and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (Allah) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah comprehends all things in (His) Knowledge.” (At-Talaq 65: 12)

It should be noted that if the word samawat (heavens) is taken equivalent to universe then there are at least 7 other universes (one above the other like onion) each with its own sets of physical laws.

It is apparent from this verse that God created other world systems and God's commands descend (Keep in mind the use of present tense) in those systems. Use of present tense means that these systems exist today contrary to what Quantum Gravity theories suggest." ...........The concept of parallel universes certainly throws some light on the existence of beings like jinn and angels, and of the unseen world in general.”

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d4f_1203879237

CHRISTIAN FAITH’S VIEW

While searching for the answer for what Christianity says on the existence of multiple universes I came across this interesting discussion forum...I picked up two interesting answers which provide food for thought...they are presented here for you (source mentioned)

Jesus said, "In my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you."

John 14:2

A scientist with a Ph.D. in one of the applied biological sciences says:

“My understanding of Holy Scriptures suggests there are at least three parallel universes: the physical one we experience as humans, the divine universe where God, Christ, and the God-fearing angels and other spiritual beings exist, and the universe of evil to which Satan and his legions have been expelled. The interesting part is that, if one believes the Bible, then all three of those universes co-exist right now here on earth.” 

Admittedly, if I am correct in assuming from Scripture that God and Satan no longer inhabit the same spiritual universe, then some portion of the total creation is undoubtedly required to account for the parallel universe currently inhabited by Satan and his minions, but I suspect that it is a quite small dominion in comparison with the proportion of creation required to encompass love and its related attributes!”

http://www.thinkingthroughchristianity.com/2010/02/are-parallel-universes-heretical.htm

arjieorwell@yahoo.com says:

“The existence of parallel universes that cannot be seen in observatorial telescope had already been verified by NASA as a result of its 'magnetic survey' of the universe. Check it out.....I tried to seek understanding the insistence of Christ in loving enemies, praying for their success and turning the other cheek. When I assumed that I might have done greater evil to my enemies in a parallel world, Christ's gospel make sense..... I feel like being elevated to a 'state of grace' whenever I get the chance to respond as Christ had taught as I found the explanation in the 'parallel universe'.” 

  http://www.thinkingthroughchristianity.com/2010/02/are-parallel-universes-heretical.htm

I will present the Vedic perspective on the subject in the next post....will return soon!

Cosmic Corridor

pic courtesy meditationguidance.com

In the scientific community, the idea of alternate universes was first proposed in 1954 by Hugh Everett III, a young doctoral candidate at one of the most prestigious Ivy League Universities in the world. He called it the “Many-Worlds Theory”, and used it as an explanation as to why quantum matter behaves erratically. 

Nobel prize winners, professors, quantum physicists have made discoveries in the possibility of alternate universes, including the world-famous Professor Stephen Hawking, Professor Alan Guth, and even Albert Einstein himself.

For this Google can be searched for scientific theories like String Theory and M-Theory, or the film can be watched “What The Bleep Do We Know!?” 

There are some people who believe that jumping from one universe to another is already a possibility and claim to do it frequently. They say this is done through a process called thought transference. While this can’t be proven or disproven, some scientists have believed that in order to change where you are (your location), you merely need to change your thought pattern or frequencies. This is called quantum jumping. While the opportunities seem endless, the practice seems elusive to many people. Science is increasingly moving ahead with theories about alternate universes. While the data is inconclusive, many do believe that an alternate or parallel universe is not just made for science fiction. It is a true phenomenon that requires more study. (http://www.quantumjumping.com/articles/parallel-universe/parallel-universes-theory/)

Mankind has spent centuries speculating on the existence of alternate universes. The earliest known idea of this is found in the Puranas, an ancient collection of Hindu texts, which speak of an infinite number of universes—each with its own planets, inhabitants and gods. (http://www.quantumjumping.com/products#order). 

Was very happy to read the above-mentioned passage in a western website giving credit to the Vedic scriptures for being the first or earliest to give the idea of alternate universes. The next post of the blog is going to be on that only....So stay tuned!

Another Plane(t)

                                                                   pic courtesy theshiznit.co.uk

In link with the previous post (http://www.crustruck.blogspot.in/2012/06/reflector-specific-space.html), the mention of the Hollywood movie, Another Earth becomes imperative. This sci-fi movie, speculating on life beyond our planetary horizon, deals fictitiously with the concept of parallel universe.

This sci-fi is about our 'mirror' planet.

When we talk of 'mirror' in the context of a planet it comes through as a concept in accordance with the Janna Levin's theory of 'Mirrors in the Sky' or 'Kaleidoscope'. As luck would have it I saw this movie while I was going through the book, "How Universe Got Its Spot" by Janna Levin. Those of you who have not seen the movie, a brief synopsis of the movie is presented here.

Right out of the blue, one day, a new planet appears really close to Earth. It looks exactly like Earth: same-shaped continents and oceans, and when our scientists make contact, it becomes worryingly apparent there is an exact double of everyone down here, up there, on the planet they're calling "Earth 2". (But as someone points out, that's not what they call themselves; they call us "Earth 2".)

Rhoda Williams while listening to the story on the radio about the above-mentioned planet that looks just like Earth gazes out her car-window at the stars and inadvertently hits a stopped car at an intersection, putting John Burroughs in a coma and killing his wife and son....after a few years Rhoda enters an essay contest sponsored by a millionaire entrepreneur who is offering a civilian space flight to the mirror Earth

Rhoda hears in a telecast a scientist postulating that the citizens of the mirror Earth might be identical to those on her Earth in every way until the moment they learned of the others' existence. From that point on, the mirror is broken and the identical people on the different Earths probably began to deviate in small ways, changing their actions. Rhoda hopes her identical self on the other Earth did not make the mistakes she made on the night of the accident.

Rhoda returns to John's house and leaves him the ticket to the other Earth, telling him that there is enough information to give him a small hope that his wife and son might be alive on that planet. John accepts the gift and becomes one of the first civilian space travelers to the other Earth.

Four months later, Rhoda looks up at the sky where Earth 2 is now hidden in fog. She approaches her back door and sees her twin from Earth 2 standing in front of her.

After seeing the movie I wondered if the screenplay writer of the movie read Janna Levin....I looked into the credits minutely (as I watched it on DVD) but could not see Janna Levin's name....but what a parallel thought :-))))

Reflector-specific Space

"A compact cosmos creates a kaleidoscopic pattern of ghost astronomical images"-Janna Levin in " How the Universe Got its Spots" (pic courtesy meritnation.com)

The author of the book, “How Universe got its Spots”, Janna Levin comes up with an amusing theory of “finite universe”....In her own words,

“So what did she (Mother nature) choose for the global shape of space? Which is it, and why that shape? I can argue on aesthetic grounds that the universe should be finite.............If nature had made space as small as a room, we’d always have known the world was finite. If I stand in the middle of the compact universe with a light bulb that never burns out and space is as small as a room, the light from bulb would transit around the space.

Some of that light will make it back to me after winding once round the space. Some of

that light will nearly take forever before it just happens to scratch past me again. If I wait

long enough, I”ll see a copy of myself in all directions,so that space is filled and bright with

ghost images of me and my light bulb at different ages, a haunting kaleidoscope of images.I could watch myself growing up and growing old. There’d be no need of my photo

albums,I could watch your life before me beyond images of my own.”

pic courtesy assisted-living-phoenix.carebuzz.com

view of a compact flat universe

Mirrors in the Sky

Janna Levin’s says that the universe is wonderland in 3D.

I thought that before we dwell more into the theory of parallel universes, this take of Janna

Levin on finite and flat universe should be shared. Without using the term ‘parallel universe’, author explains that the device behind parallel universes....see you soon!!!

Co(smos)ordinate

Had been studying a lot about parallel universes and that was the reason for the delay of the post. Stumbled upon something very interesting about the subject....thought it was worth sharing with my readers on my blog.

                                                                        pic courtesy-mytumblingthoughts.blogspot.com

Alan Guth, a physicist (Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) believes that when the universe began, instead of a gravitational pull to keep things together, there was a reverse type of gravitation working and instead repelled everything from it, which he coined a “false vacuum.” As scientists have proven our world is constantly expanding, this theory seems plausible.

 According to his theory, the universe is much larger than anyone had predicted. If this theory is true, it would prove the existence of many universes, all of which would appear to have the same properties and abide by the same law of physics. 

While these ideas are plausible, the first allows for the belief in parallel universes, the idea that any given person can exist at the same time in more than one place. If, as humans, we were able to tap into the power of traveling to these other universes, we would be able to ‘meet’ our other selves. While this is a truly powerful thing to think about, one can imagine the possibilities it holds. If your own individual beings could meet and each one had different experiences, think of the intelligence and knowledge you could pass from one to another. Each one would have different experiences and different outcomes. In one world you could be a doctor, in another world a politician, in another world a drug addict. The options would be virtually limitless. (http://www.quantumjumping.com/articles/parallel-universe/parallel-universes-theory)

But my question to this theory is one meaning of the term "parallel" is "never meeting"...then how the meeting with your own self possible?

Will be presenting more matter {theories on parallel universes} and spirit :-) [spiritual take on the subject] in my next entries.