Advaita Vedanta, a prominent school of Hindu philosophy, posits three distinct levels or planes of existence (satta) to explain the nature of reality and illusion. These levels help differentiate between what is ultimately real (Brahman) and what appears real from different perspectives.
According to classical Advaita Vedanta, these three levels are:
1. Paramarthika Satta (Absolute Existence)
This is the highest and ultimate level of reality. At this plane, only Brahman (the Absolute Reality) is considered truly existent. It is the non-dual, changeless, and eternal truth. From this perspective, everything else, including the perceived world and individual souls, is ultimately an appearance or an illusion (maya). This level represents the absolute truth realized by a liberated individual.
- Key characteristic: Non-dual, immutable, the only ultimate reality.
- Example: The pure consciousness of Brahman, beyond all distinctions and attributes.
2. Vyavaharika Satta (Worldly Existence)
This is the plane of empirical or worldly existence, the reality we experience in our daily lives. It includes the physical world, the objects within it, and even the heavenly realms. While not ultimately real from the paramarthika perspective, this level is considered pragmatically real for all practical purposes and interactions. Our actions, thoughts, and experiences operate within this framework. Ignorance (avidya) makes us perceive this world as truly separate and independent.
- Key characteristic: Pragmatically real, the world of experience, subject to cause and effect.
- Example: The waking world we perceive, with its various objects, people, and events.
3. Pratibhāsika Satta (Illusory Existence)
This is the lowest level of reality, representing a subjective or apparent existence that is entirely illusory and temporary. It refers to phenomena that appear real only to the individual experiencing them and are sublated (negated) upon gaining correct knowledge or upon waking up. This level is even less real than the vyavaharika world.
- Key characteristic: Subjective, transient, and sublated by a higher level of reality.
- Examples:
- A dream world, which seems real while dreaming but disappears upon waking.
- A hallucination, like seeing a rope as a snake, which vanishes once the illusion is dispelled.
- The mirage in a desert.
These three levels are crucial for understanding Advaita's view on the nature of reality, distinguishing between what is absolutely true, what is practically true, and what is merely apparent.
Summary of the Three Levels of Advaita
| Level of Existence | Sanskrit Term | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Existence | Paramarthika Satta | The ultimate, non-dual reality; only Brahman truly exists. | Pure consciousness of Brahman |
| Worldly Existence | Vyavaharika Satta | The empirical, practical reality of our daily experience, including the physical and heavenly worlds. | The waking world, its objects, and events |
| Illusory Existence | Pratibhāsika Satta | Subjective, temporary reality that is sublated upon gaining true knowledge. | Dreams, hallucinations, a rope mistaken for a snake |
For more in-depth information on Advaita Vedanta, you can refer to resources like the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
