LIVING IN FOOL'S PARADISE.

A State of happiness based on false hope.

Where most of us love to reside.
This is the most comfortable situation that
we just do not like to be awakened.

Fool's PARADISE means: 
"To be happy because you do not know or will not accept how bad a situation really is". 
A very strange phenomena indeed, that we are not ready to accept the gory reality, and kept on living in a state of  euphoria, which our imagination weaves.
"Where ignorance is bliss tis folly to be wise". 
How true, our world of imagination, with us as a central character would dwindle if we know the reality. 
Now what is reality? 
It is a very, very strange and complex question, having multiple answers, which all can be proven true, somewhat paradoxical, depending upon the situations, space, time or even our mental state, (I mean it subject to change according to place we reside and in the century we are living). A common man's definition will certainly be different from the privileged one. And all the more different criteria would be given by a materialistic and spiritualists, the seers and seekers alike. And they all can be proven correct from their perspectives. 
Now back to the most consuming question here is, "what is reality", which can be feasible for all, atleast for most of us. As far as I know, we all want answer to this question, as nobody wants to be lost in maze and in this context wants to solve the riddle called "the truth of life", which has perplexed all of us at some point in our lives.  
In my opinion, reality is what we see around us or grasp with our sense organs, analyze with our mental faculties and intelligence and in the end, it got imprinted in our memories for future references. These are all the essential tools to grasp any knowledge. 
Since I had privilege to stay in Ashrams, for a few days in the holy and spiritual environment of Haridwar and Mount Abu. As I was quite naive about the ways of saints and their thought process, so got surprised, that most of the things, which consume us for the whole days in our whole lives, does not even exist for them. We spend our whole day in completing our desires including tasks, which are again off- shoots of our materialistic needs. Contemplating upon future and regretting past does not exist for them. It is a very difficult for  us to forgive ourselves and others for misdeeds, and eventually we spend quite a lot of our valuable time and energy to overcome that. I have seen we are so venerable that anybody can disturb us with their words or actions, and truthfully it turned out to be, as if we are living on their whims, where as saints either overlook such petty things, or do not pay any heed to them, for them this is just a residue of our karmas.
   A Guru played a pivotal role in the upliftment of a seeker. As I have mentioned, in my post - Under the patronage of Guru. The Guru raises the consciousnesses of a disciple to a certain level and then integrated mind with him/her, so for now, words has little or no meaning for the onward journey, and only "signs"  remains.

Raja Janak was a self realized king.

Ashtavark
Name given to him because he had eight deformities.

The signs plays an important role, all your actions even talks are minutely scrutinized, any evil actions or even loose talks are accessed, and duly be given 'signs' that whether you should repeat it in future or shy away from it. I am not in position to tell you more but I can explain it in simple language, that for an example, if you are remotely jealous of somebody or something, you will be see as if you are burning, or if one is indulged in back- biting, he will be shown that he is eating garbage. (These are all very elementary signs for a seeker), It is like warnings, that "where one is going". These signs comes in a stage of half- sleepiness called (sapshupti)  I think nearest English word would be "slumber"for this stage between awareness and deep sleep. A disciple knows it in his/her heart, what Guru wants or what and how he is showing him the path. A very individualistic experience, where no two person can have the same signs. Or maybe, they have. A seeker is strictly prohibited from talking much about it. 

Since, I am talking about a different topic here -reality, I think I need to narrate a story, as done by our Guruji in his book (Ati ki aur) "Towards Ecstasy" . He narrated a story about a mighty king Janak, who was self- realized person, one night he had a vivid dream that he had lost his empire, wealth and so on, so much so that he had nothing to eat, and was begging out side some temple, this indeed was very scary for a king, who had abundant wealth of each and every kind, with army of servants and soldiers. Suddenly he saw that one rich man was distributing rice, he rushed towards him to get it, but by the time he reached there, it was over, he started crying as hunger pangs became unbearable him, and then he saw a stray dog was licking some earthen pot with few rice in it. He rushed towards it to get it. He was totally blinded by the thirst and hunger. And sadly, he could not even get near it, as pot got broken by dog. Then he could not have it more, he started crying and howling, that was the point his hand got hit by bedside, and he just got woken up. To his shock he saw that he was sleeping on his gold bed, with  servants around it, but the dream was so vivid that he just could not shake it away. This whole experience sadden him a lot. He kept on thinking, was this a premonition or a message or may be a reality (as he lived it with full awareness). He was in a dilemma, what is truth, this life or that one, which he has just experienced. So much so that he lost his interest in everything, including his kingdom affairs, eventually his Guru was called to solve this riddle, which was consuming him day and night. His Guru Ashtavark  explained him that neither this world or that dream world is true, the truth or reality is totally different than these two worldly experiences, and now he should aspire to know "the ultimate reality". 
The most important aspect is that, the Guru can show you only the path, as it is your journey, so you have to tread it alone, but his presence will always be there with you like a "Guiding Star."

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I will elaborate more on this subject in my next post...

pics from web.