The Universe as Illusion: the Visions of Gaudapada, Philip K. Dick, and David Bohm

Navigating the illusive matrix: insights from three mind-expanding thinkers

I feel like I'm floating in a strange place where time and space mix - AI Image by Author (Microsoft Designer)

The Veil of Existence

I feel like I'm floating in a strange place where time and space mix. In front of me, three people slowly appear the old Indian sage Gaudapada, dressed in orange robes; the imaginative writer Philip K. Dick, wearing thick glasses and looking very thoughtful; and the smart scientist David Bohm, who gives off calm and strong energy. I am here to understand how reality is not what it seems and to look beyond the surface of life.

The Veil of Maya and the Simulation of Universes

Gaudapada speaks first, his voice a whisper that resonates in the depths of my being. He’s an early guru of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy: "My child, what you see around you is nothing but maya, a subtle veil obscuring the true nature of existence. This world of forms and names, of desires and fears, is like a wave on the infinite ocean of Brahman." As I listen, the world around me seems to dissolve and reconstitute itself. I witness universes being born and dying in the blink of an eye, galaxies spiralling like grains of sand in a cosmic hourglass.

Solidity

The solidity of my own body seems to vanish, and for a moment, I feel one with everything around me. Gaudapada continues: "Prāptasya prāptiḥ ātmaniṣṭhā - The attainment of what is already attained comes through the Self." His words resonate within me, inviting me to look beyond the surface, to recognize the completeness that is already present.

The Divine Programmer and the Tracks of Reality

Philip K. Dick interjects, his eyes bright with feverish energy: "Yes, yes! This is exactly what I've tried to express in my writings. The reality we perceive is just one of infinite possibilities. I've seen parallel worlds, lived alternative lives." Dick launches into a vivid description of his experience at the Metz speech in 1977: "Under sodium pentothal, I remembered an America dominated by a totalitarian regime. It was as real as this moment, perhaps more real. I saw the 'tracks' of reality, the infinite possibilities coexisting simultaneously." He quotes directly from his speech: "I remembered not the future but the present.

America dominated by a totalitarian regime - AI Image by Author (Microsoft Designer)

There was an alternative America where secret police were everywhere and people were terrified. I cannot explain it, but I know it was real." Dick and Gaudapada As Dick speaks, I feel catapulted into this alternative world. I see the streets of a dystopian New York, swastika flags waving on towering skyscrapers, armed sentries at every corner. Then, in the blink of an eye, I am back here, listening. Dick's eyes grow more intense as he delves deeper into his revelations:

The Programmer

"Most likely the matrix world, the one that's more truly real, is established by the Programmer. He or it organizes—prints, so to speak—the basic matrix and fuses it with concrete substance. The essence or core of reality—the world that receives or reaches it, and to what extent—lies in the mind of the Programmer; this selection and reselection is part of an overall creativity, of world-building, which appears to be his purpose." Gaudapada's eyes light up with recognition. He leans forward, his saffron robes catching the ethereal light. "Your vision resonates deeply with our ancient understanding. In my text Mandukya Karika, I address this very nature of creation: 'Creation is the mere will of the Lord, say those who thought out well the process of creation, but those who rely upon time hold that the birth of beings is from time.'"

Overall creativity

He pauses, studying Dick's reaction. "Your concept of 'overall creativity' particularly strikes me, for it mirrors our understanding of the divine creative force. What you perceive as the Programmer's gradual problem-solving, we see as the eternal play of consciousness."Dick adjusts his glasses, visibly excited by the connection. "So your Lord's will and my Programmer's matrix-building might be the same force? Both shaping reality through creative iteration?" "Precisely," Gaudapada confirms. "What you call the matrix-world, we name maya—the divine play of consciousness creating and dissolving forms. The Programmer's selections and reselections you speak of are what we recognize as the ripples in the cosmic consciousness. Yet remember, both the creator and the act of creation exist within the ultimate illusion."

Bohm's Holographic Universe

David Bohm takes the floor, his voice calm but laden with depth: "What you both are describing has a basis in quantum physics. The universe we perceive might be an illusion, a gigantic and exquisitely detailed hologram." Bohm explains his concept of "implicate" and "explicate" order: "Imagine an aquarium with two cameras filming it from different angles. The images on the monitors might appear as separate entities, but they are projections of a single three-dimensional reality." As he speaks, I see the aquarium materialize before us. The fish swimming within multiplies on invisible screens yet remains a single entity. "Similarly," Bohm continues, "subatomic particles that appear separate are manifestations of a single underlying reality, interconnected and indivisible."

Bohm’s Aquarium Metaphor - AI Image by Author (Microsoft Designer))

Consciousness as the Key

Gaudapada nods in approval: "What Dr. Bohm describes aligns perfectly with Advaita Vedanta. True reality resides in Brahman, the indivisible and unchangeable Absolute. What we experience as fragmented reality is the result of ignorance (avidya) that prevents us from perceiving the fundamental unity." Dick, visibly excited, interjects: "In my novel 'VALIS', I explored the idea of a vast active living intelligence system permeating the universe. I called it the 'Programmer', but perhaps it's just another way of describing Brahman or Bohm's implicate order." Bohm reflects: "Consciousness itself might be the key to understanding this holographic reality. Our brain might function as a receiver, decoding the frequencies of the holographic universe into what we perceive as concrete reality."

The Awakening to True Nature

As the three continue their discussion, I feel a profound transformation occurring within me. The barriers between self and universe begin to dissolve. I viscerally understand that separation is an illusion, that my true nature is identical to that of the entire cosmos. Gaudapada looks into my eyes: "Remember, prāptasya prāptiḥ ātmaniṣṭhā. The realization you seek is not something to attain, but to recognize. It is already here, you are already complete." Dick adds: "Every alternative reality, every possibility, exists simultaneously. We choose which 'track' to traverse with our consciousness." Bohm concludes: "The universe is an undivided whole in fluid motion - what I call 'holomovement'. Recognizing this fundamental unity can radically transform our way of living and interacting with the world."

Floating in the Divine Simulation

As the figures of the three sages begin to fade, I find myself back in the "ordinary" world. Yet nothing seems the same. I see the veil of maya in every object and perceive the interconnection of all things. I understand that the journey is not toward an external destination, but an awakening to the truth already present. The obsessive search for realization loses its power in the face of awareness of my true nature.

Now, each moment becomes a quantum fluctuation in the divine simulation, a cosmic game of realities that overlap and collapse like waves in the ocean of infinity. I know I am simultaneously the programmer, the program, and the executor of this great holographic spectacle called existence. And in this vortex of realities that bifurcate and converge, I find a freedom and joy that transcend all ordinary understanding. I am one with the universe, and the universe is me. In this realization, I find the peace I have always sought.

Labrinth - Imagination (Official Audio)

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