The Differences between Brahman, Ishwara and Jiva

Truly speaking, there is no difference between Ishwara, Jiva and Brahman. This is because there is only Brahman. This means Ishwara and Jivas are ultimately non-separate. We only speak of differences when we perceive ourselves to be limited beings inside an illusion and want to explain why the universe (the illusion that appears to be separate from us) operates the way it does. 

 

If we were to use the example of a TV, the movie character would be the Jiva, while Ishwara would be the totality of the entire movie. This means Ishwara is the combination of you, me, animals, sky, clouds, space, etc. It is EVERYTING PERCEIVED INSIDE THE MOVIE. This means when we perceive ourselves inside the movie, we are never separate from Ishwara since Ishwara makes up the entire movie (i.e. all three gunas). We only believe ourselves to be separate from Ishwara when we experience being a separate individual.  So we pray to Ishwara as if Ishwara is separate. But is Ishwara truly separate from us if it makes up the entire movie which consists of all the movie characters?  How can we be separate from Ishwara? It is the EGO or the capacity to experience/believe in being a separate individual that holds the illusion that we are separate from the rest of the movie. But in actuality, all beings are one with the movie because there is only the movie being played.

 

But, who are you actually? Are you really the Jiva? How can you be the Jiva if Ishwara makes up all of you along with the rest of the movie? Everything inside the movie is Ishwara including all of the characters; we just believe we are separate because it feels like we are contained within an individual entity perceiving separation from other things in the movie. In truth, what we really are is awareness (atma). This atma can be referred to as the screen of the TV. It doesn’t consist of space and time as how space and time is perceived inside the TV (in the movie itself). It simply observes what is happening inside its own screen while being non-separate from the movie since the movie is not apart from the screen. 

 

This atma is the same as Brahman. We just call it atma because you only observe a formal existence of the individual body-mind activities, and no one else’s. You don’t observe anyone else’s perspective. And so when you rest as atma, you witness the appearance of the movie run in a non-separate experience. Things no longer appear to be outside of you but rather within you as one singular form. This is the literal experience. And so when you rest here, everything unfolding is happening on its own. Who can we say is running it? The operation is being done by Ishwara. However, Ishwara is just a name we give this appearance in its totality because we cannot attribute this ownership to atma. The atma does nothing as it simply observes. And given you rest in atma, as atma, we cannot say there is a “you” running it. So technically, while we name this appearance that runs, Ishwara, it doesn’t mean there is an entity named Ishwara running the appearance with volition. How can something that makes up the movie in its entirety run with volition? In truth, the appearance is running on its own without any controller. We just give it the name Ishwara since it is normal for the Jiva to attach names and meanings to things outside of itself. Furthermore, when you rest as the atma, you know that your presence is all that exists and that it is actionless.  If it is all that exists and is actionless, then you fundamentally know that what appears to be happening is done by no one with agency.  What happens is a spontaneous and effortless expression. 

 

If you rest as atma permanently and naturally without any effort of attending there, the appearance of Ishwara will eventually disappear. At which point, you cannot say that there is a You or Ishwara. Because if the dream of the movie disappears, not only does the Jiva disapear, Ishwara too disappears since it makes up the entire dream. What’s left is Brahman. Now, we say this is Brahman instead of atma, because Brahman cannot witness anything. If the appearance is gone, what is there to witness? This is why Brahman is unknowable. It is the same as atma, but we only differentiate the two when there is an appearance in the equation. If the appearance is not there, it is termed Brahman. If it is there, then it is termed atma. 

 

The movie can only be there if you perceive yourself inside it. If you’re no longer in it, then the Jiva and Ishwara disappear together just like the movie disappears when you turn off the TV. Even the screen disappears because there is nothing being displayed on it to know that there is a screen even there. And so what is left is unknowable (Brahman). 

 

So what does this all mean so far? We can only give existence to Ishwara when we perceive ourselves to be in the dream to explain how it all runs. But if you’re not there, then there is no Ishwara. Meaning Ishwara and the Jiva co-exist. One cannot exist without the other. Furthermore, Ishwara only exists because of the Jiva that has the capacity to question its existence. But from Ishwara’s POV, there is only Brahman. We only say there is Ishwara when we question its existence as a Jiva.

 

The truth is: There is only the TV. And when the TV is shut off, then we cannot even say there is a TV anymore because what is there to show or display when it’s completely off? How can we say there is such thing as a TV? There is only Nirguna Brahman. This is the truth. Thinking otherwise is delusion which is what spirituality aims to resolve.

 

 

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