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According to the sages of Vedanta, our existence is practically incomprehensible. In fact, the reason why we experience so much happiness and sorrow is that we identify exclusively with our physical body and place our body as the “boundary” between self and non-self. However, this is a mistake, say the sages. They say that we need to re-adjust our perception so that we can see literally all things as minute or finite expressions of the One, Infinite Domain in which we are all have our being: Brahman.

The tragedy of many lives is that such persons never get the chance or take the opportunity to expand this notion of self. So, there is no progress made from the spiritual angle in seeing other people and creatures and beings as an extension of oneself.

Scientists like to say that space is the base of all things - and that the very idea of density and “stuff” really is an illusion since space is the primary characteristic of even basic elements of matter like protons, neutrons, and electrons. Atoms are 99% space, say scientists, and from the quantitative viewpoint they are right. So, it is easy to say that all this is really just “oblivion” disguised as “something”. Even the Buddha said that all things change and that one cannot enter the same river twice. So, here we have two strong viewpoints supporting the “existence” of “oblivion” or pure space as the “true base” of existence.

Vedanta, however, surpasses this viewpoint and understanding. Vedanta philosophy - just read the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and his guru Paramahansa Ramakrishna - teaches that in the very depths of space, there is something that can be perceived - and that is the Sacred Syllable OM, the Transcendental Sound of the Cosmos which the yogis say is the primordial manifestation of the Absolute Plane of Existence, or TAT in the ancient Sanskrit language of India.

So, the solution to the perception of oblivion, the belief in oblivion and worry about oblivion is simple: meditate and experience, firsthand for yourself, the immanent presence of the Sacred Syllable OM. This is verily the “narrow gate to heaven” and “escape from oblivion” for those of you seeking Truth and Self-Realization, but are worried by the definitive statements of hard science and even esoteric Buddhism, especially Zen. Fear not - wherever you go, no matter your circumstances, you can experience firsthand the Sacred Syllable OM.

Tags: om //