Unpublished Articles

Have you ever thought as to what is the difference between 'Truth', 'Reality' and 'Actuality'?

I am trying to investigate it along with you here. I am not stating anything, I am merely enquiring and trying to answer.

What is 'Truth'?

It is absolute. It has to be absolute. Anything that cannot be contradicted is 'Truth'. The evolution of mankind is the search of 'Truth'. 'The Earth is round'. This is a truth. Truth is not questioned neither is it questionable by anything. At the same time, it cannot be proved.

What is 'Reality'?

It is the impression of 'Truth' that we have. It is the thing or things. 'Reality' can be questioned. 'Reality' is sometimes a perception, a thought, a process of thought, the conclusion of a thought and many a times the outcome of circumstances centered on the thing.

What is 'Actuality'?

This is the way 'I' see things. 'Actually speaking the Earth is a beautiful place'. Actuality is what we perceive. Something, that is the direct outcome of our thoughts, our perception and the way actually things go on inside our self.

Can we distinguish our thought process in these three things?

Yes. For example, I see a house on the road. It is proportionate, with a good lawn, proper color, a garage and a garden, etc. Now what is the 'Truth'? The 'Truth' is as simple as 'This is a house' (assuming that we believe and trust in the dictionary meaning of 'house'). The 'Reality' is that 'I think this is a beautiful house'. The 'Actuality' is 'I like this house'.

Do you get the difference between 'Reality' and 'Actuality' that I am putting here? 'Actuality' is outcome of 'emotions'. A perception of our senses is 'Emotions'. Then the thought comes into being and gives rise to 'desire'. The need 'to have', 'to possess' in some form or the other arises from 'Actuality'.

'Truth', then 'Reality' and the thought making it 'Actuality'.

Can we not stop before 'Actuality'?

We can, but for that there has to be a need to remove the 'I', the 'me', the 'mine' - all first person pronouns from the thought process. If we don’t, it gives rise to 'desire' and then to 'suffering'. Till the stage of 'Reality' is happiness. Stepping further leads to 'suffering'.

Can we remove the 'I'?

Yes, we can. No, we cannot. Since the 'I' is not constrained to just 'me'. The 'I' is there in 'you'. I am hungry, you are hungry. I need food, you need food. At that level, 'we' are both equal. 'I' is 'selfish'. End of 'I' is end of 'selfishness'. End of 'I' is end of 'Time'. So selfishness cannot end till end of time.

The 'I' makes a real thing beautiful and the thought of this 'I' by 'me' makes the beautiful thing desirable.

What is 'beauty'?

Is 'beauty' the outcome of 'creativity'? Is 'beauty' a 'Truth', 'Reality' or 'Actuality'? Is 'Beauty' within the realms of 'Time' or out of it?

If it is out, it is 'Truth'.

If it is inside the realms of 'Time', it is 'Reality'.

If it is out of desire, it is 'Actuality'.

'The temples of Ellora are beautiful.' What does this sentence mean? Is it a 'Truth', a 'Reality' or 'Actuality'. It is a 'Reality' since there is no thought that 'I want the temple of Ellora' to be mine.

'This house is beautiful'. This is not the 'Truth' but 'Reality'. If it is further said that 'I want the house to be mine', this is 'Actuality'. And it would be obvious now, that the 'Actuality' is going to give rise to 'suffering'.

Is 'Actuality' the cause of 'suffering'?

Yes. 'Actually, I am a very unhappy person'. There is 'I' in it, there is 'my perception' to it. But more than that there is a negative tendency in it. A tendency that leads to suffering. In the previous example, the desire to possess the house, the need to take pains to do that, all this is going to lead to self-centric thought process that is going to make 'me' suffer.

So how can we be happy?

By stopping between 'Reality' and 'Actuality'.

Being happy is in our hands. Not the outcome of somebody else's actions or deeds.

Being happy is very much in our control since it is 'Reality' that leads to happiness. Allowing our senses to be pleased by a beautiful house is still 'Reality' and it makes us happy. 'Reality' is not controllable. 'Actuality' is. And it is very difficult to control it.