Mithy§ and anitya

A-nitya is (not nitya) impermanent.  All of us know that this world is anitya or impermanent.  What is anitya? That which has a beginning and an end is anitya. Things are produced and destroyed.  All living beings are anitya. They come to life, existe and die. Thus, all things and living beings are transitory.

Thus, all worldly things including living creatures are impermanent.  Not only they are impermanent (anitya), they are also false (mithy§).  What is the difference between anitya and mithy§? A task, say for example, a session of cooking is anitya. Why so? It has a beginning and an end. Prior to its beginning, it was not in existence and after the completion, it will not be there. So, it is anitya.

However, things which are impermanent (anitya) are not unreal.  A toffy is produced. It is real. It has a beginning. Once it is eaten, its existence comes to an end, even though its existence is real, it is impermanent.  In between its production and consumption, the toffy has an existence which is real. This is mundane understanding of reality. But in Ved§nta, reality means eternal reality (or nitya).  This (nitya) is ‘tri-k§la-av§dhitatvam satyatvam’, means, it is in existence in all three periods of time: past, present and future. There is no question of its coming into existence, maintaining existence and disappearance.  Brahman, the ultimate reality alone is nitya or permanent.

(Complete article on asking)

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