Definition
- Maya is the principle of illusion that makes the one brahman appear as the manifold world of names and forms (name and form).
Key Teachings
- Maya is that which makes the real appear as it is not. Like a rope mistaken for a snake, Maya projects false appearances on the real.
- Maya has two powers: veiling (avarana) hiding the true nature of Brahman, and projecting (vikshepa) projecting the world of multiplicity.
- When ignorance is removed through self realisation, Maya is seen for what it is an appearance in Brahman, not separate from it.