Where is the silver screen? (Upanishads...)

There is an interesting allegory given by one Swami of Rämakrishna order (successors of Swami Vivekananda). The allegory tries to explain how Turïya is the substrate of the entire world we see around, but still it is not apparent. The allegory goes as follows.

Once, a father took his child to watch a movie. The child was quite inquisitive. So before reaching the movie hall the child asked his father – “What is a movie?”. In reply, the father gave a simple explanation – “A movie is where various images are projected on to a ‘silver screen’ ”.

When the duo reached the movie hall the movie had already started. The child watched the movie with lot of interest.

But it did not understand one thing. So it asked its father – “Dad, where is the silver screen?” Father said that whatever was in front is the silver screen.

But the child could only see various images – image of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and so on. But not the silver screen. So it asked once again – “But where is the silver screen?”. Father said – “Behind the Mickey mouse”. But the child found only a tree behind Mickey mouse. “Behind the tree” – father said. But there was only sky behind the tree. So where is the silver screen?!

The child kept wondering. Fortunately there was interval time. The movie paused for the break. The entire hall was dark for a while. The child could see neither the images, nor the silver screen! A few minutes later, lights were on. Now, the child could see the silver screen right in front of it

Interval time is over. Lights were switched off. The movie resumed. Now the child knew where the silver screen was and had no questions.

The swami equated the silver screen to the Turïya or Ätma over which the ‘movie of life’ (the life each one of us experiences) is projected. The movie characters have no independent existence apart from the screen that supports them. But when the movie is going on, the silver screen cannot be seen.

Only when the movie stops and the lights are on, one can see the silver screen. That is when wakeful and dream states stop and the wisdom dawns (i.e. ultimate state of meditation), one can see the Turïya. But light has to be on since it cannot be seen in darkness (like in deep sleep state).

Also, once you know what Turïya is, movie (mundane life) starting again, cannot confuse you about the reality. You know that it is out there as the substratum.

Šankara gave a very similar but equally interesting allegory to drive home the same point. We will see that in the next post.

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