44
Ignorance
(avidya)
The player who lands in avidya forgets the illusory nature of existence and becomes attached to certain emotional states and sense perceptions. This snake draws his energy down to the first chakra and the sensual plane. Loss of understanding of the nature of maya causes suspension of the rational faculty of the mind and leads to identification with certain states.
Vidya is knowledge; a means without. The absence of knowledge is ignorance. Knowledge is understanding one’s role in the game from wherever one is at the moment. The real avidya is within the mind. No avidya exists outside the mental realm. Our perceptions of reality are but reflections of our own selves. Bur while nothing exists outside the mind, this does not mean that only the player and his mind exist. The world of name and form exists also, but it is perceived differently by every player's mind from the place where he is vibrating at the moment.
This same world is a place of enjoyment for some and a hell for others. Each mind receives the world in its own way and attaches importance to objects according to its own karmas. Real knowledge is to understand reality without assigning value judgments. Real knowledge is nonattachment to the objects of sense perception, which are always changing, temporary, and therefore not reality.
If the player only keeps track of his inner sound — the sound of his self, his being — he will not fall prey to his own mind. Mind is like a tiger dwelling in the forest of desires, surrounded by a reality full of prey.
This artwork vividly captures the concept of 'Ignorance' (avidya) in a spiritual context. It portrays a player entangled in the realm of avidya, where the illusory nature of existence is forgotten, and there is an attachment to emotional states and sense perceptions. The central figure in the artwork is drawn towards the sensual plane, depicted symbolically by the presence of a snake, representing the descent of energy and the loss of rational thought.
The background of the piece reflects the mental realm, underscoring the idea that our perceptions of reality are mere reflections of ourselves. It highlights the variability in individual perceptions, with each person experiencing the world differently based on their mental state and position.
The colors and composition of the artwork evoke the sense of a mind ensnared in a forest of desires, indicative of a reality that is constantly shifting and temporary. This scene illustrates the trap of becoming attached to impermanent objects of sense perception and the importance of maintaining focus on one's inner self, despite the distractions of the mind. The artwork conveys the essence of true knowledge as nonattachment and the recognition of the transient nature of the material world, urging an inward journey towards self-awareness and spiritual enlightenment.