Is suffering real ? Is love, joy real?

[J_A_S_G]

Originally Posted by MikeS80

Wouldn`t all experiences a person have, also be an unreal dream or illusion?

Yup.

In ancient India there was a King called Janak. One day, after having eaten a filling lunch, King Janak fell asleep and dreamed he had lost a battle, his kingdom and ran for his life to a forest. Now he was hungry and was a beggar looking for food.

Extremely hungry and thirsty, he desperately approached a hut from which an old lady gave him rice & Dal (Lentils) and told him to cook his own meal. King cooked food and as he was about to eat a dog came and snatched his food and ran away.

King suddenly awoke in a sweat. He was in his quiet, serene palace, with a full stomach and servants fanning him. He was then confronted with the question of What was real? Was he a beggar, as in the nightmare, or he is a king?

With this question, King Janak assembled all of his advisors. All attempted to give an explanation, but Janak was not satisfied with any of their answers.

Then a young crooked boy Ashtavakra entered the court and surprised everyone with the answer: “King Janaka, neither beggar nor emperor is real. You alone are real. You, yourself, are the truth. The you who was present as pure consciousness in the dream state playing the role of the beggar and who is present in the waking state playing the role of the king, this you who witnessed both these states, is your true reality.