The Ultimate Reality and the Universe
At the beginning, only the Ultimate Reality exists. From this source emerges the cosmic energy or force (maya, prakriti) which is the substance of which the physical universe is formed. The cosmic energy is composed of three distinct forces (gunas) named sattva (existence), rajas (flaring up) and tamas (darkness). Each of the gunas stands for a distinct aspect of the physical reality - sattva signifies whatever is pure and fine, rajas signifies whatever is active and tamas signifies whatever is stolid and offers resistance. Viewed as forces, sattva appears as the wheeling tendency, rajas appears as the scattering tendency and tamas appears as the compressing tendency. As long as the three gunas are in equilibrium, the universe is unmanifested, but in the very moment one of the gunas predominates, the universe comes into existence. By virtue of the gunas, the five elements are formed - akasha, air, fire, water and earth. These terms are just symbolic names which should not be taken literally. Essentially, the latter four elements merely represent a first division of akasha.
The diversity of appearances in the universe is owed to the variety of mixtures and interactions of the gunas. Whether the cosmic energy appears as a human mind, as a galaxy or as electromagnetic force, depends solely on the gunas. While the Ultimate Reality is the source which remains forever unchanged, the universe or maya is continuously fluctuating due to the play of the gunas. Thoughts come and go and atoms are dynamic systems by virtue of the gunas. Even the four forces, which physicists regard as elementary, are certain mixtures of the gunas. Vedanta does not tell much about the details of the physical world that surrounds us. For these details the reader is referred to the quantum physics section of this site. There you will learn, among other things, that Vedanta's concept of akasha, mentioned above, is identical to the Quantum Field Theoretical concept of vacuum energy-field - except that Quantum Field Theory is in lack of an explanation of the origin of the vacuum field. However, as the vacuum energy-field is believed to be the source and essential substance of every physical phenomenon in the universe - so is akasha from some point off. Nevertheless, according to Vedanta, the most fundamental physical substance is not akasha but the gunas.
Nothing comes from nothing, so - since only the Ultimate Reality existed at the beginning and nothing has entered the universe since then - the Ultimate Reality is indeed the only source and true reality of everything. According to Vedanta, the present universe is just part of a beginningless and endless cycle. When the current cosmic evolution has reached its maximum, involution will set in until, once again, only the Ultimate Reality exists. Then a brand-new universe will emerge - and so forth. Time defines the beginning of a universe, space defines its existence and causation defines its end. The sequence of phenomena is time, their co-existence is space and their movement or change is causation. Time, space and causation are just conceptions of the mind and have no separate existence. The mind and its activities are part of this universe but the Ultimate Reality is not. Thus, the concepts of time, space and causation do not apply to the Ultimate Reality. - Indeed, the Ultimate Reality is truly ultimate.
When it comes to the human mind and body, Vedanta has a lot to tell. This is the issue of the next couple of pages.
