Existence & Reality
What is the difference between that which “Exists” and what we define as ”Real”? Lets look at the definitions of these two words first.
Exists is defined as: “be, being (have an existence, be extant)”.
Real is defined as: “being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory”.
From this starting point, our initial view would seem to indicate that they are similar in meaning. But upon closer inspection, we find that the essential quality of what is Real is “in fact or actuality; having verified existence”. It is this factual or verifiable existance that sets the wheel of Contrary Wisdom in motion. Only one of them fits the criteria as true when defined by:
Contrary: a proposition so related to another that though both may be false
they cannot both be true; i.e. “knowledge and wisdom” are contrary terms.
Existence and Reality are contrary terms.
That which exists cannot be defined or verified other than through ones individual experience. Therefore that which would be defined as real, i.e. reality, with its essence based in existence is not.
It is easy enough to find examples that show the relationship between existence and reality and how they are contrary to each other.
- We know that we exist, yet science tells us that the reality of the physical form is made up of 99.99% empty space. All of what we think of as real, be it a tree, our planet, even the universe, is 99.99% empty space.
- A tree exists, we can experience it with all of our senses, yet it is impossible to define it. What is it that makes it a tree? How do you define the essence of a tree, especially to someone who has not experienced it before? Is the tree real, does it have reality? It is this very question that spins most minds into a endless vortex of circular reasoning. If you can verify its existence, its real, otherwise, its not real.
- Everything we see around us, real or not real? Are we even seeing it? Sight itself is limited to reflection. What we see are the reflected colors of objects, and not its true colors. A blade of grass may look green, but that is only a reflection, the grass blade is absorbing the other spectrum colors and reflecting the green light wave that it doesn’t absorb. The true color of grass is closer to red. We can’t even verify an objects color, much less its reality.
- Most everyone has heard of the term Photo-shopped, where a digital image is manipulated and retouched to create a new reality. An example would be a photo of two people sitting next to each other. They both took a photo of the other, and through the magic of computers, created a combined photo that pictured them seated together. The picture exists, but it is not real.
These are just four examples, there are many more, and are easy enough to find now that you know how to look for them. Some schools of Buddhism hold that reality is something void of description, the formless which forms all illusions or maya. Buddhists hold that we can only discuss objects which are not reality itself and that nothing can be said of reality which is true in any absolute sense. Discussions of a permanent self are necessarily about the reality of self which cannot be pointed to nor described in any way. Similar is the Taoist saying, that the Tao that can be named is not the true Tao, or way.
The only thing we can state is that we exist, but the statement itself is not real.