As abstract as the topic sounds, my inspiration to write about this also stems from an abstract discussion.
I recently caught up with the latest movie in the Matrix Franchise “Matrix Resurrections”. And post credits, our discussions broke out. What is this all about? What does the Red or the blue pill do? Is there a relation between the Matrix world and the Advaita Philosophy preached by the Hindu sage Adi Shankara around the 7th Century A.D? (Specifically, the idea of Maya, more on this later)
Per my understanding of the history of the Matrix, it appears that 99% of human beings have accepted the Matrix as real i.e., they are happy being in a pod with their brains wired to a computer simulation forever, showing them as living in a virtual world (aka maya or illusion). The virtual world has gone thru a few iterations per the movie background and the latest version of the “Matrix” is fairly stable because the machines working with “the architect” are able to keep all human beings’ content in their illusionary world by giving them power to make decisions i.e., by giving them a paradox of choice (“if”, “if else” option, you programmers!). The illusion of choice and response makes you feel powerful, in control of your destiny, makes you feel accomplished (“ability to pick and choose”). Now you know how to feel powerful! Take decisions:) Per the story, since the program involved the paradox of choice, most of the human beings connected to the Matrix eventually started liking the matrix world over the real one as it introduced twists and turns to their otherwise serene /mundane daily routine in the previous versions of the matrix. They have been happily sleeping inside their pods, generating power as battery source for the machines, who are already ruling over humans, wired in to the Matrix and living in an illusion (Maya) where their “avatar” is having a wild run.
I will not try to get in to multiple rabbit holes here since this concept is deep, rich and complex, but I wanted to highlight how similar the world of “Matrix” as conceptualized by the Wachowski’s (creators of the Matrix) is to the concept of “Maya” as described by Adi Shankara in his treatise Vivekachudamani. According to Shankara, maya is the mistaken tendency to regard appearance as reality. The unconscious tendency to perceive the world of appearances as the world of ultimate reality provides an illusory form of knowledge. This illusory or wrong knowledge of the phenomenal world may be ‘sublated’ or corrected by right knowledge of Brahman (means ultimate reality, not to be confused with the caste Brahman). Shankara explains that maya conceals Brahman, and that it creates the plurality of phenomena which characterize the empirical world. Maya enables us to develop diverse concepts of the empirical world, and sustains the world as an appearance of Brahman.1
Shankara argues that there are two types of knowledge: 1) lower knowledge, by which the phenomenal world is apprehended, and 2) higher knowledge, by which Brahman is apprehended.
The way I interpret the movie is that Morpheus is the guru that guides the most powerful program within the Matrix (Neo) to its manifest destiny (making him “the one”). He makes Neo realize that he lives in the Matrix and shows him that being free and getting to make real choices and decisions in the “real world” (read Zion) is better than living a life of comfort inside “the matrix” world.
He helps Neo realize his powers and break the most powerful programs of the Matrix, meet the Architect, talk to the Oracle and eventually strike a deal with the Machines as a leader of the “Free world” AKA Zion. In the latest edition he takes on “the Analyst” successfully too. In recognition of the relation of this concept to Hinduism/Buddhism, the end credit scene in Matrix Revolutions has a Hindu Shloka (hymn) recited as a song. Could I assume that as a form of acknowledgement that this movie is inspired by some of the concepts?
Again, it would be naïve to say that the entire movie was based on one philosophy, the creators deserve the credit for a brilliant concept, wonderful potrayal of the virtual and first class graphics. It was the the best in the class when the original movie was released. I only wanted to highlight the common attributes between Maya and the Matrix, at least conceptually, but the movie series has links to a lot of such concepts.
There are multiple articles/opinions available on the web that you may read to enter worm, ahem rabbit holes!
Sources:
kolum's musings 