Samkhya and the Matrix

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Law of Causation

The interplay of the philosophical concepts in the Matrix story, is one of the best parts of the whole trilogy. Sample this (Matrix Reloaded)

Merovingian: But do you? You think you do but you do not. You are here because you were sent here, you were told to come here and you obeyed. [Laughs] It is, of course, the way of all things. You see, there is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect.
Morpheus: Everything begins with choice.

The Law of Causation is first discussed when Neo, Trinity and Morpheus visit Merovingian. He taunts them on the reason they have come to meet him.

According to Vedanta the phenomenon of the world is due to the play between Cause and Effect. The Law of Causation as described in Swami Parthasarathy's book has two heads : Law of Destiny and Law of Karma. The Law of Destiny connects one from their past to their current status. The Law of Karma deals with the past, present and the future.

Matrix Philosophy and Vedanta : Topics

The trilogy touches may philosophical topics. which many people may not realize :

1) What it Real
2) What is Choice
3) Return to the Source
4) States of Consciousness (Waking,Dreaming,Deep Sleep)

My blog will cover these in detail

Matrix Explained

This is my intrepretition of the story. I think the Matrix can be viewed from two angles : one as a pure science fiction story the other provoking philosophical questions and thoughts. These philosphies may not be tied to a specific relgion : but seem to be influenced by Hinduism.

Matrix as a Science Fiction Story

The story is primarily about a war between Humans and the Machines. The Machines have won the initial battle and now control all humans. Humans are required to provide fuel for running the machines. (There is no sunlight : obstructed by clouds which were a result of the war between Machines and Humans).

The humans are plugged into a program called the Matrix. This progam was been designed by the 'Architect' (Father of the Matrix). His initial versions of the Matrix : though perfect in design : were rejected by humans who were plugged into them. The reason being sub-conciosly humans had needed to have the feel that they were deciding what needs to be done : or as put in the film : Problem was Choice or the lack of it. This aspect was hit upon by an Intutive Program (most probably the Oracle : Mother of the Matrix) .

Because of this the Architect was forced to introduce the concept of Choice in the Matrix. The problem now was that though 99% of the humans excepted this solution there were about 1 % still rejected the program . This rejection was due to 'Anomoly' introduced in the Matrix because the Architect had to introduce 'Choice' in the system.

Though it is not clear what this anomly was or why it caused a problem : my theory is as follows. The Matrix was designed in a way that for any action : there would be choices which the human had to make. The Matrix was able to accurately predict what Choice a human would make for most of the cases (99%) but there were a small number of cases where humans would make choices that the Matrix did not expect them to make. So I presume there was no code to control such humans and they were able to escape the Matrix. Most of the crucial events in the film are always preceded by a choice offered. The Red or Blue pill scene , choosing the Right or Left door scene.

So the way the World functioned was as follows. There would be people who rejected the Matrix and escaped into Zion. The Matrix had a control here in the form of Agents of the system would try and prevent this from happening. After a particular period (around 100 years) 'The One' would make an appearance. The One would have the capabilty or realization that within the Matrix everything is un-Real and his thoughts could drive the way the wanted to behave in the Matrix.

Once the 'The One' makes an appearance he is guided to the Source. The Oracle helps in guiding him there. Once the 'The One' reaches the Source : he meets the Architect there who provides 'The One' with two choices. One is to save exit back to Matrix which would lead to the destruction of the Matrix and the other to choose 16Males and 7 Females to repopulate Zion. In either case the machines destroy Zion (done it 5 time previously and are experts for on the same).

It seems the previous One's naturally chose to save mankind and did not return directly to the Matrix. In this case however Neo returns to save Trinity, something which the Architect had not expected.

Neo after renetering the Matrix and saving Trinity then returns to the Oracle for guidance. The Oracle guides Neo to go to the Machine City

The Matrix and the Vedas

I would like to try and explain the similiarities with Vedanta (based on some limted 'gyan' I have picked up inspired by the W Bros!!!). (Interestingly the Sanskrit recitation at the end encapsulates all this brilliantly)

Vedanta states three mental temparaments known as Tamas,Raja and Satva. Thomas Anderson's / Neo's life seems to have been taken to show how a person evolves thru these states in his lifetime.

Tamas is supposed to be lowest state, filled with inaction and a person is steeped in ignorance. (This to me is signified by a person plugged into the Matrix) Rajas is the next state,higher than Tamas but where a persons actions are driven by desire and a person who is agitated(This to me is signified by people in Zion) Satva is the highest state of the mind. A man's actions are perfect,his state is free of wordly desires and passions. Actions done in this stage are what are ones obligatory duties (refer to Ramchandra's conversation with Neo in Mobil Avenue) and is not based on a persons likes or dislikes. (This to me is signified by Neo,during the latest stages of M3)

Scriptures believe that a Atman exisits in each living being. The Atman is supposed to the same in all living beings and infite. The reason individuals are different of differences in one's intellect,body and mind. (I think this has been illustrated thru choices made thru the film). This is also what is called one's self. The scriptures also convey the message that the purpose of one's life is discovering this Atman in one self or Reunite with U'r self (interestingly the word Religon etomologically is derived from Re (BACK) Ligare (BIND), which means the same...and so does the buzz word Yoga), A person is able to evolve into this higher state thru right actions and thought and his life experiences help him in doing so. One's self is immortal, infinite and all prevading. The Atman is not supposed to be limited by the Human body, his mind or intellect.

If u look at the text of the Sansrkit Shlok in the end U could appreciate this a bit more.

From delusion lead me to truth
From darkness lead me to light
From death lead me to immortality.

He who knows both knowledge and action,
with action overcomes death and with knowledge reaches immortality
In him are woven the sky and the earth and all the regions of the air,
and in him rest the mind and all the powers of life.

Know him as the ONE and leave aside all other words.
He is the bridge of immortality

(Tamas stage to Satva and then the Self)

Beyond the senses is the mind,
and beyond the mind is reason, its essence.
Beyond reason is the Spirit in man,
and beyond this is the Spirit of the Universe, the evolver of all.

(Humans according to Vedanta is composed of his Body, Mind and Intellect, and his Self)

When the five senses and the mind are still,
and reason itself rests in silence, then begins the Path supreme.
And when he is seen in his immanence and transcendence,
then the ties that have bound the heart are unloosened,
the doubts of the mind vanish,
and the law of Karma works no more.

(This describes the Self, one a person realizes this he breaks away from the cycle of life / death)