Ignorance is a condition that needs to be overcome because we must understand that this reality is not all that there is. We do not want to live in a limited world. Realizing this concept of an illusory world helps us to gain insight toward the metaphysical. The Upanishad belief in the idea of Maya illustrates this world that we live in. The appearances are all we can perceive in our limited world. To overcome this state of illusory existence, we must experience something beyond time and history. This paper will focus on the notion of the metaphysical and further explain its importance with use of examples from the Tiger Story. .
The idea of overcoming ignorance is important because knowledge can have powerful life changing potential. Knowledge of a world greater then one that is perceived can also be satisfying. Since according to Upanishad belief, this world that we live in is not real, knowing that there is a higher level of existence proves to be a great discovery. It is better to have knowledge of an existence of a world that we do not know then to be ignorant of it. We can console ourselves from believing that there is something greater then what we have now. .
The Tiger Story shows the limited level of existence while living with the goats. Metaphysically the life of the tiger was similar to our own life according to Upanishads. We live a life similar to that of the tiger's while inhabited amongst the goats. Living a limiting life with the goats caused the tiger to be thin and meek. Like this, we too are meek when we live in this world of illusion. Sometimes we feel disappointment and anger when we are so involved in this world, like the tiger had difficulty when he tried to eat the grass with his sharp teeth. The tiger didn't know that he didn't fit in that society of goats. That illustrates to us that we don't fit in this Maya. That is why the eastern philosophers thought there is another world that we could fit into.