The universe is real for him who has not attained to the knowledge of the soul

The validity of the judgment, which one continually passes on events taking place around him in practical life within the practical world is not denied but all these experiences are happening within the universe [waking or dream] is mere illusion. It is true that the phenomenal world is the outcome of ignorance, but it has a certain relative reality but the relative reality is mere illusion from ultimate standpoint. Thus the relative reality is based on the false self within the false experience because there is no second thing exist other than consciousness thus there is only non-dual reality.


The universe is real for him who has not attained to the knowledge of the  soul, the innermost self. Just as the entire complex of phenomenal existence in the dream is considered to be true until waking arises. Similarly, the entire complex of phenomenal existence of the waking experience is considered as true so long as the non-dual wisdom has not arisen. –FORMLESS PATH