[Advaita-l] Past, Present and Future

[ramesh badisa via Advaita-l]

Namaskaram to all members,

The question on past, present, and future can be looked from two different levels. 
In the absence of self knowledge, yes, they do exist. Therefore, past is illusion, or present is illusion or future is illusion is not correct. After all, our current existence in human form is nothing but the consequence of our past deeds. Time exists even up to the loka of Saguna Brahman. So, where is the question of time being illusion? Until the dawn of true knowledge, every one is bound under the realms of the time. On the other hand, for a self-experienced person, time does not exist in absolute sense. But still such persons come down to the Earth (or else where) in the form of divine incarnations to guide people. It means that even self experience beings also work under the realms of time, although their coming is not bound by karma, but still they come to the world voluntarily to help others. Self-realization does not mean that it is a state of inactivity forever. Everyone - realized or not realized carry out actions, even though the attitude of
 realized beings is different from others. I read somewhere that at any given time, several millions of such noble beings guide people at different levels on spiritual path.
Namaskaram,
ramesh