Maya is a fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy, notably in the Advaita (Nondualist) school of Vedanta. It is a Sanskrit word that means "magic" or "illusion". Maya originally denoted the magic power with which a god can make human beings believe in what turns out to be an illusion. By extension, it later came to mean the powerful force that creates the cosmic illusion that the phenomenal world is real. For the Nondualists, maya is thus that cosmic force that presents the infinite brahman (the supreme being) as the finite phenomenal world.

Maya is also reflected on the individual level by human ignorance (ajnana) of the real nature of the self, which is mistaken for the empirical ego but which is in reality identical with brahman. Under the influence of the three gunas, the soul is misled by matter and subsequently entangled and entrapped. This tendency is termed maya (illusion) . In ignorance (tamas), the soul is fully convinced that right is wrong and wrong is right. In passion, the soul is unsure, hesitant, sometimes enjoying and at other times repenting. Only in goodness does the soul begin to develop wisdom – to see things in the real light. Thus enlightenment means moving away from tamas towards sattva. By doing so, the soul gradually escapes the clutches of maya and moves towards liberation.

In summary, Maya is a concept in Hinduism that refers to the illusionary nature of the phenomenal world and the ignorance of the real nature of the self. It is a powerful force that creates the cosmic illusion that the phenomenal world is real and presents the infinite brahman as the finite phenomenal world. On an individual level, maya is reflected by human ignorance of the real nature of the self, which is mistaken for the empirical ego.