Non - Duality
Ramana Maharshi quotes about the "World"
From the false notion of "other" the primal Duality of "I" & "this" constitutes the mis-identifed Ego-"I" or sense of Individuality. Secondary Thoughts that make up a "Mind" include Conceptual & Perceptual thoughts. The latter are symbolized as Senses whose objects: near & far seem to be a Body & the World. "Going back the way you came" by Self-Inquiry can, but need not always, start with the unreality of that World. In that sense & at times, by way of starting with a questioner's own supositions, the Maharshi spoke of the "World" at different levels of Duality & Non-duality.
Why the World exists:
Does the World come & ask: “Why do I exist ? How was I created ?” It is you who ask the question & who must establish the relationship between the World & yourself. You must admit that the World is your own imagination.
If World appears, Self is not known.
If World be seen, it too is only Self -
absolute Brahman.
When he realizes his own Self he will know that there is nothing other than his own Self and he will come to look upon the whole Universe as Brahman.
Mind, ... Body, ... Senses, ... World.
When the Mind arises from the Self, the World appears. When a World appears, the Self will not appear; when the Self appears, the World will not appear,
Dream seems real while dreaming, the World seems real while awake. At some arbitrary point in eternal Time in a vast Universe, life plays out for a moment.
Ego-Mind depends on concepts it has imagined -
no World, no Body, no Ego
Has anyone seen the World without a Body ? The World can only be known by the Senses.The Senses can only be experienced by the Mind. Without the Mind, no World can be experienced.
Dream is real & not illusory to you so long as you do not know that the Dream is illusory. Similarly with the Waking World, sensations get co-ordinated to give you the impression that the World is real.