māyā
माया
Illusion; the power of appearance; that which measures out or creates forms.
In Vedanta
The beginningless power (śakti) of Brahman, composed of the three guṇas, which accounts for the appearance of the manifold universe. Māyā is neither real nor unreal (sadasadvilakṣaṇā) — it cannot be categorized as sat or asat. When associated with Īśvara it is called māyā; when associated with the jīva it is called avidyā.