Levels of Reality
Distinguishing ultimate, empirical, and illusory reality.
Vedanta distinguishes three levels: paramarthika (ultimate reality - Brahman alone), vyavaharika (empirical reality - the world as experienced), and pratibhasika (illusory - like dreams or mirages).
From the ultimate standpoint, Brahman alone is real. From the empirical standpoint, the world functions.
This framework resolves apparent contradictions about reality.
Vedantic Tradition