This concept of pure mind comes from a culture that is already too alienated from the physical, from nature, and from our own bodies. Another problem with virtual reality is that it is detached from the seasons, from nature, and from those not in the virtual mini-world being created by its participants. It is too easy to create an experience of beautiful scenery, peace, and harmony while ignoring environmental destruction outside, and forgetting about the legions of underpaid third worlders that make the infrastructure on which virtual reality depends possible. Extending the ability of a few privileged computer users to create experiences only amplifies this basic fallacy. The cyberpunk movement has been very self absorbed and solipsistic, with an inflated sense of self importance fed by their privileged ability to create their own reality, free from the challenges of working changes in the real world.
More sophisticated illusions are a far cry from moving beyond illusion toward consciousness.
Virtual constructs are also limited to that which can be represented by information. Throwing more information at this problem, or creating false chaos through fractals does not overcome this limitation. The mysteries are not information. Beyond the superficial fabric of reality are amazing realms that no computer could create. Computers and virtual reality seem to be irrevocably of that fabric, and are swept away with it when the veil between the worlds parts.