V. Upasama Prakaranam - Section Dealing with Dissolution - chapters 44 to 93

5. The Story of Gadhi

  section V - chapter 44 - rama paryavasaneyam maya samsrtinamika atmacittajayenaiva ksayamayati na nyatha (1)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, this cycle of birth and death is an interminable one; this Maya ceases only by the mastery of one's own heart (mind), not otherwise. To illustrate this, there is a legend which I shall presently narrate to you.

In this world there is a region known as Kosala. In it there was a brahmana known as Gadhi. He was very learned and the very embodiment of dharma. Right from his very childhood he was filled with the spirit of renunciation and dispassion. Once this brahmana went away to the forest in order to practise austerity. Desiring to behold Visnu, he entered the water of a river and there began to recite various mantras, which soon completely purified his being.

After a period of eight months, lord Visnu appeared there and said to him: "Ask of me the boon of your choice."

The brahmana said:

"Lord, I wish to behold your own illusory power (Maya) which deludes all beings and keeps them in ignorance."

Lord Visnu said:

"You will behold my Maya and then you will at once abandon the illusory perception of objects."

After lord Visnu disappeared, Gadhi rose from the water. He was highly pleased. For several days thereafter, Gadhi engaged himself in various holy activities, constantly immersed in the bliss which had resulted from his vision of lord Visnu.

One day, he went to the river for his bath, still meditating upon the words of lord Visnu. While he immersed himself in the water, he beheld himself dead and mourned by all. His body had fallen and his face had become pale and lifeless.

He saw himself surrounded by very many relatives who were all weeping and wailing aloud; they were inconsolably grief-stricken. His wife was shedding tears as if a dam had been breached, and she had caught hold of his feet. His mother, beside herself with grief, had caught hold of his face and was weeping bitter tears and crying aloud. He was surrounded by a number of grief-stricken relatives.

He saw himself lying silent, as if asleep or in deep meditation; he was taking a long rest, as it were. He listened to all the weeping and wailing of the relatives and wondered "What does all this mean?"; he was curious about the nature of friendship and relationship.

Soon the relatives carried his body away to the crematorium. After the performance of the funeral rites, they placed the body on the funeral pyre. They set the pyre alight and soon the body of Gadhi was consumed by the fire.

  section V - chapter 45 - evam sa svapaco rajyam prapa kirapurantare aranyam harinam pustamapranamiva vayasah (44)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, Gadhi, who still remained immersed in the river, then saw that he was in the region known as Bhutamandalam as a foetus in the womb of a tribal woman. He was surrounded by filth and flesh in the body of that woman. In course of time, he was born as her son. For a time he wallowed in his own excreta. He was dark in colour like his parents. He was well-beloved in the family.

Soon he grew up into a robust young man. He was a good hunter. He got married to a tribeswoman. He roamed the forest freely. He led a nomadic life, sometimes sleeping under a tree, sometimes hiding himself in a bush and sometimes making a cave his abode. And, he became a father. His children were as violent and wicked as he was.

He had a large family. He had numerous relations and friends. He grew old. He did not die, but one by one he lost all his friends and relatives to death. Disgusted, he left his native realm and wandered away to foreign lands. Aimlessly he wandered in many countries.

One day, while thus wandering from one place to another, he entered a kingdom which was obviously very rich and prosperous. He was walking along the main road of the capital city of this kingdom. He saw in front of him a huge royal elephant which had been richly caparisoned.

This royal elephant had a mission. The king who ruled over that kingdom had just died without an heir. In accordance with the custom, the royal elephant had been commissioned to find a suitable successor. It was looking for a suitable person, even as a jeweller might look for a precious gem.

The hunter looked at the elephant for some time with a mixture of curiosity and wonder. The elephant picked him up with its trunk and quickly placed him on its own back. At that very moment there arose in that city a tumultuous sound of drums and bugles. The people everywhere exclaimed in great joy "Long live the king". The elephant had chosen the king.

Very soon, the hunter was surrounded by the members of the royal court. The beautiful women of the court surrounded him and began to dress him and adorn him with princely garments and jewels. They garlanded him; they applied various unguents and perfumes. The hunter shone as a radiant king. And they crowned him while he was seated on a throne on the back of that very elephant. Thus a tribesman and hunter became the king of Kirapura! Thereafter he enjoyed all the royal pleasures and privileges.

By and by, the very nature of his position taught him the art of ruling the kingdom: he became a well-known king named Gavala.

  section V - chapter 46 - kim me jivitaduhkhena maranam me mahotsavah lokanindyasya durjantor jivitanmaranam varam (43)

Vasistha continued:

Gavala, the king, devoutly served by the maids of the palace and by his ministers, had totally forgotten his humble origin. Thus eight years passed. And, he ruled the kingdom justly and wisely, with compassion and purity.

One day he roamed out of his inner apartments alone, and unadorned with regal dress and royal insignia: people who are conscious of their excellence ignore external

adornments. Outside the palace he saw a group of tribesmen who were singing familiar songs. Quietly he joined them and also began to sing with them.

An aged tribesman recognised him and rising from the crowd addressed him: "O Katanja! Does the king of this place bestow good gifts and presents upon you in recognition of your musical accomplishments? Ah, I am delighted to see you: who will not rejoice to meet an old friend again?" Gavala ignored this: but the ladies of the royal household and the members of the court, who were watching from a distance, were shocked. The king quickly returned to the palace.

But, the royal servants and the members of the court had not recovered from the shock of the realisation that their king was an unworthy tribesman, whom they would not even knowingly touch. They began to avoid him; they treated him as if he were a putrid corpse.

Thus neglected by his ministers, servants and the ladies-in-waiting who used to adorn him, Gavala began to appear in his real form - as a dark and ugly tribesman, hideous to look at, like a crematorium. Even the citizens avoided him and ran away at his very sight. He felt utterly lonely though he was living in the palace, surrounded by the people; he felt like a destitute person though he was king. Even if he tried to talk to them, the people would not respond or answer him!

The leaders of the community held counsel among themselves and began to talk: "Alas, we have been polluted by the touch of this tribesman who lives on the flesh of dogs. There is no expiation for this pollution, other than death. Let us raise a huge pyre and throw our sullied bodies into it and thus purify our souls." Having decided thus, they gathered firewood with which they built a huge funeral pyre. One by one they threw themselves into it. With all the elders thus having ended their lives, there was disorder and anarchy in the city.

The king Gavala reflected:

"Alas, all this was brought about by me! Why should I continue to live: death is preferable to life. For one who is dishonoured by the people death is better than life." Thus resolved, the king Gavala calmly offered his body, too, into the fire. As fire began to consume the limbs of Gavala, Gadhi, who was reciting prayers immersed in the water of the river, regained his consciousness.

At this stage, evening set in. Another day came to an end.

  section V - chapter 47 - manorajyamapi prajna labhante vyavasayinah gadhina svapnasamdrstam gatva labdhamakhanditam (37)

Vasistha continued:

Thereafter, Gadhi had become freed from the illusory vision he had. Once again he regained his consciousness that 'I am Gadhi'. He completed his religious rite and got out of the river. He continued to wonder, 'Who am I? What did I see? And how?' He concluded that because he was fatigued his mind had obviously played some tricks on him. Even as he walked away from the place, he was still contemplating the vision and enquiring into the nature of the parents, the friends and the people he had seen in that vision. He thought, "Surely, all that was illusory, for I do not perceive anything now!"

After some days, another brahmana visited him; and Gadhi duly entertained the honoured guest. During the course of their conversation, Gadhi asked the guest: "Sir, why do you look so tired and worn-out?" The guest answered: "Holy one, I shall tell you the truth! There is a kingdom in the north known as Kira. I spent a month there, being lavishly entertained by the citizens. I heard an extraordinary story from them. They said: "A tribesman ruled this kingdom for eight years. After that his identity became known. On account of him very many brahmanas of this place perished." When I heard that, I too felt polluted and hence I went to the holy place known as Prayaga and engaged myself in severe austerity and prolonged fasting. I am breaking this prolonged fast only today." The guest spent the night with Gadhi and left the following day.

Gadhi contemplated further:

"That which I saw in a hallucination, my guest saw as a factual event! Ah, I should verify the story for myself." Having thus resolved, Gadhi quickly proceeded first to the place known as Bhutamandala. Men of highly evolved consciousness can, by appropriate self- effort, attain even what they mentally visualise: Gadhi thus saw, after reaching the destination, whatever he had seen in his vision.

There he saw a village which had been deeply impressed in his consciousness. He saw the very house of the tribesman (himself) and he saw the very objects which were used by him. The house was in a very bad shape. He saw there skeletons of animals whose flesh had been eaten by the family: for some time he saw that dreadful place which looked truly like a cemetery. From there he went to the nearby village and asked the villagers: "Do you know anything about that tribesman who lived in yonder house?"

The villagers replied:

"Holy sir, of course we know. There was a dreadful-looking and fierce tribesman in that house who lived up to a ripe old age. When he had lost all his kinsmen he went away and became a king of Kira and ruled for eight years. He was found out and as a result many people died and he too killed himself. Pray, why do you ask about him? Was he related to you or do you think you are somehow related to him?" Hearing this, Gadhi was greatly puzzled.

  section V - chapter 48 - gadhe svadhividhutasya svarupasyaitadatmakam cetaso drstatattvasya yatpasyatyuruvibhramam (48)

Vasistha continued:

Gadhi recognised several objects and places connected with his 'life' in that village - where he lay intoxicated, where he slept, where he ate, the dress he wore, etc. From there Gadhi travelled to the Kira kingdom. He went to the capital city and there he enquired of the citizens: "Was this country ruled by a tribesman some time ago?" They replied enthusiastically: "Oh, yes: and he ruled for eight years, having been chosen by the royal elephant! When his identity was discovered, he committed suicide. It was twelve years ago."

Just then he beheld the king come out of the palace with his retinue: and the king was disguised lord Visnu! Seeing all this, he wondered: this indeed is the kingdom of Kira which I ruled not so long ago, which I see now as if it happened in a past birth! He asked himself, "It was like a dream: yet, it appears in front of me in the wakeful state! Alas, I am surely caught in the net of some sort of hallucination. I remember now that lord Visnu had granted me the boon that I would see his Maya. Surely, this is it." He left the city at once and went to a mountain-cave nearby and there performed intense austerity.

Soon, lord Visnu appeared before him and asked him to choose any boon he liked. Gadhi asked the Lord: "The hallucination that I had as in a dream, how is it also seen in the wakeful state?"

The Lord said:

O Gadhi! That which you see now is an illusion: it is truly naught but the self, but perceived by the mind which has not been purified and which has not realised the truth. There is nothing outside the self: just as the tree is in the seed, all this is already in the mind and the mind sees it as if it is outside. It is the mind alone that perceives all this now, visualises all this as if in the future and remembers all this as if in the past. It is the mind alone that is experienced as dream, illusion, illness, etc. In the mind are countless 'events' like flowers on a tree in full bloom. And, just as an uprooted tree bears no flowers, the mind freed of percepts and concepts is freed from rebirth etc.

Is it any wonder that the mind which contains countless thought-forms should be able to manifest the idea "I am a tribesman"? Even so, the same mind manifests other ideas like "I have a brahmana-guest who told me the story, etc." and "I am going to Bhutamandalam" and "I am in Kira kingdom now". All this was but hallucination! Thus, O Holy one, you have seen both forms of illusion: the one which you yourself thought was illusion and the other which you think is reality - both of which are hallucination in truth. You entertained no guest, and you did not go anywhere! All this, too, was but hallucination. You have really not been to Bhutamandalam or the Kira kingdom - all these were also illusions. Arise, O sage, engage yourself in whatever action is appropriate here: for without such activity, one does not attain what is worthy in this life!

  section V - chapter 49 - tathahi bahavah svapnamekam pasyanti manavah svapabhramada maireyamada manthara cittavat (11)

Vasistha continued:

In order to reassure himself, Gadhi once again went over to Bhutamandalam etc. Once again he heard the same stories from the people over there. Once again, he adored lord Visnu, who once again appeared before him. Gadhi asked the Lord: "Lord, I roamed for six months in the two realms and heard the same stories which the people there narrate as true. Pray, clear this confusion."

The Lord said:

O Gadhi, these incidents are reflected in your mind, though they took place unrelated to you, even as there appears to be a coincidental connection between the crow alighting upon a cocoanut tree and a cocoanut falling to the ground. Hence, they narrate the same story which you believe to be yours! Such coincidence is not uncommon: sometimes the same illusion is perceived by many. Sometimes many people have the same dream: several people experience the same hallucination and many drunkards may all of them simultaneously experience that the world is revolving around them. Several children play at the same game.

Such confusion may arise in the minds of people in regard to time, too. Time is a concept of the mind. Time is related to certain phenomena in a mutual causal relationship.

Lord Visnu disappeared, and Gadhi contemplated for a long time. Once again he prayed and the Lord appeared before him.

Gadhi prayed to him:

"Lord, I am utterly confused by your Maya. Pray remove this confusion by appropriate means."

And the Lord said:

Whatever you saw in the Bhutamandalam and Kira were possibly true. The tribesman known as Katanja was indeed born some time ago. He lost his kinsmen and became king of Kira. All this was reflected in your consciousness. Even as the mind sometimes forgets what it actually experienced, it also thinks it has experienced what it has never seen. Just as one sees dreams and visions, one experiences hallucinations even during the wakeful state. Though Katanja lived several years ago, it appeared to be in the present in your consciousness.

'This I am' - such a concept does not arise in the person who has self-knowledge but only in the mind of an ignorant person. 'I am the all' - knowing thus the knower of truth does not drown in sorrow; he does not grasp finite objects productive of sorrow. Hence, he is not swayed by joy and sorrow.

Because you are not fully enlightened your mind clings to the illusion of objective perception, of concepts. This Maya is spread out in all directions: he who remains established in the centre is free from delusion. Get up and meditate intensely for ten years.

Gadhi engaged himself in intense meditation thereafter and attained self-realisation. After that, he lived as a liberated sage, free from fear and sorrow.

  section V - chapter 50 - vartamanamanayasam bhajad bahyadhiya ksanam bhutam bhavisyadabhajad yati cittamacittatam (16)

Vasistha continued:

This cosmic illusion (Maya) creates great delusion and is of the nature of disequilibrium. It is extremely difficult to understand it. What comparison is there between a hallucination which lasts for the brief duration of an hour's dream, and a whole life-time as a tribesman with all the varied experiences? Again, how can we relate what is seen in that hallucination and what is seen 'in front of our eyes'? Or, what is truly unreal and what has really undergone a factual transformation? Hence, I tell you, O Rama, this cosmic illusion leads the unwary mind into endless difficulties.

Rama asked:

But, O holy sir, how can one restrain this wheel of cosmic illusion which revolves with such tremendous force?

Vasistha replied:

O Rama, the mind is the hub around which this vicious cycle revolves, creating delusion in the minds of the deluded. It is by firmly restraining that hub through intense self-effort and keen intelligence, that the whole wheel is brought to a standstill. When the hub's motion is stopped, the wheel does not revolve: when the mind is stilled, illusion ceases. One who does not know this trick and does not practise it, undergoes endless sorrow; the moment the truth is seen, behold! the sorrow comes to an end.

The disease of the perception of this world-illusion is not cured except through the mastery of the mind which is its only remedy. Hence, O Rama, abandon all other activities like pilgrimage, gifts and austerities, and bring the mind under your control for your ultimate good. This world-appearance abides in the mind, even as there is space within the pot; if the pot is broken, the illusory division of space vanishes; and if the mind ceases to be, the concept of a world within the mind also ceases to be. Even as an insect trapped within the pot attains freedom of movement when the pot is broken, you will also enjoy freedom when the mind ceases to be, along with the world-illusion contained in it.

Live in the present, with your consciousness externalised momentarily but without any effort: when the mind stops linking itself to the past and to the future, it becomes no-mind. If from moment to moment your mind dwells on what is and drops it effortlessly at once, the mind becomes no-mind, full of purity. It is only as long as the mind continues to be agitated that it experiences the diversity of its own projection or expansion, even as rain falls only as long as there are clouds. And, it is only as long as the infinite consciousness limits itself into the finite mind, that such agitation and expansion take place. If consciousness ceases to be the finite mind, then know that the very roots of cyclic world- illusion (of birth and death) are burnt and there is perfection.

  section V - chapter 50 - cetanam cittarikttam hi pratyakcetanamucyate nirmanaskasvabhavam tanna tatra kalanamalah (21)

Vasistha continued:

Consciousness free from the limitations of the mind is known as the inner intelligence: it is the essential nature of no-mind, and therefore it is not tainted by the impurities of concepts and percepts. That is the reality, that is supreme auspiciousness, that is the state known as the supreme self, that is omniscience - and that vision is not had when the wicked mind functions. Where there is mind, there flourish hopes and desires, and there arise the experiences of pain and pleasure. The consciousness which has been awakened to the truth does not fall into concepts and percepts: therefore, even though it seems to undergo various psychological experiences, it does not give rise to the world-illusion and the cycle of world-appearance.

In the case of those who have been awakened through the study of scriptures, company of holy men and unceasing and vigilant practice of truth, their consciousness has reached the pure state of non-objectiveness. Hence, one should forcefully uplift one's mind from the state of ignorance and vacillation and apply it to the study of scriptures and to the company of holy sages.

The self alone is the sole aid for the realisation of the supreme self or the infinite consciousness. It is one's own self that strives to abandon one's own sorrow; and for this the realisation of one's own self by oneself is the only course.

Hence, O Rama, while yet remaining active in this world (talking, taking and leaving etc.) be without the mind and realise that you are pure consciousness. Abandon notions such as 'This is mine', 'That is he', 'This I am' and be established in the consciousness of undivided oneness. As long as the body lasts, consider the present and the future with an equanimous consciousness. Be for ever established in the consciousness of the self in all states - youth, manhood and old age, pleasure and pain, in the waking, dream and sleep states. Abandon the impurity of objective perception, hopes and desires: remain established in self-knowledge. Give up notions of auspicious and inauspicious happenings, give up visions of the desirable and undesirable: know that you are the essence of consciousness. Realise that subject, object and actions do not touch you: remain as pure consciousness without any disturbance in it. Know 'I am the all' and live in the waking state as if in deep sleep. Be freed from conditions known as duality and non-duality: and remain in a state of equilibrium which is a state of pure consciousness and freedom. Realise that this cosmic consciousness is indivisible into 'I' and 'the other'; thus remain firm and unshakable.

  section V - chapter 50 - bhogabhogatiraskaraih karsyam neyam sanairmanah rasapaharais tajjnena kalena jirnaparnavat (56)

Vasistha continued:

Cut off all the fetters of desire and hope solely with the intelligence that is unlimited and which is endowed with patience and perseverance, and go beyond dharma and adharma. When one is firmly rooted in self-knowledge, even the worst of poisons turns into immortalising nectar. It is only when this self-knowledge is overpowered by ignorance that the delusion of world-appearance arises in the mind; but when one is firmly established in self-knowledge - which is infinite, unlimited and unconditioned - then the delusion or ignorance that gave rise to world-appearance comes to an end. Then, the light of your wisdom will radiate in the four directions, throughout the world.

To one who thus drinks the nectar of immortality in the shape of self-knowledge, the delights of sense-pleasures become painful. We resort to the company of only those who have attained self-knowledge; the others are donkeys in human garb. Even as elephants move with long strides, the sages who have reached the higher states of consciousness rise to the highest states of consciousness. They have no external help at all and no sun illumines their path: self-knowledge alone is their light. In fact, the sun and the worlds become non-objects of perception to them who have gone beyond the realm of objective perception and knowledge, even as lamps lose their luminosity while the midday sun shines.

The sage of self-knowledge (the knower of truth) is supreme amongst those who are radiant, glorious, strong, great and endowed with other characteristics which are considered marks of excellence. These sages shine in this world like the sun, the fire, the moon, and the stars all put together. On the other hand, they who have not attained self- knowledge are worse than worms and insects.

The ghost of delusion afflicts one only as long as self-knowledge does not arise in him. The ignorant man is for ever sorrowful, though he roams everywhere to get rid of it. He is truly a walking corpse. Only the sage of self-knowledge is a living sentient being. Even as when dense clouds form in the sky the sun's light is veiled, when the mind becomes gross with impurities and ignorance, the light of self-knowledge is veiled. Therefore, one should abandon craving for pleasures (those that have been experienced in the past and others that have not yet been experienced but for which one craves) and thus gradually weaken the mind by the abandonment of a taste for them. By the cultivation of a false relationship with what is not self (the body and those related to it such as wife, son, family etc.), the mind becomes gross. The notions of 'I' and 'mine' make the mind dense and ignorant. This is further aggravated by old age, sorrow, ambitions, psychological distress, efforts to acquire and to abandon, attachments, greed, lust for wealth and sex and by the enjoyment of sense-pleasures, all of which are based on ignorance and delusion.

  section V - chapter 50 - citena cetah samamasu nitva suddhena ghorastramiva strayukttya ciraya sadho tyaja cancalatvam vimarkato vrksa iva ksatasrih (84)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, this mind is like a tree which is firmly rooted in the vicious field known as the body. Worries and anxieties are its blossoms; it is laden with the fruits of old age and disease; it is adorned with the flowers of desires and sense-enjoyments; hopes and longings are its branches; and perversities are its leaves. Cut down this deadly poisonous tree, which looks as unshakable as the mountain, with the sharp axe known as enquiry.

O Rama, this mind is like an elephant which roams the forest known as the body. Its vision is clouded by delusion; it has entered into the one (conditioned and ignorant) side; it is incapable of resting in its own self-bliss; it is violent; though it wishes to perceive the truth which it hears from wise men, it is caught up in the perception of diversity and it is conditioned by its own concepts of pleasure and pain; it is endowed with the fierce tusks of lust, etc. O Rama, you are a lion among princes! Tear this elephant to pieces by your sharp intelligence.

O Rama, this mind is like a crow which dwells in the nest of this body. It revels in filth; it waxes strong by consuming flesh; it pierces the hearts of others; it knows only its own point of view which it considers as the truth; it is dark on account of its ever-growing stupidity; it is full of evil tendencies; and it indulges in violent expressions. It is a burden on earth, O Rama: drive it far, far away from yourself.

O Rama, this mind is like a ghost. It is served by the female goblin known as craving; it rests in the forest of ignorance; it roams in countless bodies out of delusion. How can one attain self-knowledge if one does not lay this ghost with the help of wisdom and dispassion, the grace of the guru, self-effort, chanting of mantras, etc. ?

O Rama, this mind is like a venomous serpent which has killed countless beings; destroy this with the help of the eagle of the appropriate contemplative formula or instruction.

O Rama, this mind is like a monkey. It roams from one place to another, seeking fruits (rewards, pleasures, etc.); bound to this world-cycle it dances and entertains people. Restrain it from all sides if you wish to attain perfection.

O Rama, this mind is like a cloud of ignorance: dispel it by the repeated renunciation of all concepts and percepts.

Even as a terrible weapon is encountered and destroyed by a more powerful weapon, tranquillise the mind with the help of the mind itself. For ever abandon every form of mental agitation. Remain at peace within yourself like a tree freed from the disturbance caused by monkeys.

6. The Story of Uddalaka

  section V - chapter 51 - kadopasantamanano dharnidharakandare samesyami silasamyam nirvikalpasamadhina (33)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, do not take your stand on concepts and percepts of the mind, which are subtle and sharp; the mind has been put together by time and it has gained great strength in course of time. Bring it under control by wisdom, before time fells this creeper known as the body. By devoutly contemplating my words you will attain supreme bliss.

I shall narrate to you, O Rama, how the sage Uddalaka of yore attained the supreme vision of truth.

In a corner of the earth, there is a great mountain known as Gandhamadana. On one of its peaks there was a great tree. In that region there lived the sage Uddalaka. Even while he was a young boy he aspired to attain supreme wisdom through his own effort. Of course, then he was of little understanding and he had a restless mind, though he had a pure heart.

He engaged himself in austerities, in the study of scriptures and so on, and there arose wisdom in him.

While sitting alone one day, the sage Uddalaka reflected thus:

What is liberation, which is said to be the foremost among the objects to be attained, upon attaining which one does not experience sorrow and is not born again? When shall I rest permanently in that state? When will the mental agitations caused by desires and cravings cease? When will I be freed from thoughts like 'This I have done' and 'This I should do'? When will my mind cease to undergo perversities though living in relationship here, even as the lotus though lying on water is not tainted by it? When will I, with the help of the boat of supreme wisdom, cross to the other shore of liberation? When will I be able to look upon the diverse activities of people with the playfulness of a child? When will the mind attain utter quiescence? When will the illusory division between the subjective and the objective experiences cease through the experience of the infinite consciousness? When will I be able to behold this concept, known as time, without being involved in it? When will I, living in a cave with a mind in utter tranquillity, remain like a rock in a state in which there is no movement of thought at all?

Thus reflecting, Uddalaka continued his practice of meditation. But his mind continued to be agitated. Some days, however, his mind abandoned external objects and remained in a state of purity. At other times it was greatly disturbed. Greatly distressed by such changing moods, he roamed the forest. One day he reached a lonely spot in the forest which had not been visited by anyone else. There he saw a cave which appeared to be most conducive to the attainment of the state of utter tranquillity and peace. It was delightful in every way with beautiful creepers and flowers around it, with a moderate climate, and it shone as if it had been carved out of an emerald.

  section V - chapter 52 - kurangalipatangebhaminastvekaikaso hatah sarvair yukttair anarthais tu vyaptasya jna kutah stokham (21)

Vasistha continued:

Uddalaka entered that delightful cave and sat in a meditative posture. Intent on attaining the state of mind without the least movement of thought, he concentrated his attention on the latent tendencies in the mind, and

Uddalaka reflected thus within himself:

O mind, what have you to do with this world-appearance? Wise men do not come into contact with what is called pleasure which turns into pain later on. He who abandons the supreme peace that lies within and goes in search of sense-pleasure, abandons a delightful garden and goes into a bush of poison-herbs. You may go where you like; you will never taste supreme peace except through perfect quiescence. Hence, abandon all hopes and desires. For, all these seemingly wondrous objects of the nature either of being or of non- being, are not meant for your happiness.

Do not perish like the deer which is trapped by the sound of music and bells, nor like the male elephant which is trapped with the help of the female elephant, nor like the fish whose sense of taste leads it to its death in the hook, nor like the moth which is attracted by the sight of a flame and perishes in it, nor like the bee whose sense of smell leads it to the flower, trapped in which it is destroyed when the flower folds up for the night.

O foolish mind, all these perish being subjected to just one sense-craving (the deer by the sense of hearing, the bee by the sense of smell, the moth by the sense of sight, the elephant by the sense of touch, and the fish by the sense of taste): but you are a victim to all the five temptations; how can you have happiness? Just as the silk-worm spins its cocoon and gets caught in it, you have woven the web of your own concepts and are caught in it. If you can get rid of all that, attain purity, overcome even the fear of life and death and thus attain to total equanimity, you have achieved the greatest victory. On the other hand, if you cling to this ever-changing phenomenon called the world, you will surely perish in sorrow.

Why do I instruct you thus, O mind: for, if one investigates the truth he discovers that there is no such thing called mind! Mind is but a product of ignorance; when ignorance wears out, then the mind wears out, too. Hence, you are in the process of being worn out. It is unwise and foolish to instruct one who is in the process of disintegrating! Since, day by day you are becoming weaker and weaker, I renounce you; wise men do not teach one who is to be abandoned.

O mind, I am the egoless infinite and homogeneous consciousness; I have nothing to do with you who are the cause of the ego.

  section V - chapter 52 - padangusta chiro yavat kanasah pravicaritam na labdho savaham nama kah syad ahamiti sthitah (36)

Uddalaka continued to contemplate thus:

The infinite self cannot possibly be squeezed into the mind, any more than an elephant can be squeezed into a wood-apple fruit. The consciousness that, through the process of self-limitation, is confined to finitude (and therefore to concepts and percepts) is known as the mind: this is the result of ignorance and hence I do not accept this. The ego-sense is only a child's ignorant concept and it is believed in by one who does not investigate the truth.

I have carefully investigated, I have observed everything from the tips of me toes to the top of my head: and I have not found anything of which I could say 'This I am', Who is 'I'? I am the all-pervading consciousness which is itself not an object of knowledge or knowing and is free from selfhood. I am that which is indivisible, which has no name or change, which is beyond all concepts of unity and diversity, which is beyond measure (small and big) and other than which naught else is. Hence, O mind, I abandon you who are the source of sorrow.

In this body in which there is flesh, blood, bone, etc., who says 'This I am'? Motion is the nature of energy, thinking is inherent in consciousness, old age and death are natural to the body - who says 'This I am'? This is the tongue, these are ears, this is nose, this is motion and these are eyes - who says 'This I am'? I am none of these, nor am I you, O mind, nor these concepts: I am but the infinite consciousness, pure and independent. 'I am all this' - both are expressions of the same truth; naught else is truth.

Alas, for so long I have been victimised by ignorance: but, luckily, I have discovered that which robbed me of self-knowledge! I shall nevermore be the victim of ignorance. Even as the cloud sitting on top of a hill does not belong to the hill, though I seem to be associated with sorrow I am independent of it. In the absence of self-knowledge, there arose ego- sense: but now, I am free of ego-sense. Let the body, the senses and so on be, or perish - I have nothing to do with them. The senses (the eyes, etc.) exist in order to come into contact with their own objects for their own sake: who is the I that is deluded into thinking 'This is I', or 'I see' etc.? These eyes etc. see or experience their objects naturally, without being impelled to do so by previous conditioning. Hence, if actions are performed spontaneouly without mental conditioning, their experience will be pure and free from memories of past happiness or unhappiness. Hence, O senses, perform your functions without being hampered by memory. This memory or mental conditioning is not a fact, in truth: it is non- different from and not independent of the infinite consciousness. It can therefore be easily dispelled, merely by not reviving it in consciousness. Hence, O mind, abandon this perception of diversity and realise the unreality of your own independence from the infinite consciousness: that is liberation.

  section V - chapter 53 - tena ham nama neha sti bhavabhavopapattiman anahankararupasya sambandhah kena me katham (15)

Uddalaka continued to reflect thus:

In reality, consciousness cannot be conditioned: it is unlimited and is subtler than the subtlest atom, hence beyond the influence of mental conditioning. The mind rests in the ego-sense and the reflected consciousness in the senses; and from this there arises the illusion of self-limitation of consciousness. When this is experienced and thought of again and again, the ego-sense and the illusion of self-limitation acquire a false validity. But, I am consciousness which is untouched by any of these.

Let the body continue to live in a world brought into being by its ignorant activities, or let it abandon it: I am consciousness unaffected by any of these. Consciousness, being infinite and all-pervading, has no birth, no death, nor is it possessed by anyone. It has nothing to gain by 'living' as a separate entity, since it is all-pervading. Birth and death are mental concepts: they have nothing to do with the self. Only that which entertains notions of the ego-sense can be grasped and bound: the self is free from the ego-sense and is therefore beyond being and non-being.

The ego-sense is vain delusion, the mind is like a mirage and the objects of the world are inert substances: who is it that says 'I am'? The body is an aggregate of flesh, blood, etc., the mind vanishes on enquiry into its nature, self-limitation of consciousness and such other concepts are insentient (non-sense) - what is the ego? The senses exist and are engaged in self-satisfying activity all the time; the substances of the world are the substances of the world - where is the ego? Nature is nature and its qualities interact on one another (like the sight and light, hearing and sound, etc.); and what is rests in itself - where is the ego?

The self, which is consciousness, exists as the supreme self of all, everywhere in all bodies at all times. Who am I, what am I made of, what is my form, made by whom: and what shall I acquire and what shall I reject? There is thus nothing which can be called 'I' and which undergoes being and non-being: when there is no ego-sense in truth, how can that ego-sense be related, and to whom? When thus it is realised that there is no relationship at all, then the false notion of duality vanishes. Thus, whatever there is, is the one cosmic being (Brahman or the self); I am that reality, why do I suffer in delusion? When one alone exists as the pure omnipresent being, how can there even arise something known as the ego-sense? There is no substantiality in any substance in truth, the self alone exists: or, even if one assumes the substantiality to be real, there is no relationship between that and the self. The senses function as senses, the mind exists as mind, the consciousness is untouched by these - what is relationship and how does it come into being? Just because they exist side by side, it is not right to assume a relationship: a stone and an iron rod may lie side by side, totally unrelated to each other.

  section V - chapter 53 - ahankarabhramasya sya jatasyakavarnavat apunah smarunam manye nunam vismaranam varam (25)

Uddalaka continued to reflect:

It is only when this false ego-sense has arisen that the perverse notions 'This is mine' and 'That is his' arise. And, when it is seen that all these are tricks of the false ego-sense, these unreal notions cease to be. There is in truth naught else but the self; hence I realise that all this is the one cosmic being or Brahman. The delusion known as ego-sense is like the blueness of the sky: it is better not to entertain that notion once again, but to abandon it. After having abandoned the very root of the ego-sense, I rest in the self which is of the nature of peace.

The ego-sense is the source of endless sorrow, suffering and evil action. Life ends in death and death leads to birth and what is, is disrupted by its end - such notions entertained by the ego-sense lead to great sorrow. The anxiety caused by thoughts like 'I have got this now', 'I shall get that too' burns the ignorant. 'This is' and 'That is not' - such notions cause restlessness in the egotist. But if the ego-sense ceases to be then the illusory world-appearance does not germinate again and all cravings come to an end.

This universe has surely come into being without any valid cause for its creation: how can one accept the truth of a creation which had no cause or purpose? From time immemorial, all these bodies have been inherent in the cosmic being, even as pots are for ever inherent in clay. Even as ocean exists in the past, present and future as ocean and the same water temporarily assumes the form of a wave, all this is for ever the cosmic being at all times. It is only a fool that entertains a feeling 'This I am' in relation to that temporary appearance known as the body etc.

In the same way, the mind was consciousness in the beginning and it will be consciousness again in the end (after its nature and function as mind have ceased), why is it then called differently in the middle (now)?

All these phenomena seem to have a transient reality, like dream-experiences, visions in a state of delirium, hallucinations of a drunkard, optical illusions, psychosomatic illness, emotional disturbances and psychotic states. But, O mind, you have conferred a permanent reality upon them, even as a lover suffers from the very imagination of his beloved's separation. But, of course, this is not your fault; it is my fault that I still cling to the notion that you, my mind, is a real entity. When I realise that all these phenomena are illusory appearances, then you will become no-mind and all the memories of sense-experiences, etc., will come to an end. When consciousness realises itself and abandons its self-limiting mental conditioning, the mind is freed from its colouring and rests in its essential nature, which is consciousness. When the mind, gathering to itself all its limbs, offers itself into the fire of pure consciousness, it is purified and attains immortality.

  section V - chapter 53 - ksiyate manasi ksine dehah praksinavasanah mano na ksiyate ksine dehe tat ksapayen manah (66)

Uddalalka continued to contemplate:

When the mind perceives the body as distinct from it, abandons its own conditioning (the concepts) and recognises its own transient nature, it is victorious. Mind and body are each other's foes: hence supreme happiness follows their destruction. For, when they come together there is a host of suffering on account of their mutual conflict.

The mind gives birth to the body through its own thought-force: and throughout the body's life-time the mind feeds it with its (the mind's own) sorrow. Thus tortured by sorrow the body wishes to destroy the mind, its own parent! There is no friend nor enemy in this world: that which gives us pleasure is considered our friend and that which causes pain is our enemy!

When thus the mind and the body are constantly engaged in mutual destruction, how can one have happiness? It is by the destruction of the mind that there can be happiness; hence the body tries every day (in deep sleep) to destroy the mind. However, until self-knowledge is attained, one unwittingly promotes the strength of the other and they seem to function together for a common purpose - even as water and fire, though opposed to each other, work together for a common cause (e.g., cooking).

If the mind ceases to be then the body ceases to be, too, on account of the cessation of thought-force and mental conditioning: but the mind does not cease to be when the body dies. Hence, one should strive to kill the mind. Mind is like a forest with thought-forms for its trees and cravings for its creepers: by destroying these, I attain bliss. When the mind is dead, whether the body (composed of flesh, blood, etc.,) exists or not does not matter to me. That I am not the body is obvious: for the corpse does not function!

Where there is self knowledge, there is neither mind nor the senses, nor the tendencies and habits (the concepts and percepts). I have attained that supreme state. I have emerged victorious. I have attained liberation (nirvana). I have risen above all relationships with the mind, body and the senses, even as the oil pressed out of the seeds has no relation with the seeds. To me now the mind, body and the senses are playthings. Purity, total fulfilment of all desires (hence, their absence), friendliness to all, truthfulness, wisdom, tranquillity and blissfulness, sweetness of speech, supreme magnanimity, lustrousness, one-pointedness, realisation of cosmic unity, fearlessness, absence of divided-consciousness, non-perversity - these are my constant companions. Since at all times everything everywhere happens in every manner, in me there is no desire or aversion towards anything, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Since all delusion has come to an end, since the mind has ceased to be and all evil thoughts have vanished, I rest peacefully in my own self.

  section V - chapter 54 - antah kundalinim pranah purayamasuradrtah cakranuvartaprasrtam payamsiva saridvaram (26)

Vasistha continued:

The sage Uddalaka then sat down in the lotus posture, with his eyes half-closed, in meditation. He uttered the holy word OM which bestows the highest state. He intoned OM in such a way that its vibrations filled his whole being right up to the crown of his head. As the first part of his practice, he exhaled his breath completely. It was as if his lifeforce had abandoned the body and was roaming in the space (dimension) of pure consciousness. The fire that arose from his heart burnt the whole of his body. (All this, Uddalaka practised without the violence involved in Hatha Yoga: for Hatha Yoga gives rise to pain.)

With the second utterance of the holy word OM, he reached the state of equilibrium and there happened in him a spontaneous retention of the breath (life-force) without agitation or vibration. The life-force stood still, as it were, neither outside, nor inside, neither below nor above. After reducing the body to ashes, the fire burnt itself out and vanished; only the pure ashes were visible. It was as if the very bones had turned into camphor which was being burnt in adoration. The ashes were blown by a powerful wind and dispersed in space. (All this happened without the violence of Hatha Yoga: for Hatha Yoga gives rise to pain.)

In the third stage, when the holy word OM reached its culmination or tranquillity, there arose the inhalation of breath (the drawing in of the life-force). During this stage the life- forces, which were in the very centre of the nectar of consciousness, spread out in space as a cool breeze. These forces reached the region of the moon. There they spread out as auspicious rays which thereupon rained on the ashes that remained of the body.

Instantly, there arose from the ashes a radiant being with four arms like lord Visnu. Uddalaka shone like a divinity, his whole being transmuted into a divinity. The life-force filled the inner kundalini which was spread out like a spiral. Uddalaka's body had thus been completely purified. Then he, who was already seated in the lotus posture, made the posture firm, 'tied up' his senses and proceeded to make his consciousness absolutely free from the least movement of thought. With all his strength he restrained his mind from distraction. His half-closed eyes were still and motionless. With his mind established in inner silence, he equalised the movement of the twin life-forces, prana and apana. He withdrew his inner senses from contact with their objects, even as oil is separated from the weed. Thereupon he became directly aware of the mental conditioning created by past experiences, and unconditioned the awareness and made it pure. Then, he firmly closed his rectum and the other outlets to the body (the eyes, etc.). With his life-force and awareness thus prevented from externalisation by perfect discipline, he held his mind in his heart.

  section V - chapter 54 - anande parinamitvadananandapadam gatah na nande na niranande tatastatsamvida babhau (68)

Vasistha continued:

Uddalaka's mind had attained absolute tranquillity and no distraction could afflict it. Directly he beheld in his heart the darkness of ignorance that veiled the light of self- knowledge. With the light of knowledge that arose in him, he dispelled even that darkness. He then beheld the light within. However, when that light dimmed, the sage experienced sleep. But, the sage dispelled the dullness of sleep, too. Once the drowsiness of sleep had been dispelled, the mind of the sage threw up diverse brilliant forms. The sage cleared his consciousness of these visions. Then he was overcome by a great inertia, like one intoxicated. He got over that inertia, too. After this, his mind rested in another state which was different from all these so far described. After resting for a while in this state, however, his mind awoke to the experience of the totality of existence. Immediately after this, he experienced pure awareness. This awareness, which till then had been associated with other factors, had now regained its purity and independence: even as when the muddy water in an earthen pot has completely evaporated,the mud becomes an integral part of the pot made of the same substance. Even as the wave merges in the ocean and becomes one and non-different from it, the consciousness abandoned its objectivity and regained its absolute purity. Uddalaka was enlightened. He enjoyed the supreme bliss that gods like Brahma enjoy. His state was beyond description. He was one with the ocean of bliss.

Soon, Uddalaka beheld great sages in that infinite consciousness. He ignored them. He continued with the experience of supreme bliss. He attained the state of 'one liberated while living'. He beheld the gods and the sages, and he even beheld the members of the trinity. He went beyond even that state. He was completely transmuted into bliss itself and hence he had gone beyond the realm of bliss. He experienced neither bliss nor non-bliss. He became pure consciousness. He who experiences this even for a moment is disinterested even in the delights of heaven. This is the supreme state, this is the goal, this is the eternal abode. He who rests in this is not again deluded and is no longer caught in the subject-object relationship. He is fully awakened and never again entertains the notion of objectivity or conceptualisation. Of course this is not an 'attainment'.

Uddalaka remained for six months in this state, vigilantly avoiding the temptation of psychic powers. Even sages and gods adored him. He was invited to ascend to heaven: he declined the invitation. Totally freed from all desires, Uddalaka roamed as a sage liberated while living. Often he would spend days and months in meditation in the caves of mountains. Though at other times he engaged himself in the ordinary activities of living, he had reached the state of perfect equilibrium. He looked upon all with equal vision. His inner light shone at all times, never rising and never setting. With all notions of duality totally at rest, he lived devoid of body-consciousness, established in pure being.

  section V - chapter 55 - upasasama sanair divasairasau katipayaih svapade vimalatmani tarurasah saradanta iva male ravikaraujasi janmadasatigah (23)

In answer to Rama's question concerning pure being, Vasistha said:

When the mind has ceased to be because of the total absence of the notion of material existence, consciousness exists in its own nature as consciousness: and that is known as pure being. When consciousness devoid of notions of objectivity merges in itself losing its separate identity, as it were, it is pure being. When all external (material) and internal (notional) object merge in consciousness, there is pure being of consciousness. This is the supreme vision which happens to all liberated ones, whether they seem to have a body or they are without one. This vision is available to one who has been 'awakened', to one who is in a state of deep contemplation and to a man of self-knowledge; it is not experienced by the ignorant person. Sages and the members of the trinity are established in this consciousness, O Rama. Having reached this state of consciousness, Uddalaka lived for some time.

In course of time, in his mind there arose the wish "Let me drop this embodiment". He went to a mountain-cave and seated himself in the lotus posture, with his eyes half-closed. He closed off the nine apertures of the body, by pressing his heel against the rectum, etc. He withdrew the senses into his heart. He restrained his life-force (prana). He held his body in a state of perfect equilibrium. He pressed the tip of his tongue against the root of his palate, his jaws were slightly parted from each other. His inner vision was directed neither inward nor outward, neither above nor below, neither in substantiality nor void. He was established in pure consciousness and he experienced pure bliss within himself. He had reached the consciousness of pure being, beyond the state of bliss. His whole being

had become absolutely pure.

Uddalaka remained in this totally pure state for some time, like a painted picture. Gradually, day by day, he attained perfect quiescence; he remained in his own pure being. He had risen above the cycle of birth and death. All his doubts were set at rest; perverse thoughts had ceased; all impurities of the heart had been washed away; he had attained that state of bliss which is beyond description, in which one regards even the joy of the king of heaven as worthless. Thus, his body remained for a period of six months.

After that, one day several goddesses led by Parvati arrived at that spot in response to the prayers of a devotee. That goddess, worshipped by the gods themselves, saw the body of Uddalaka which had been dried by the scorching rays of the sun and quickly placed it on the crown of her head.

Such is the glorious story of the sage Uddalaka, O Rama, which awakens the highest wisdom in the heart of one who takes shelter in its shade.

  section V - chapter 56 - prasantajagadastho ntarvitasokabhayaisanah svastho bhavati yena tma sa samadhiriti smrtah (20)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, living like this, constantly enquiring into the nature of the self, attain peace. This state of consciousness can be attained by the cultivation of dispassion, the study of scriptures, the instructions of a guru and by the persistent practice of enquiry. But, if the awakened intelligence is keen and sharp, you will attain it even without the other aids.

Rama asked:

Holy sir, some there are who rest in self-knowledge, who are enlightened and yet engage themselves in activities; and there are others who isolate themselves and practise contemplation (samadhi). Of these who is the better?

Vasistha replied:

Rama, that is samadhi (contemplation or meditation) in which one realises the objects of the senses as not-self, and thus one enjoys inner calmness and tranquillity at all times. Having realised that the objects are related only to the mind and therefore constantly resting in inner peace, some are engaged in activity while others live in isolation. Both of them enjoy the bliss of contemplation. If the mind of one who appears to be in samadhi is distracted, he is a mad man: on the other hand, if the mind of one who appears to be a mad man is free from all notions and distraction, he is enlightened and he is in unbroken samadhi. Whether he is engaged in activity or he lives in isolation in a forest, in enlightenment there is no distinction. The mind which is free from conditioning is not tainted even while it is engaged in activity. The non-action of the mind is known as quiescence (samadhana); it is total freedom, it is blessedness.

The difference between contemplation and its absence is indicated by whether or not there is movement of thought in the mind: hence make the mind unconditioned. The unconditioned mind is firm, and that in itself is meditation, freedom and peace eternal. The conditioned mind is the source of sorrow; and the unconditioned mind is a non-actor and attains to the supreme state of enlightenment. Hence one should work to remove all mental conditioning. That is known as contemplation or samadhi in which all the desires and hopes concerning the world have ceased and which is free from sorrow, fear and desire, and by which the self rests in itself.

Mentally renounce all false identification of the self with objects here: and then live where you like, either at home or in a mountain-cave. To that householder whose mind has attained utter quiescence his house itself is the forest. If the mind is at peace and if there is no ego-sense, even cities are as void. On the other hand, forests are like cities to him whose heart is full of desires and other evils. The distractions of the mind subside in deep sleep; enlightenment attains enlightenment - do as you please.

  section V - chapter 56 - dyauh ksama vayurakasam parvatah sarito disah antahkaranatattvasya bhaga bahririva sthitah (35)

Vasistha continued:

He who sees the self as the transcendent being or as the immanent being (as the self of all) is established in equanimity. He in whom likes and dislikes have ceased, to whom all beings are the same and who perceives the world in the wakeful state as if he perceives objects in a dream, he is established in equanimity and lives in a forest even while living in a village. He who moves about with his consciousness turned in upon itself views a city or a village as a forest.

He who has attained inner tranquillity and peace, finds peace and tranquillity everywhere in the world. He whose mind is agitated and restless, finds the world full of restlessness. For, what one experiences within, that alone he experiences outside. In fact, the sky, the earth, the air and the space are all parts of the inner instrument (mind); they only appear to be outside. All these exist like the tree in the seed and they are externalised like the scent of a flower. Truly, there is nothing either inside or outside: whatever the consciousness conceives of, in whatever manner, appears so. Thus the self alone is all this, within and without.

He who is filled with inner delight, who is not swayed by exultation or sorrow and who performs actions merely with his physical body, he is established in equanimity. He is pure as the sky, he is free from desires, his actions are appropriate and spontaneous; and in relation to exultation and sorrow, he behaves as if he is made of wood or clay. He is at peace, he sees all as his own self, he considers others' possessions as dirt - naturally and not through fear: he alone sees the truth.

The ignorant man does not realise the unreality of the objects (big or small), because he has not realised the reality.

He who has attained the state of pure being is never sullied, whether he lives or dies, at home or elsewhere, in luxury or mendicancy, whether he enjoys and dances, or he renounces everything and isolates himself on a mountain, whether he wears expensive creams and scents or he wears matted locks or falls into the fire, whether he commits sins or performs virtuous deeds, whether he dies or lives till the end of the world-cycle. For he does nothing. It is only the conditioned mind that is tainted, because of its ego-sense and the notions attached to it. When all notions have ceased and wisdom has arisen, the impurities of the mind are removed, naturally.

The enlightened sage stands to gain nothing by either doing anything or by not doing anything. Even as a tree does not spring from a stone, desires do not appear in the life of a sage. Should they arise at times, they instantly vanish like writings on water. The sage and the entire universe are non-different from each other.

  section V - chapter 57 - paramatmamanescittvad yad antah kacanam svayam cetanatmapade ca ntar ahamityadi vettyasau (15)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, the infinite consciousness becomes aware of the pungency of the chilli: and this gives rise to the ego-sense, with all its differentiation in time and space. The infinite consciousness becomes aware of the savour in salt; and that gives rise to the ego-sense with all the differentiation which seems to exist in time and space. The infinite consciousness becomes aware of the sweetness in sugarcane; and thereby arises the awareness of its particular characteristic. Similarly, the infinite consciousness, being the indwelling omnipresence, becomes aware of the nature of a rock, a mountain, a tree, of water, of space and thus self-consciousness or individuality arises.

Thus the natural combination of atomic particles and molecules (which is indwelt by consciousness) apparently acts as a dividing wall, thus giving rise to the divisions of 'I', 'you' etc., and these then appear to be outside of consciousness as its object. In fact, all these are but reflections in the consciousness which, becoming aware of them within itself, bestows upon them their apparent individuality. Consciousness tastes itself, the awareness being non-different from consciousness: and that appears to give rise to the ego-sense, etc., naught else. The crystal of this infinite consciousness reflects its own light of consciousness which is present in all these combinations of atomic particles: and they then gain an apparent self-consciousness and think 'I am' etc.

In reality, because the inner awareness in all these combinations is non-different from the infinite consciousness, there is no subject-object relationship between them: hence one does not experience the other, gain the other, or change or modify the other. O Rama, all that I have said above is but a play of words to help your comprehension: there is no such thing as 'I' or 'the world' (the combination of atomic particles, etc.). There is neither mind nor an object of knowledge nor the world-illusion. Just as water acquires the appearance of a whirlpool with a personality of its own, consciousness seems to give the appearance of 'I' etc., within itself. But consciousness is consciousness only, whether it thinks of itself as lord Siva or as a little jiva!

All this diversity of 'I', 'you' etc., and of the material substances, arises for the satisfaction of the ignorant: whatever the ignorant person imagines in the infinite consciousness that alone he sees. In the light of awareness, life is seen as consciousness; when it is regarded as life, life appears to be no more than life! There is in reality no essential distinction between life and consciousness. In the same way there is no real and essential distinction between the individual (jiva] and the cosmic being (Siva). Know all this to be undivided and indivisible infinite consciousness.

7. The Story of Suraghu

  section V - chapter 58 - yavatsarvam na samtyakttam tavadatma na labhyate sarvavasthaparityage sesa atmeti kathyate (44)

Vasistha continued:

In this connection, O Rama, pray listen to an interesting legend.

In the Himalaya mountain-range there is a mountain known as Kailasa. At the foot of that mountain there lived a hill-tribe known as Hemajata (yellow-haired). Suraghu was

their king. He was strong, powerful and wise; he was endowed with self-knowledge and he was highly accomplished in poesy and literary art. Fatigue was unknown to him. He was just in his rule, blessing and punishing those who deserved to be thus blessed and punished. In all this activity, however, his spiritual vision became obscured.

Suraghu began to reflect within himself: "People undergo a lot of suffering on my account. Their suffering is truly my suffering. I should bestow riches upon them: they will rejoice, even as I would rejoice if I became wealthy. Their joy is my joy. Alas, by alternately blessing and punishing the people, I am myself alternately enjoying and suffering." Thinking thus, the king was greatly distressed.

One day, the sage Mandavya came to visit the king. Suraghu welcomed the sage, bowed to him, worshipped him and asked: "Lord, I am tormented by the anxieties that the blessing and the punishment that I inflict upon my subjects will return to me. Please help me gain equal vision and save me from prejudice and partiality."

Mandavya said:

All mental weaknesses come to an end by self-effort based on the wisdom which arises in one who is firmly rooted in self-knowledge. The distress of the mind is got rid of by enquiry into the nature of the self. One should enquire in one's own mind "What are these moods and modes and foolings that arise within me?" By such enquiry, your mind expands. When you realise your true nature by such enquiry, you are not disturbed by exultation and depression. The mind abandons the past and the future, and thus its fragmented functioning. Then you experience supreme peace. When you are in that state of tranquillity, you take pity on all those who revel fit great wealth and secular power. When you have gained self-knowledge amid when your consciousness has infinitely expanded, your mind no longer falls into the cesspool of this world, even as an elephant does not enter a puddle. It is only the little mind that seeks little pleasure and power.

The mind abandons everything when the vision of the supreme is gained. Hence, one should resolutely renounce everything till the supreme vision is gained. Not till one renounces everything, is self-knowledge gained: whenn all points of view are abandoned, what remains is the self. This is true even of life in this world: one does not get what one desires unless the obstacle to it is removed. It is even more so in self-knowledge.

  section V - chapter 59 - sesastu cetano jivah sa ceccetyena cetati anyena bodhyamano sau na tmatattvavapur bhavet (16 )

When the sage Mandavya had departed after saying this, Suraghu contemplated thus:

What is it that is known as 'I'? I am not the Meru, the Meru is not mine. I am not the hill-tribe, nor the hill-tribe mine. This is merely called my kingdom: I abandon that notion. Now, the capital city is left. I am not this city nor is it mine. That notion, too, is abandoned. Even so I abandon the notions of family relationship - wife, sons, etc.

Let me enquire into this body. I am not the inert substances like flesh and bones - nor am I the blood, nor the organs of action. All these are inert substances, but I am sentient. I am not the enjoyments, nor do they belong to me; this intellect and the sense-organs are not me, nor are they mine - they are inert and I am sentient. I am not the mind which is the root-cause of this ignorant cycle of birth and death. I am not the faculty of discrimination nor am I the ego-sense, these being notions that arise in the mind.

Now, what is left? What remains is the sentient jiva. But, it is involved in subject-object relationship. That which is the object of knowledge or comprehension is not the self. Thus do I abandon that which is knowable - or the object. What now remains is the pure consciousness which is free from the shadow of doubt. I am the infinite self, for there is no limit to this self. Even the gods like Brahma the creator, Indra the king of gods, Yama the god of death, Vayu the god of wind and all the countless beings are strung on this infinite consciousness.

This cit-sakti (omnipotent consciousness) is free from the defect of objectivity. It is beyond being and non-being, though it is the reality in all being. It pervades all beings in the universe. It is the beauty in all, it is the light of all. It is the essence of all forms and all modifications: yet it is beyond all these. At all times it is all in all. It is itself spread out as these fourteen planes of existence: even the notion concerning this universe is nothing but this omnipotent consciousness.

False are the fragmented notions of pain and pleasure, for this omnipotent consciousness is omnipresent and infinite. That is the self, when I am awakened; when I am deluded that itself becomes the king. It is by its grace that the body, the mind etc. function. It is by its power that everything in the whole universe dances to its tunes. How foolish of me to have experienced distress at having to bless and punish! I have been awakened, I have seen all that there is to be seen, I have attained all that is worth attainment. What are all these: pain and pleasure, happiness and sorrow, blessing and punishment? All this is pervaded by Brahman. Where is the justification for grief and delusion; who does what? It is but the infinite consciousness that exists. Salutations to you, O beautiful god, salutations to the infinite self!

  section V - chapter 60 61 - na nirghrno dayavan no na dvandvi na tha matsari na sudhir na sudhir na rthi na narthi sa babhuva ha (60/6)

Vasistha continued:

By such enquiry, Suraghu attained to the supreme state of consciousness. Never, again did he grieve; but from that time onwards he performed his work ever remaining in a balanced state of mind. Compassionate, yet not uncontemptuous; not avoiding the pairs of opposites and not jealous; neither intelligent nor non-intelligent; neither motivated nor non-motivated - he lived with equal vision and inner calmness. He had realised that 'All this is but the diverse manifestation of consciousness': he was therefore peaceful in both pain and pleasure, having attained to the fullness of understanding.

Thus he ruled in this world for a considerable time, and then of his own accord discarded his body. He attained oneness with the infinite consciousness. O Rama, live and rule the world thus with an enlightened mind.

Rama asked:

But, O Lord, the mind is so unsteady. How can one reach the state of perfect equanimity?

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, a dialogue which is relevant to this problem took place between that very king Suraghu and the sage Parigha. Listen to it.

There was a king in Persia named Parigha who was a close friend of the king Suraghu. Once, there was a great famine in the kingdom of Parigha. Sore distressed at heart at the very sight of his people's suffering and seeing that all his attempts at bringing relief to them proved fruitless, Parigha went away to the forest, unbeknown to his people, to perform austerities. He lived on dried leaves and earned the name Parnada. After a thousand years of penance and contemplation, he attained self-knowledge. Thereafter he roamed the three worlds freely.

One day, he met the king Suraghu whom he had known before. The two enlightened kings duly worshipped each other. After that, Parigha asked Suraghu: "Even as you attained self-knowledge through the instructions of the sage Mandavya, I reached it through the grace of the Lord earned by penance. Pray tell me: is your mind at perfect rest now? Are your subjects living in peace and prosperity? Are you firmly established in dispassion?"

Suraghu replied:

Who can truly understand the course of the divine will? You and I had been separated by a great distance so far; but now we have been brought together. What is impossible for the divine? We have been truly blessed by your holy visit. By your very presence in our midst, we have all been rid of all sins and defects and I feel that all prosperity stands in front of us in your form. Company of good and holy men is indeed equal to the supreme state of liberation.

  section V - chapter 62 63 - tattvavabodho bhagavan sarvasatrnapavakah prokttah samadhisabdena na tu tusnimavasthitih (62/8)

Parigha said:

O king, all actions that are performed by one who is firmly established in equanimity are productive of joy, not those done by others. Are you established in that state of supreme peace in which no thoughts or notions arise in your mind, and which is known as samadhi?

Suraghu said:

Holy sir, please tell me this: why is only that state of mind which is free from thoughts and notions called samadhi? If one is a knower of truth, whether he be engaged in constant action or in contemplation, does his mind ever lose the state of samadhi? No. The enlightened ones are for ever in samadhi, even though they engage themselves in the affairs of the world. On the other hand, one whose mind is not at peace does not enjoy samadhi by merely sitting in the lotus posture.

Knowledge of truth, Lord, is the fire that burns up all hopes and desires as if they are dried blades of grass: and that is known by the word samadhi - not simply remaining silent! That is own as he state of samadhi in which there is eternal satisfaction, clear perception of what is, egolessness, not being subject to the pairs of opposites, freedom from anxiety and from the wish to acquire or to reject. From the very moment of the dawn of self-knowledge, the state of samadhi becomes permanent in the sage: he does not lose it, neither is it interrupted, even for a moment. Even as time does not forget to move on, the man of self-knowledge does not forget the self. Even as a material object is forever material, the sage of selfknowledge is for ever a sage of self-knowledge.

Hence, I am always awakened, pure, at peace within myself and in a state of samadhi. How can it be otherwise? How can there be anything other than the self? When at all times and in all ways the self alone is all in all, how can there be a state other than samadhi? And what can be termed samadhi?

Parigha said:

Surely, O king, you have attained total enlightenment. You shine, radiant with bliss, with peace, with sweetness and with purity. In you there is no ego-sense, desire or aversion.

Suraghu continued:

O sage, there is indeed nothing which is worth desiring or renouncing. For as long as these things are seen as objects, they are nothing but concepts, percepts and notions. When nothing is worth acquiring, it follows that nothing is worth renouncing. Good and evil, great and small, worthy or unworthy are all based on the notion of desirability. When desirability has no meaning, the others do not arise at all. There is truly no essence in all that is seen in this world - the mountains, the oceans, the forests, the men and women and all the objects. Hence there is no desire for them. When there is no desire, there is supreme peace at heart.

  section V - chapter 64 - tani mitrani sastrani tani tani dinani ca viragollasavan yebhya atmacittodayah sphutam (19)

Vasistha continued:

After thus considering the illusory nature of the world-appearance and after mutually worshipping each other, Suraghu and Parigha continued to engage themselves in their respective duties. Be firmly established in this wisdom and discard the impure notion of ego-sense from your heart. When the pure heart contemplates the infinite space (dimension) of consciousness which is the source of all bliss and which is within easy reach of all, it rests in the supreme self. The mind that is thus devoted to the infinite consciousness, which is introverted and which is filled with self-knowledge, is not affected by sorrow.

Even if you engage yourself in the activities relating to your daily life and even if likes and dislikes arise in you, your inner being will never become impure. Even as light alone can remove darkness, the knowledge that this world is the creation of ignorance is the only remedy for its ills. Once this knowledge has arisen, the ignorant perception of the world as something real ceases once and for all. Thereafter, even if you engage yourself in activity, you are unattached to it and therefore not tainted by it, even as the eyes of fish are not affected by sea-water. You will never again experience delusion.

Only on those days on which the light of self-knowledge shines brightly in one's heart, does one live truly. All one's actions are full of bliss on those days. They alone are friends, scriptures and days that generate in one's heart true dispassion and also self-knowledge. O Rama, rescue your jiva from the dreadful mire of world-appearance. Once you have realised the truth concerning it, you will never again return to this mire.

O Rama, the company of holy sages will provide you with the knowledge of the means to attain self-knowledge. Hence, one should not live in such places where such company is not available. In the company of sages, the mind of the seeker becomes quiescent at once. One should uplift oneself and not revel in the mire of ignorance. The wise man should constantly enquire into the nature of the world, the self, etc. In this neither wealth nor friends, nor relations, nor scriptures are of any help; only the pure mind which is constantly engaged in self-enquiry and which is endowed with dispassion enables one to cross this ocean of ignorance.

The very moment one looks upon the body as an inert substance, one attains self- knowledge. When the darkness of ignorance or ego-sense is dispelled, the light of self-knowledge shines. That state of self-knowledge or perfect enlightenment is beyond description. Just as the sweetness of sugar is known only by direct experience, the nature of enlightenment is known only by direct experience. When the mind and the ego-sense cease, then self-knowledge arises. It is reached by the practice of yoga, it is comparable in some respects to deep sleep: but it is truly incomparable, indescribable.

8. The Story of Bhasa and Vilasa

  section V - chapter 65 66 - asa yavadasesena na lunas cittasambhavah virudho datrakeneva tavannah kusalam kutah (66/11)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, so long as one does not subdue the mind with the mind, one cannot attain self- knowledge; and as long as one entertains the false notions of 'I' and 'mine', so long sorrow does not come to an end, even as the sun in a painting never sets. There is a legend that illustrates this truth. I shall now narrate it to you.

There is a great mountain which is as high as the three worlds put together. On its peaks dwell the gods, in the middle dwell human beings and at its base dwell the beings of the nether world. It is known as Sahya. It contains everything, as it were. On it there is the hermitage of the sage Atri. In it there dwelt two sages known as Brhaspati and Sukra, each of whom had a son, known as Vilasa and Bhasa respectively. The two boys grew up into young men. They were very greatly attached to each other and were inseparable.

In course of time, the two elder sages, Brhaspati and Sukra, left this world. Grief- stricken, the two young men performed the appropriate funeral rites. On account of the loss of their fathers they felt disinterested in property, wealth, etc., and both of them thereupon went away to the forest, each in a different direction, to lead a nomadic life. After a considerable time, once again they met each other.

Vilasa said to his friend Bhasa:

What a delight to meet you again, O my dearest friend. Tell me what you have been doing since we parted. Did your austerities bear fruit? Has your mind rid itself of the burning fever of worldliness? Have you attained self-knowledge? Tell me: are you well and happy?

Bhasa replied:

I consider myself extremely fortunate to see you again, my very dear friend and brother. However, how can we who are wandering in this world-appearance ever be well and happy unless and until we attain the highest wisdom, until the psychological perversions cease? Until we cross this ocean of world-cycle, how can we be well and happy? Until the hopes and esires born of the mind have been completely destroyed, how can we be well and happy?

Until we attain self-knowledge, we shall return again to this plane of birth and death to undergo childhood, youth, manhood, old age and death again and again, we shall engage ourselves in the same essenseless actions and experiences. Cravings destroy wisdom. Lost in satisfying sensual appetites, life ebbs away fast. The mind falls into the blind well of sense-pleasure. It is a wonder how and why this body, which is an excellent vehicle to take us to the other shore of self-knowledge, falls into the mire of worldliness! In the twinkling of an eye, this little ripple known as the mind assumes terrible proportions. Man foolishly ascribes to the self the sorrow and the sufferings that do not touch it in the least, and becomes miserable.

  section V - chapter 67 - antahsakttam mano baddham mukttam sakttivivarjitam antahsamsakttirevaikam karanam bandhamoksayoh (34)

Vasistha continued:

Thus conversing with each other and enquiring into the nature of the world, they soon attained the supreme wisdom. Hence, O Rama, I tell you that there is no way other than self-knowledge for the cutting asunder of bondage and for crossing this ocean of illusion. To the enlightened person this ocean of sorrow is like a little puddle. He views the body as a spectator looks at a distant crowd. Hence he is not affected by the pains that the body is subjected to. The existence of the body does not diminish the omnipresence of the self anymore than waves diminish the fullness of the ocean.

What is the relationship of a swan, a rock or a piece of wood to the water which surrounds them? Even so, the supreme self has no relationnhlp with this world-appearance. A falling tree seems to raise waves on the water: similar is the experience by the self of the pleasure and pain that appear on the body. Even as by its proximity to water, wood is reflected in the water, the body is reflected in the self. But even as a rock falling in the water does not injure the water nor is injured by it, even so when the body comes into contact with other material substances (such as wife, children, or material objects) there is no injury or pain to anyone.

The reflection of an object in the mirror can be said to be neither real nor unreal, it is indescribable: even so the body which is reflected in the self is neither real nor unreal, but

is indescribable. The ignorant person accepts as real whatever he sees in this world; not so the wise one. Even as a piece of wood and the water in which it is reflected have no real relationship, the body and the self have no real relationship. Moreover, there is in fact no duality where such relationship could exist. One infinite consciousness alone exists without subject-object division. In this, diversity is imagined and that which is untouched by sorrow believes itself to be miserable, even as one who thinks he sees a ghost sees a ghost! On account of the power of thought, this imaginary relationship assumes the force of reaality. The self is ever untouched by pain and pleasure; but thinking itself to be the body,it undergoes the experiences of the body. The abandonment of this ignorant belief is liberation.

They who are not thus overcome by false identification or attachment are freed at once from sorrow. It is this conditioning that is the seed of old age, death and delusion; when it ceases, one goes beyond the ocean of delusion. The conditioned mind creates bondage even in ascetics; the unconditioned mind is pure even in a house-holder. The mind that is thus conditioned is bondage; liberation is freedom from conditioning (inner contact, attachment or identification). This inner contact (which presupposes fictitious division) alone is the cause for bondage and liberation. Actions performed by the unconditioned are non-action; the conditioned mind acts even while outwardly refraining from it. Action or non-action is in the mind; the body does nothing. Hence, one should resolutely abandon this false inner division.

  section V - chapter 68 - samsakttir dvividha proktta vandya vandhya ca raghava vandhya sarvatra mudhanam vandya tattvavidam nija (21)

Rama asked:

What is conditioning, O Lord, and how does it cause bondage; and what is liberation and how is it attained?

Vasistha continued:

Conviction in the reality of the body in one who has abandoned the distinction between the body and the self, is known as conditioning. He who believes that the infinite self is limited and therefore seeks pleasure, thus gets bound. He who enquires 'All this is indeed the self, what do I desire and what should I renounce?' is established in the unconditioned state of liberation. He who knows 'I am not, nor is there another' or 'Let these be or not be' and does not seek pleasure, is liberated. He is not addicted to inaction nor does he get lost in the results of action; he is not given to exultation or to depression. He renounces the fruits of actions by his mind (not by action!). It is by the rejection of the conditioning that bondage is got rid of and the highest good gained. Conditioning is the cause of all sorrow.

Conditioning can be illustrated by the following examples: (1) the donkey is led by the master's rope and, afraid, it carries a heavy burden; (2) the tree rooted to the ground bears heat, cold, wind and rain; (3) the worm lies in a hole in earth, biding its time; (4) the hungry bird rests on the branch of a tree, fearful of predators; (5) the tame deer peacefully goes about grazing and falls a prey to the hunter's shot; (6) numerous people are born again and again as worms and insects; (7) the countless creatures arise and fall in this creation like waves on the surface of the ocean; (8) the weak human beings who, unable even to move about, die again and again; (9) those shrubs and creepers which derive their nourishment from the earth and grow on earth; and (10) this very world-illusion which is like a river that carries in its stream the countless sorrows and sufferings. All these are the expansions of conditioning.

Conditioning (or inner contact, attachment or self-limitation) is of two kinds: the adorable and the sterile or barren. The sterile or barren conditioning is seen everywhere in fools: the adorable conditioning is seen among those who know the truth. That conditioning which exists in the minds of those who are ignorant of self-knowledge, which arises from things like the body and which is conducive to repeated birth and death, that is barren and sterile. The other form of conditioning, which is found in adorable beings who have self-knowledge, arises from the realisation of true wisdom; this enables one to avoid birth and death.

(The adorable conditioning recognises 'natural' limitations, e.g., the eyes and the ears, etc. are limited in their perception. The fool's is selfimposed conditioning and he regards the infinite self to be identical with the physical body. The word used in the text, viz. samsaktti is usually translated 'attachment'. However, attachment implies division and duality which is limitation of the infinite and conditioning of the unconditioned.)

  section V - chapter 68 - antah samsangamanganam angaram viddhi raghava anantah sangamanganam viddhi rama rasayanam (50)

Vasistha continued:

The god who holds in his hands the conch, the discus, etc., protects the three worlds, on account of the 'adorable conditioning'. It is thanks to the same type of conditioning that the sun shines and the cosmic body of the Creator continues to direct this vast creation. And lord Siva, too, shines as a divinity on account of this type of conditioning. The gods that sustain this world and function in various ways are endowed with their faculties by this adorable conditioning or self-limitation.

On the other hand, under the influence of the sterile or barren conditioning, the mind falls a prey to the desire for pleasure in the deluded belief that such experience is delightful.

Even the functioning of the cosmic elements is due to conditioning. And it is because of it that the gods in heaven, the humans on earth and the demons in the netherworid arise and fall, like waves on the ocean. Even as in the ocean the big fish eat the small ones, all these countless beings feed upon one another and are helplessly blown around in space on account of their conditioning. And, the stars in space move in their own orbits because of conditioning. Now rising, now setting, now bright, now dark (and said to have several spots or defects), the moon continues to revolve around the mirth and is not abandoned because of conditioning.

O Rama, behold this mysterious creation brought into being by who-knows-who in response to the mental concepts of beings. This universe has been conjured up in empty space merely by mental conditioning: it is not a reality. And in this universe, craving for pleasure gnaws at the very vitals of all beings who are attached to the world, the body etc. No one can count their number any more than the number of particles of sand along the ocean beaches. The Creator of this universe has brought this universe into being, as it were, only in response to the mental conditioning of these countless beings. These beings are indeed excellent dry fuel for the flaming fire of hell here. Whatever suffering is found in this world, know that it is meant only for these beings. Even as rivers flow rapidly towards the ocean, suffering flows towards those who are mentally conditioned. This whole creation is thus pervaded by ignorance. However, if one cuts asunder this craving for pleasure, the limitation of mental conditioning yields to a great expansion. Mental conditioning (or attachment to the finite and the perishable) is burning pain to the limbs, O Rama: but infinite expansion (or devotion to the infinite) is the magic cure for the burning pain. That mind which is unattached to anything, which is established in the peace of infinite expansion, in conducive to delight. He who stands rooted in self-knowledge is liberated here and now.

(In this chapter the real significance of 'conditioning' is brought out, though the word used again is samsangam which may also be translated as 'contact' or 'attachment'. It is

'identification' or 'conditioning' that is really implied.)

  section V - chapter 69 70 - esaiva rama sausupti sthitir abhyasayogatah praudha sati turyamiti kathita tattvakovidaih (70/26)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, doing what is appropriate, at all times, the mind should not be attached to the action, the thoughts or the object. Neither should it be attached to the heavens above, nor what is below nor in the other directions. It should not be bound to external relations, to the natural movement of the inner senses, nor to the life-force. The mind should not rest in the head, inside the palate, between the eyebrows, at the tip of the nose or in the mouth or eyes. It should not repose either in the darkness or in the light or even in the cave of the heart. The states of wakefulness, dream and sleep should not hold it and even the wide, pure space should not be its home. Unattached to the spectrum of colours, to movement and steadiness, to the beginning, the middle, the end and elsewhere, the mind should not rest either at a distance or nearby, in front, in objects or in the self. Sense experiences, the deluded state of happiness, concepts and percepts should have no hold over the mind.

The mind should rest in pure consciousness as pure consciousness, with just a little externalised movement of thought, as if aware of the utter vanity of the objects of this world. When thus all attachments have been snapped, the jiva becomes no-jiva: whatever happens thereafter happens - whether activity or inactivity. In such a state of non- attachment the jiva is not bound to the fruits of action. Or, abandoning even that state of a little comprehension of the objects, let the jiva rest in supreme peace.

Such a liberated person, whether he appears to others to be engaged in activity or not, is for ever free from sorrow and fear. All the people love and adore him. Even if in the eyes of others he appears to be agitated, within himself he is firmly rooted in wisdom. His consciousness is ever uncoloured by happiness and unhappiness. He is not distracted by the glamour of the world. Having attained self-knowledge, he lives in constant contemplation as it were; and therefore he is unattached to anything in the universe. Having risen above the pairs of opposites, he appears to be as if in deep sleep even in the wakeful state.

That state in which the mind is freed from its characteristic movement of thought and in which there is only the experience of peace, is known as 'deep sleep in wakefulness'. He who is in it lives a non-volitional life, freed from every type of mental distraction or distress, unconcerned with a short or a long life. When this same state of 'deep sleep in wakefulness' matures, it is known as turiya or the fourth state. Firmly established in that, the sage perceives the universe as if it is a cosmic playground and life in it is a cosmic dance. Utterly freed from sorrow and fear and from delusion of world-appearance, he who is established in the turiya does not fall into error once again. He is forever immersed in bliss. He goes even beyond this to the great, inexpressible state of supreme bliss. That is considered the state beyond even turiya - incomprehensible and indescribable.

  section V - chapter 71 - cidatma nirmalo nityah svavabhaso niramayah dehastvanityo malavamstena sambandhyate katham (24)

Vasistha continued:

It may be possible to put into words the state of one who is liberated while yet living, which is the state known as turiya or 'deep sleep in wakefulness', or the state of total freedom. The state beyond that (which is the state of those who have transcended body- consciousness) is not for words to describe. This is the 'state beyond the turiya'. O Rama, strive to reach that.

But first be established in the state of 'deep sleep in wakefulness'. Remain unconcerned about the existence or otherwise of the body, knowing that the body is but a product of illusion. You are a man of wisdom, O Rama; and you have reached inner awakening. The mind of the man of self-knowledge does not take the downward path. Only the pure consciousness exists here: hence, let not the notions of 'I am so-and-so', 'This is mine' arise in you. Even the word 'self' is used only in order to communicate; the truth is beyond all these descriptions. There is no duality, there are no bodies and therefore there are no relationships among them; there are no shadows in the sun! Though I am speaking to you while assuming the apparent duality, in truth there is no such division.

Even as there is no relationship between light and darkness, there can be no relationship between the body and the embodied. When the truth is known, the erroneous perception vanishes. The self is consciousness - pure eternal self-luminous and free from change; the body is impermanent and impure. How can there exist a relation between the two? The body is enlivened by the life-force or by the other elements; this body can have no relationship whatsoever with the self. Thus, even if the two (self and body) are regarded as two distinct realities, there can be no relationship between them: but, if this duality is unreal, then such thinking itself becomes irrelevant. Let this truth be firmly established in you; there is no bondage nor liberation at any time for anyone anywhere.

It is clear that all this is but the one infinite self or consciousness. If you lend ear to concepts like 'I am happy or unhappy' or 'I am ignorant' , then they will bring you endless

sorrow. The body came into being because of wind (life-breath), it exists because of it, its speech is caused by it and all the senses function because of it: the intelligence in it is but the indivisible consciousness. That infinite consciousness alone is spread out everywhere as space, etc., and the latter are reflected in the consciousness, and this reflection has come to be known as the mind. When the mind abandons its body-cage and flies away, it experiences the self which is conociousness. Where there is fragrance there is flower; where there is mind there is consciousness. But, the mind alone is the cause for the appearance of the world: since the consciousness is omnipresent and infinite, though it is the ultimate cause, it is not the cause of the world-appearance. Hence ,truly, the cause for this world-appearance is non-investigation into the nature of reality - ignorance. Even as a lamp instantly removes darkness, the light of self-knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance instantly. Hence one should enquire into what is known as jiva or mind or the inner psychological factor.

  section V - chapter 71 - jadajadadrsormadhyam yattattvam paramatmikam tadetadeva nanatvam nanasamjnabhiratatam (56)

Rama asked:

Holy sir, how have these concepts and categories come to be firmly accepted? Pray enlighten me.

Vasistha continued:

All this is indeed the self. However, even as waves rise in the ocean, the diversity known as the universe arises in the mind. Here and there, the self appears to be kinetic self. Elsewhere, the self remains in a static state. The static are inert substances like rock, and the kinetic substances are humans etc. In all these, the omnipotent self entertains the notion of ignorance and therefore remains as if ignorant. The infinite thus clothed in ignorance, is known as the Jiva - who is like the trapped elephant in this world- appearance.

Because it lives, it is known as jiva. Because of its egoistic notion, it is known as the ego. Because it discriminates and determines, it is known as the buddhi or the discriminating faculty. Because of its ability to form concepts and percepts, it is known as the mind. Being natural, it is called nature. It itself is known as the body, because it changes. It is known as consciousness, because its nature is consciousness.

The supreme self which alone is the truth is right in the middle between the inert and the intelligent: that alone creates diversity and is known by all these diverse names. But, all these categories have been invented by men of perverse intellect for the pleasure of polemics and for the confusion of ignorant men.

Thus, O Rama, it is this jiva alone which is the cause of this world-appearance: what can this deaf and dumb body do? If the body perishes the self does not perish, even as if a leaf falls the tree does not perish. Only the deluded person thinks otherwise.

On the other hand, if the mind perishes, everything perishes, and there is final liberation. The man who wails "I am dying, I perish", is foolishly clinging to a false concept. He goes on experiencing the world-illusion in some other place or time. The jiva that dwells in mental conditioning abandons one body and goes looking for another, even as a monkey abandons one tree in a forest and jumps on to another. Thereafter, in a moment, it abandons that too, and seeks yet another, in another part of space and in another period of time. Just as a nanny takes the baby from one place to another in order to distract it, this mental conditioning (or the psychological habit or tendency) takes the jiva here and there. Thus tied to the rope of mental conditioning, the jiva goes through repeated birth in various species, enduring interminable suffering.

As the sage Vasistha said this, another day came to an end and the assembly dispersed for their evening prayers.

  section V - chapter 72 - drsyadarsanasambandha vistaraistad vijrmbhate drsyadarsanasambandhe yatsukham paramatmikam anubhutimayam tasmat saram brahmeti kathyate (33)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, you are not born when the body is born, nor do you die when it dies. To think that the space within the jar came into being when it was made and the space perishes with the jar is sheer foolishness. Moreover, the indwelling consciousness is free from notions of the desirable and the undesirable in relation to the body, mind and senses. The indwelling consciousness seems to come into contact with these even as travellers meet in an inn or logs of wood meet and part in a stream: meeting and parting do not cause happiness or unhappiness to the consciousness. Why then do people exult or grieve in these circumstances?

The self on account of its ignorant self-limitation as the mind becomes as if tainted by the objects of the world; but, the same self when it is awakened to its true nature abandons its ignorant delusion and regains its self-knowledge. Then, the mind sees the body as if from a great height. Recognising the body as an aggregate of the elements, it transcends body-consciousness and becomes enlightened.

Such an enlightened person is untainted by worldliness or ignorance even while acting in this world. He is neither attracted nor repelled by anything in the world. He knows "What is known as 'I' and what is known as 'the world' in the three periods of time are but the expansion of the conjunction between pure experiencing and the experience itself." Whether the object of experiencing be real or unreal, it is entirely dependent upon the experiencing: how then do joy and sorrow arise? The false is false, the truth is the truth; a mixture of these two is of course false! Be not deluded. Abandon false perception and behold the truth; you will never again be deluded.

All that is, is but the expansion of the relationship between pure expetiencing and its experience. That experience is truly the delight of self-bliss. It is pure experiencing itself. Hence it is known as Brahman the absolute. That delight which arises in the contact of this pure experiencing with experience is the highest: to the ignorant, it is worldliness, and to the wise it is liberation. This pure experiencing is itself the infinite self: when it is bent towards objects, it is bondage, but when it is free, it is liberation. When such experiencing is free from decay or curiosity, it is liberation. When such experiencing is freed from even this contact (the nubject-object relationship), then the world-appearance ceases entirely. Then arises the turiya consciousness or 'deep sleep in wakefulness'.

The self is neither this nor that; it transcends whatever is the object of experiencing here. In the unlimited and unconditioned vision of the knower of truth, all this is but the one self, the infinite consciousness, and there is nothing which can be regarded as the not- self. The substantiality of all substances is none other than the self or the infinite consciousness.

  section V - chapter 73 - paro nuh sakalatitarupo ham cetyahankrtih prathama sarvameva hamityanyoktta raghudvaha (10)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, there is another attitude by which you will also gain divine insight and remain firmly established in self-knowledge. And that is as follows:

'I am the space. I am the sun. I am the directions, above and below. I am the gods. I am the demons. I am all beings. I am darkness. I am the earth, the oceans, etc. I am the dust,

the wind, the fire and all this world. I am omnipresent. How can there be anything other than me?'

By adopting this attitude you will rise beyond joy and sorrow.

Both these attitudes are conducive to liberation: one is 'I am the extremely subtle and transcendent self' and the other is 'I am all and everything'. There is another attitude with regard to the 'I' , and that is 'I am this body': this attitude is the source of endless sorrow. Abandon all these three attitudes, O Rama, and remain as pure consciousness. For, though the self is transcendental and though it is omnipresent, the self alone is the light in all things in the world, though they are in fact false.

This self-knowledge is not gained by explanations and descriptions, nor by the instructions of others. At all times, everything is known only by direct experience. Whatever is experienced and known here in this world, all that is the self, the consciousness devoid of the duality of the experiencing and the experience. It is the self alone that exists everywhere at all times, but because of its extreme subtlety, it is not experienced. In all beings, it is the jiva. All activities take place in the light of the sun, but if the activities cease, the sun does not suffer loss: even so, it is on account of the self that the body, etc., function, but if the body, etc., perish, the self does not suffer loss. The self is not born, nor does it die; it does not acquire, nor does it desire; it is not bound, nor is it liberated - the self is the self of all at all times.

That (self) is unconditioned by time, space, etc.; how does it become bound? When there is no bondage, what is liberation? Such is the glory of the self. But on account of ignorance of the nature of the self, people weep and wail here. Abandon these two false concepts, viz., that of bondage and that of liberation, and live an enlightened life here. There is no liberation in the sky or on earth or in the nether world; liberation is but a synonym for pure mind, correct self-knowledge and a truly awakened state. The complete absence of all desires and hopes is liberation. Until one reaches this true inner awakening or self- knowledge, one considers oneself bound and strives for liberation. Abandon these wrong notions of bondage and liberation and become 'a man of supreme renunciation', O Rama. Then live a very long life and rule the whole world.

  section V - chapter 74 - avidya samparijnata na cainam parikarsati mrgatrsna parijnata tarsulam na vakarsati (20)

Vasistha continued:

The self playfully seeing a body entertains the notion that it has become the body. All these that constitute the world-illusion come into being like a mirage in the desert. This illusion spreads out like waves in the ocean, assuming various names like mind, the faculty of discrimination, the ego-sense, the latent tendencies and the senses. The mind and the ego-sense are not in fact two but one and the same: the distinction is verbal. The mind is the ego-sense and what is known as the ego-sense is the mind. Only ignorant people think that one is born of the other, even as ignorant people might say that whiteness is born of snow.

Thus of the mind and the ego-sense - if one ceases the other ceases to be. Hence, instead of entertaining the notion of bondage and that of liboration, abandon all cravings and through wisdom and dispassion, bring about the cessation of the mind. If even the wish "May I be liberated" arises within you, the mind is revived; and the mind entertaining other motions creates a body. Then there arise other concepts like 'I do this', 'I enjoy this' and 'I know this'. All these concepts are unreal like a mirage in the desert. However, since their unreality is not realised, the illusion attracts the mind even as the mirage deludes and attracts an animal. But, if it is realised as an illusion it does not attract the mind, even mis a mirage does not delude one who knows it to be a mirage. Just as a lamp utterly dispels darkness, the knowledge of truth completely uproots concepts and conditioning.

When one sincerely questions 'This body is but inert substance, why should one seek pleasure for its sake?', all cravings drop away. When thus the cravings drop away, one experiences great bliss and supreme peace within oneself. The sage of self-knowledge attains courage and stability and shines in his own glory. He enjoys supreme satisfaction in himself. He is enlightened and this inner light shines brightly within him. He beholds the self as self of all, omnipresent, the Lord of all and formless, yet pervading all forms.

Remembering the past when he was swayed by lust, he laughs at his own past ignorance. He is far from evil company, freed from mental distress, but firmly established in self-knowledge. He is glorified by all, he is sought by all, he is applauded by all, but he remains indifferent. He neither gives nor does he take, he does not insult or praise anyone, he does not rejoice or grieve. He is a sage liberated while living, who has abandoned all motivated actions, who is free from conditioning and who has given up all desires and hopes. O Rama, abandon all desires and remain at peace within yourself. No delight in the world is comparable to the delight that will fill your heart when you completely abandon all desires and hopes. Not in kingship, nor in heaven, nor in the company of the beloved one does one nxperience such delight as when one is free from hope.

  section V - chapter 74 - gospadam prthivi meruh sthanurasah samudgikah trnamn tribhuvanam rama nairasyalankrtakrteh (47)

Vasistha continued:

He who is endowed with desirelessness (hope-lessness) treats the whole world as if it were the footprint of a calf, the highest mountain as the stump of a felled tree, space as a small box and the three worlds as a blade of grass. He laughs at the activities of the worldly-minded persons. How can we compare such a person, and to what? How can anyone disturb his equanimity when he is totally free from thoughts like "I wish this had happened to me"? O Rama, it is desire or hope that makes one revolve, bound to the wheel of world-illusion.

When you perceive the truth that the self alone is all this and that diversity is just a word without substance, you will become totally free from desire or hope. Such a hero who is endowed with supreme dispassion drives away the goblin of illusion by his very presence. He is not pleased by pleasure, he is not troubled by troubles. Attractions do not distract him any more than wind can uproot a mountain. The twin-forces of attraction and aversion do not even touch him. He looks upon all with equal vision.

Free from the least attachment he enjoys whatever comes to him unsought, even as the eyes perceive their objects without desire or hate. Such experiences do not therefore produce either joy or sorrow in him. Even though he appears to be engaged in the performance of appropriate actions in this world, his consciousness is not distracted in the least. Whatever may befall him in accordance with the laws of time, space and causation, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, he remains inwardly undisturbed.

Even as a rope which had been mistaken for a snake does not frighten one who has seen that it is a rope and not a snake, illusion once dispelled does not return and self-knowledge once attained is never lost. Can one restore to the tree the fruit that has fallen from it?

The knower of truth regards even the most beautiful woman as a painted image; that is the truth, for both of them are made of the same substance (earth, water, etc.) When thus the truth is seen, desire to possess does not arise in the heart. Even as a woman who has a lover goes about doing her housework with her heart absorbed in contemplation of that lover, the enlightened sage functions in this world while his consciousness is firmly established in the truth. In both these cases it is impossible for anyone to prevent such behaviour, i.e., make the woman forget her lover or make the sage forget the truth.

The enlightened sage knows that his self is not cut when the body is cut, does not weep when the eyes shed tears, is not burnt when the body is burnt, and is not lost when everything is lost. Whatever may befall him, whether he is destitute or affluent, whether he lives in a palace or in a forest - he is inwardly undisturbed.

  section V - chapter 75 - tiryagyonisvapi sada vidyante krtabuddhayah devayonisvapi prajna vidyante murkhabuddhayah (32) sarvam sarvena sarvatra sarvatha sarvadaiva hi sambhavatyeva sarvatmanyatmanyatatarupini (33)

Vasistha continued:

Very many such liberated beings exist in the universe, O Rama. I shall give you a few instances. Janaka the emperor, your own ancestor the emperor Dilipa, the first ruler of the world Manu, emperor Mandhata who engaged himself in wars, the demon-kings Bali, Namuci, Vrtra (who even fought with the king of gods Indra), Prahlada and Sambara, the preceptors of the gods and demons, as also the trinity (who are involved in the creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe), sages like Visvamitra and Narada, as well as the deities presiding over natural elements like fire and air.

There are thousands of others, O Rama, who exist in the universe and who are liberated. Some of them are sages, others are kings, others shine its stars and planets, others are divinities and others are demons. O Rama, there are liberated beings even among worms and insects; and there are stupid fools among the gods. The self is in all - it exists as the all everywhere at all times and in all ways. The self alone is the Lord and all the divinities. There is void (space) in substances and substantiality in the void or space. What is inappropriate appears to be appropriate on enquiry. People are righteous because they are afraid of the consequences of sin. Even what is not leads to what is! - the contemplation of the space or void leads to the attainment of the supreme truth! What is not comes into being, guided by time and space. On the other hand, what appears to be strong and powerful reaches its own destruction. Thus perceiving the truth, O Rama, abandon joy and sorrow, grief and attachment. The unreal appears to be real and the real appears to be unreal: hence give up hope and hopelessness and attain equanimity.

In this world, O Rama, liberation is at hand at all times everywhere. By their own self- effort millions of beings have attained liberation. Liberation is either easy or difficult depending upon one's wisdom or unwisdom; hence, O Rama, kindle the lamp of wisdom in yourself. By the vision of the self is sorrow beheaded.

There have been countless beings in this world who have attained self-knowledge and liberation while yet living: like the emperor Janaka. Therefore, do thou become liberated here and now. The attainment of inner peace by utter non-attachment to anything here is known as liberation; this is possible whether the body exists or not. He who is freed from all attachment is liberated. One should wisely and intelligently exert oneself to attain this liberation; one who does not exert cannot even jump over the footprint of a rule. Hence, O Rama, resort to spiritual heroism, to right exertion, and by the right self-enquiry strive to reach the perfection of self-knowledge. For one who thus strives, the entire universe is like the footprint of a calf.

  section V - chapter 76 77 - cidatmana ima ittham prasphurantiha sakttayah ityasya scaryajalesu na bhyudeti kutuhalam (30)

Vasistha continued:

All these worlds, O Rama, appear in Brahman the absolute; but they are apprehended as an independent substantial reality on account of ignorance or non-wisdom. Such an erroneous notion ceases on the arising of wisdom. Erroneous perception makes all this appear as 'the world': right perception brings about the cessation of this error. Rama, this error is not dispelled except by right exertion with the right attitude and wisdom. Fie on that person, O Rama, who though such possibility of overcoming this error exists, remains sunk in the mire of world-illusion. Blessed are you, Rama, that the right spirit of enquiry has already manifested in your heart. When the truth is realised through such enquiry, strength, intelligence and radiance increase.

The sage who has realised the truth and who is liberated from error here and now beholds this world as he would in deep sleep, without the least craving. He does not apprehend with his inner intelligence even those objects and experiences which seek him unsought: for his own heart is withdrawn into itself. He has no hopes for the future and he does not recall the past, nor does he even live in the present; and yet he does all. Asleep, he is awake; awake, he sleeps. He does all, yet he does nothing. Inwardly having renounced everything though outwardly he appears to be busy, he is ever in a state of equilibrium. His actions are entirely non-volitional.

The sage is unattached to anything or anybody. Hence, his behaviour appears to be devout to the devout and harsh to the harsh. He is a child among children, old man among old men, hero among heroes, youth among youth and sorrowing among the sorrowful. His soft and sweet words are full of wisdom. He has nothing to gain from noble deeds, yet he is noble; he has no longing for pleasure and hence is not tempted by it. He is not attracted to bondage or even to liberation. The net of ignorance and error having been burnt by the fire of wisdom, the bird of his consciousness flies away to liberation.

He is not elated when his efforts bear fruit; nor is he worried if they do not. He appears to take and to abandon with the playfulness of a child. He is not surprised if the moon shines hot or the sun shines cool. Knowing that the self, which is the infinite consciousness, can bring all these about, he is not surprised even by such wondrous phenomena. He is not timid and he is not given to outbursts of anger.

Knowing that beings are constantly born and that they die constantly, he does not give way to joy or grief. He knows that the world arises in his own vision, even as the dream-objects arise when one dreams, and hence all these objects are of momentary existence. Therefore, he does not feel any justification for either pity or joy. When all such concepts like pleasure and pain, desirable and undesirable cease, all notions in the mind cease. Error does not arise again, even as oil is not obtained from burnt seed.

  section V - chapter 78 - pranaspandaccitah spandas tatspandadeva samvidah cakravartavidhayinyo jalaspandadivormayah (14)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, just as when a firebrand is swung around, an illusory circle of fire is formed, there is an illusory appearance of the world due to the vibration that arises in consciousness. Vibration and consciousness are inseparably one like the whiteness of snow, the oil in the sesame seed, the fragrance of the flower and the heat of fire. Their description as distinct categories is an error. Mind and movement of thought are inseparable; and the cessation of one is the cessation of both.

O Rama, there are two ways in which this cessation can be achieved: one is the way of yoga which involves the restraint of the movement of thought, and the other is the way of knowledge which involves the right knowledge of truth.

In this body, that energy (lit. air) which circulates in the energy-channels (nadi lit. means 'channel of motion', not necessarily a nerve though for convenience it may be called so) is known as prana. In accordance with its diverse functions in the body, it is also known by the names apana, etc. This prana is indistinguishably united with the mind. In fact, the consciousness that tends towards thinking, on account of the movement of prana, is known as the mind. Movement of thought in the mind arises from the movement of prana; and movement of prana arises because of the movement of thought in consciousness. They thus form a cycle of mutual dependence, like waves and movement of currents in water.

The wise ones declare that the mind is caused by the movement of prana; and hence by the restraint of the prana, the mind becomes quiescent. When the mind abandons the movement of thought, the appearance of the world-illuion ceases. The movement of prana is arrested at the moment when all hopes and desires come to an end in one's heart through the earnest practice of the precepts of the scriptures and sages, and by the cultivation of dispassion in previous life-spans or through endeavouring to practise contemplation or meditation and reaching a stage of devotion to a single truth in a single- minded way.

The movement of prana is also arrested by the effortless practice of inhalation, etc., without strain, in seclusion, or the repetition of the sacred OM with the experience of its meaning, when the consciousness reaches the deep sleep state. The practice of exhalation, when the prana roams in space without touching the limbs of the body, of inhalation, leading to the peaceful movement of prana, and of retention, bringing it to a standstill for a long time, all lead to the arrest of the movement of prana. Likewise the closure of the posterior nares by the tip of the tongue as the prana moves towards the crown of the head, the practice of meditation where there is no movement of thought, the holding of the consciousness steadily at the point twelve inches from the tip of the nose, the entering of the prana into the forehead through the palate and upper aperture, the fixing of the prana at the eyebrow centre, the sudden cessation of the movement of thought, or cessation of all mental conditioning through meditation on the space in the heart-centre over a long

period of time, all these lead to this arrest of the movement of prana.

  section V - chapter 78 79 - samvinmatram tu hrdayamupadeyam sthitam smrtam tadantare ca bahye ca na ca bahye na ca ntare (35)

Rama asked:

Lord, what is the heart that is spoken of by you? Vasistha continued:

O Rama, two aspects of the 'heart' are spoken of here: one is acceptable and the other is to be ignored. The heart that is part of this physical body and is located in one part of the body may be ignored! The heart which is acceptable is of the nature of pure consciousness. It is both inside and outside and it is neither inside nor outside. That is the principal heart and in it is reflected everything which is in universe, and it is the treasure-house of all wealth. Consciousness alone is the heart of all beings, not the piece of flesh which people call the heart! Hence, if the mind, freed of all conditioning, is gathered into pure consciousness, the movement of prana is restrained.

By anyone of these methods, propounded by the various teachers, the movement of prana can be restrained. These yogic methods bring about the desired results if they are practised without violence or force. When one is firmly established in such practice with simultaneous growth in dispassion and when the mental conditioning comes under perfect restraint, there is fruition of the restraint of the movement of prana.

During the practice one may use the eye-brow centre, the palate, the tip of the nose, or the top of the head (twelve inches from the nose); thus the prana will be restrained. Again, if by steady and persistent practice the tip of the tongue can touch the uvula, the movement of prana will be restricted. Surely, all these practices appear to be distractions; but by their steady practice, one reaches the absence of distractions. It is only by such steady practice that one is freed from sorrow and experiences the bliss of the self. Hence, practise yoga. When through practice the movement of prana is restrained, then nirvana or liberation alone remains. In it is all; from it is all; it is all; it is everywhere: in it this world-appearance is not, nor is this from it, nor is the world-appearance like it! He who is firmly established in it, is liberated while living.

He whose mind is firmly established in peace through the practice of yoga, has the right vision of the truth. To see that the supreme self is without beginning and without end, and that these countless objects are in fact the self and no other, is the right vision. Erroneous vision leads to rebirth; right vision ends rebirth. In it there is no subject-object (knower- knowable) relationship; for the self (consciousness) is the knower, knowledge and the knowable, too, and the division is ignorance. When this is directly seen, there is neither bondage nor liberation. When the sage rests in his own self, with his intelligence firmly established in the inner self, what pleasures can bind him in this world?

  section V - chapter 80 - mrtam mano mrta cinta mrto hankararaksasah vicaramantrena samah svasthastisthami kevalam (80/38)

Vasistha continued:

One who engages himself in enquiry is not tempted by distractions. The eyes but see: the notions pleasant, unpleasant, etc. arise not in the eyes, but elsewhere - it is even so with the other senses. Hence, the sense-functions are not evil. If egoistic thought is linked to these sense-functions (which arise and cease in a moment), there is mental agitation.

O eyes! The objects of your experience arise and fall, and they are but appearances. Do not let your gaze linger on them, lest the eternal indwelling consciousness suffer mortality. Be an onlooker that you truly are. O mind! Countless scenes are seen by the eyes in accordance with their natural function; why do you get involved in them? Even if these scenes are reflected in the mind and recognised by it, why do you respond to these as the ego-sense? There is, without doubt, an intimate relationship between the eyes and their objects; but why do you offer yourself as their support and then endeavour to apprehend them? Truly, scene, sight and mind are unrelated, like the face, mirror and reflection: yet, somehow the illusory notion arises that 'I see this'. Ignorance is the wax in which these are sealed to one another; but self-knowledge is the fire in whose heat this wax melts away!

Indeed, it is through repeated thinking, that this ignorant relationship is strengthened; but I shall now destroy it through right enquiry. When ignorance is destroyed, such illusory relationship between scene, sight and mind will never again arise. The mind alone provides the senses with their intelligence; hence this mind should be destroyed. O mind, why do you vainly get agitated through the five senses? Only he who thinks 'It is my mind' is deluded by you. You do not exist, O mind. I do not care whether you stay or you go from me. You are unreal, inert, illusory. Only a fool is harassed by you, not a wise man. This understanding puts an end to the darkness of ignorance. Get out of this body, O ghost, along with your cravings and your emotions like anger. O mind, I have slain you today because I have realised that you never did exist in truth.

For a very long time, this ghost of a mind generated countless evil notions like lust, anger, etc. Now that that ghost has been laid, I laugh at my own past foolishness. The mind is dead; all my worries and anxieties are dead: the demon known as ego-sense is dead, too: all this has been brought about through the mantra of enquiry. I am free and happy now. All my hopes and desires have gone. Salutations to my own self! There is no delusion, no sorrow, no I, no other! I am not the self, nor am I someone else, I am the all in all: salutations to my own self! I am the beginning. I am the consciousness. I am all the universes. There are no divisions in me. Salutations to my own self alone! That which is omnipresent equally in all, to that subtle indwelling omnipresence, that self, salutations!

  section V - chapter 81 - vicarakarako maurkhyadahamasam mitasthitih vicarena mitakarah kva nama ham vicarakah (14)

Vasistha continued:

O Rama, thus having reflected, the wise man should proceed further in the following manner:

"When the self (consciousness) alone is all this and when the mind has been cleansed with this understanding, what is mind - mind is surely non-existent. Whether it is unseen, or it is not-mind, or it is an illusory appearance, this much is certain- either it does not exist or it is mere illusion. Now that both wickedness and delusion have ceased, I do not see what the mind is."

"All my doubts have ceased. I am without the fever of agitation. Whatever I am, I am but without craving. When the mind ceases to be, the craving ceases to be too. When the mind is dead and the craving is dead, delusion has vanished and egolessness is born. Hence I am awakened in this state of wakefulness. When there is only one truth and diversity has no reality at all, what shall I investigate?"

"I am the eternal self that is omnipresent and subtle. I have reached that state of reality which is unreflected in anything, which is beginningless and endless and which is utterly pure. Whatever is and whatever is not, the mind and the inner reality are all the one infinite consciousness, which is supreme peace beyond comprehension and by which all this is pervaded. Let the mind continue to be or let it die. What is the sense in enquiring into all this, when the self is established in utter equanimity ? I remained in a conditioned state as long as I was foolishly engaged in this enquiry. Now that through his enquiry I have reached the unconditioned being, who is the enquirer?"

"Such thoughts are utterly useless, now that the mind is dead; they may revive this ghost known as the mind. Hence I abandon all these thoughts and notions; contemplating the OM, I shall remain in the self, in total inner silence."

Thus should a wise man investigate the nature of the truth at all times, whatever he may be doing. On account of such investigation, the mind remains established in itself, freed of all agitation, but performing its natural functions.

The Holy ones with unconditioned consciousness live and function here, freed from pride and delusion, with their heart ever rejoicing, their countenance shining with a divine radiance and performing their natural actions.

The above line of enquiry was adopted by the sage Samvarta who himself described it to me once upon a time.

9. The Story of Vitahavya

  section V - chapter 82 - tyajadeva nugrhnati vrttirindriyavardhitah yasmannivaryate tasminpronmatta iva dhavati (14)

Vasistha continued:

There is another mode of enquiry which was adopted by the sage Vitahavya. This sage used to roam the forests in the mountain ranges known as Vindhyas. At one stage, he became totally disenchanted with the affairs of the world which create delusion: and through the contemplation which is free from all perverse notions and thoughts, he abandoned the world as a worn-out illusion. He entered his hermitage, seated himself in the lotus posture and remained firm like a mountain-peak. Having withdrawn the senses and having turned the attention of the mind upon itself, he began to contemplate as follows:

How fickle is my mind! Even if it is introverted, it does not remain steady, but gets agitated in a moment like the surface of the ocean. Tied to the senses (like the sight) ,it bounces again and again like a ball. Having been nourished by the senses, the mind grasps the very objects it has given up; and like a demented person, it runs after the very things from which it has been restrained. It jumps from one object to the other like a monkey.

I shall now consider the character of the five senses through which the mind thus gets distracted. O senses, has the time not yet arrived for you all to attain self-knowledge? Do you not remember the sorrow that followed your pursuit of pleasure? Then, give up this vain excitement. Truly, you are inert and insentient: you are the avenue through which the mind flows out to reach objective experience. I am your Lord, I am consciousness and I alone do all these as the pure intelligence. You, O senses, are false. There is no connection whatsoever between you and the consciousness which is the self. In the very light of the consciousness which is non-volitional, you function, even as people perform various actions in the light of the sun. But do not entertain the false notion, O senses, that 'I am intelligent', for you are not. Even the notion 'I am alive' that you entertain falsely is conducive only to sorrow.

There is nothing but consciousness which is beginningless and endless. O wicked mind, what then are you? The notions that arise in you, viz., 'I am the doer' and 'I am the enjoyer' which appear to be great rejuvenators, are in fact deadly poisons. Do not be so deluded, O mind; you are neither the doer of anything nor are you the experiencer in truth. You are inert and your intelligence is derived from some other source. How are pleasures related to you? You yourself do not exist; how do you have relations? If you realise that 'I am but pure consciousness', then you are indeed the self. Then how does sorrow arise in you when you are the unlimited and unconditioned consciousness?

  section V - chapter 82 - kriyate yattu yacchakttya tattenaiva krtam bhavet lunati datram pumsakttya lavakah procyate puman (39)

Vitahavya continued to contemplate:

O mind, I shall gently bring home to you the truth that you are indeed neither the doer nor the experiencer. You are indeed inert; how can a statue made of stone dance? If your intelligence is entirely dependent upon the infinite consciousness, then may you live long in that realisation. However, what is done with the intelligence or the energy of another, is considered to be done by the latter. The sickle harvests with the energy of the farmer; and hence the farmer is said to be the harvester. Similarly, though it is the sword that cuts, the man who wields the sword is the killer. You are inert, O mind; your intelligence is derived from the infinite consciousness. That self or the infinite consciousness knows itself by itself, experiences itself in itself by itself. The Lord endeavours to enlighten you continuously, for the wise should thus instruct the ignorant in a hundred ways. The light of the self alone exists as consciousness or intelligence; that itself has come to be known as the mind. If you realise this truth, you will instantly be dissolved.

O fool, when you are in truth the infinite consciousness, why do you grieve? That is omnipresent, that is the all: when you realise it, you become the all. You are not, the body is not: the one infinite consciousness alone exists and in that homogeneous being the diverse concepts of 'I' and 'you' appear to exist. If you are the self, then the self alone exists, not you! If you are inert, but different from the self, then you do not exist either! For the self or the infinite consciousness alone is all; there is naught else. There is no possibility for the existence of a third thing, apart from the consciousness and the inert substance.

Hence, O mind, you are neither the doer nor the experiencer. You have been used as a channel of instruction by the wise ones in their communication with the ignorant. But, in fact, that channel is unreal and inert; the self alone is the reality. If the farmer does not use the sickle, can it harvest? The sword has no power to kill either. O mind, you are neither the doer nor the experiencer: hence grieve not. The Lord (consciousness) is not like you; hence do not grieve for him! He does not gain anything by either doing or not-doing. He alone pervades all; there is naught else. Then, what shall he do and what shall he desire?

You have no relationship to the self, except as the fragrance to a flower. Relationship exists only between two independent beings of similar nature when they strive to become one. You, O mind, are ever agitated; and the self is ever at peace. There can thus be no relationship between you two. If, however, you enter into the state of samadhi or utter equanimity, you will remain firmly established in consciousness, without the distraction of diversity, without the notions of either many or one, and realise that there is but one self, the infinite consciousness which shines as these countless beings.

  section V - chapter 83 - svatmabhavastava sukham manye manavatam vara tameva bhavaya bhavam sukhatyago hi mudhata (28)

Vitahavya continued to contemplate:

O senses, I feel that you have all been dispelled by the light of my admonitions, for you are born of the darkness of ignorance. O mind, surely your emergence as an appearance is for your own grief! See how when you exist, countless beings get deluded and they enter into this ocean of sorrow with all its prosperity and adversity, illness, old age and death; how greed gnaws at all the good qualities and destroys them; how lust or desire distracts and dissipates their energy.

O mind, when you cease to be, all the good and noble qualities blossom. There is peace and purity of heart. People do not fall into doubt and error. There is friendship which promotes the happiness of all. Worries and anxieties dry up. When the darkness of ignorance is dispelled, the inner light shines brightly. Mental distraction and distress cease, just as when the wind ceases to agitate its surface, the ocean becomes calm. There arises self-knowledge within and the realisation of truth puts an end to the perception of the world-illusion: infinite consciousness alone shines. There is an experience of bliss not granted to the ignorant who are full of desires. Even as new shoots may arise from burnt leaves, a new life may emerge from this. However, he who would avoid entanglement in delusion once again, rests in self-knowledge constantly. Such are the fruits of your absence, O mind, and there are countless others. O mind, you are the support of all our hopes and desires; when you cease to be, all these hopes and desires cease. You can now choose either to be one with the reality or to cease to be an independent entity.

Your existence as identical with the self and non-different from it, is conducive to happiness, O mind. Hence be firmly rooted in the realisation of your non-existence. Surely, it is foolish to neglect happiness. If you exist as the inner being or consciousness, who will wish for your non-existence? But, you are not a real entity; hence your happiness is delusion. You were not real, you came into being through ignorance and delusion, but now through enquiry into your nature and that of the senses and self, you have once again ceased to be. You exist as long as one does not undertake this enquiry. When the spirit of enquiry arises, there is total equanimity or homogeneity. You were born of the ignorance which is the absence of wisdom and discrimination. When this wisdom arises, you cease to be. Hence, I salute wisdom! O mind, you were awakened by many means. Now that you have lost the false characteristic of a mind, you exist as the supreme being or the infinite consciousness, freed from all limitation and conditioning. That which arose in ignorance perishes in wisdom. In spite of yourself, O good mind, this enquiry has arisen in you; this is surely for the attainment of bliss. There is indeed no mind, no mind: the self alone exists, it alone is, there is naught else. I am that self; hence there is naught other than me in the universe. I am the infinite consciousness whose kinetic state alone appears as the universe.

  section V - chapter 84 - yathasthitamidam visvam santamakasanirmalam brahmaiva jfvanmukttanam bandhamoksadrsah kutah (30)

Vasistha continued:

After this enquiry, the sage Vitahavya remained in a state of total quiescence (samadhi) and even his prana did not move. His consciousness was neither fixed within nor did it perceive objects outside. His eyes were softly focussed around the nose. With his body held erect, he appeared to be a living statue. He lived thus for three hundred years, without abandoning his body. His samadhi was undisturbed by the countless natural disturbances or by those caused by human and subhuman beings. Thus he spent three hundred years as if it were an hour. The body which was reflected in the consciousness was protected by it.

After this period, his mind began to move in his heart and there arose in it notions of a creation. Then he spent a hundred years as a sage in mount Kailasa. For a hundred years he was a demi-god. Then he ruled as Indra, the king of heaven, for a period of five world-cycles.

Rama asked:

How was it possible to interfere with the time-table of gods like Indra, O Holy one?

Vasistha replied:

The energy of the infinite consciousness is omnipresent; and it manifests as whatever it likes wherever it likes. Whatever, wherever and however this consciousness conceives the order, so does it become. Thus he saw all this in his own heart, which was free from all conditioning. On account of his attainment of the infinite consciousness, therefore, these notions apparently arose in it non-volitionally. After this, he served as an attendant of lord Siva for a whole epoch. All this the liberated sage Vitahavya experienced.

Rama asked:

If such is the experience of Vitahavya, a liberated sage, then it seems as if bondage and liberation exist even for a sage!

Vasistha replied:

O Rama, for the liberated sages this world exists in all its purity, peace and perfection as Brahman, the infinite: how can there be bondage and liberation for them? Since Vitahavya had become one with the infinite consciousness, he experienced the experiences of all, and he does so even now!

Rama asked:

If the creation of the sage was fictitious and imaginary, how were the embodied beings in it conscious and sentient?

Vasistha replied:

If the creation of Vitahavya was fictitious, O Rama, so is this! That and this are both pure infinite consciousness, their appearance being the result of the delusion of the mind. In truth, neither that creation existed nor does this exist. Brahman alone exists in the three periods of time. Only till this truth is realised, does the world appear to be a solid reality.

  section V - chapter 85 - upadeyo hi dehasya na me tyago na samsrayah yadrso dehasamtyagas tadrso dehasamsrayah (12)

Rama asked:

Lord, please tell me how Vitahavya revived his body in the cave.

Vasistha continued:

The sage had realised the infinite consciousness; and he knew that the mind, called Vitahavya, was but a trick of the infinite consciousness. While he was a servant of lord Siva, he once thought of seeing that body of Vitahavya. When he thought thus, in his own consciousness he saw all the other embodiments that he had had - some of them had come to an end and others were still functioning. And, he saw the body known as Vitahavya sunk like a worm in mud.

Seeing it thus, he reflected: "Surely, this body of mine is devoid of life-force and is therefore unable to function. I shall now enter the solar orbit and with the help of the solar power known as pingala, I shall enter that body. Or, shall I abandon it; for, what have I to do with the body of Vitahavya? On the other hand, this body is neither worth reviving nor worth abandoning. It is the same to me, whether the body is abandoned or it is revived. Seeing that this body has not decomposed and returned to the elements, I shall enter into it and function for a while."

The sage's subtle body then entered into the orbit of the sun. Reflecting on the purpose of the sage's entry into his orbit and the appropriate action concerning that purpose, the sun ordained his own energy to execute the task. The subtle body of the sage thereupon saluted the sun.

The energy of the sun led the way and, as ordained by the sun, it entered the region of the Vindhya after descending from the solar orbit. It descended right where the body of the sage was lying, covered in mud, in order to raise it. Following it, the subtle body of Vitahavya also entered that body. That body was instantly revived. Vitahavya thereupon bowed to the solar energy, pingala, who returned the salutation.

Pingala returned to the solar orbit and the sage proceeded towards the lake for his bath and ablution. Having had his bath and having worshipped the sun, the sage resumed his life as before. He lived an enlightened life, with friendliness, balanced mind, peace, compassion and joy.

  section V - chapter 86 - vismrtir vismrta duram smrtih sphutamanusmrta satsajjatam asacca sat ksatam ksinam sthitamn sthitam (22)

Vasistha continued:

In the evening, the sage once again entered the forest with which he was familiar, for the practice of intense meditation. He thought: "I have already realised the falsity of the senses; any further enquiry concerning them will be a contradiction." Having abandoned all vain imagination ('This is' and 'This is not'), he sat in the lotus posture again and in him arose the knowledge 'I am established in the consciousness of total equanimity. Awake, I remain as if in sleep. Established in the transcendental state of consciousness, I shall continue to be, till the body drops away.'

Thus resolved, he meditated for six days, which passed as if in a moment. After that he lived a long time as a liberated sage. He was free from exultation and sorrow. At times, he would address his mind thus: "O mind, look how blissful you are, now that you are in a balanced state! Remain like that all the time."

He would address his senses as follows: "O senses! The self does not belong to you, nor do you belong to the self. May you all perish! Your cravings have ceased. You will no longer be able to rule me. The error of your existence arose from ignorance of the self, even as the non-perception of the rope gives rise to the erroneous perception of a snake. All these errors exist in the darkness of non-wisdom and in the light of wisdom they vanish.

"O senses! You are different from the self, the doer of actions is different from all these, the experiencer of experiences is again different, and the infinite consciousness is again different from all these - what is whose error and how does it arise? It is like this: trees grow in the forest, ropes are made of other fibres with which the timber is bound together, the blacksmith fashions axe, etc. With all these, the carpenter builds a house for his own livelihood, not because he wants to build a house! Thus in this world, all things happen independently of one another and their coincidence is accidental - like the ripe cocoanut falling coincidentally when a crow alights on it, making ignorant people feel that the crow dislodged the cocoanut. Who is to blame for all these? When this truth is known, error remains error, knowledge becomes clear knowledge, the real is real, the unreal is unreal, what has been destroyed is destroyed and what remains remains."

Thus reflecting and established in this knowledge, the sage lived in this world for a very long time. He was established in that state which is totally free from ignorance and error, and which ensures that he would not be born again. Whenever there was contact with the objects of the senses, he resorted to the peace of contemplation and enjoyed the bliss of the self. His heart was free from attraction and aversion, even when all manner of experiences came to him unsought.

  section V - chapter 86 - mitrakaya maya yattvam tyajyase cirabandhavah tvayaiva trnanyupanita satmajnanavasat ksatih (36)

Vasistha continued:

Once, the sage Vitahavya felt inclined to abandon his body and to ensure that he would never again return to embodiment. He resorted to a cave on the Sahya mountain, sat in the lotus posture and

Vitahavya said this within himself:

O attraction, abandon your force of attraction. O hate, abandon hatred. You have played long enough with me. O pleasures, salutations to you; yot have indeed sustained me all these years and even made me forget the self. O sorrow, salutations to you; you spurred me on my quest for self-knowledge and it is by your grace that I have attained this self- knowledge; hence you are indeed the bestower of delight.

O body, my friend, permit me to go to my eternal abode of self-knowledge. Such indeed is the course of nature; everyone has to abandon the body at some time or the other. O body, my friend, you have been my relation for a long time. I abandon you now. You yourself have brought on this separation by nobly leading me to the realisation of the self. How wonderful! In order to enable me to attain self-knowledge, you have destroyed yourself.

O mother craving! Give me leave to go; you are now left alone to wither away, because I have reached the state of supreme peace. O lust! In order to conquer you, I befriended your enemy dispassion; forgive me. I proceed to freedom; bless me. O merit! Salutations to you, for you rescued me from hell and led me to heaven. Salutations to demerit, the source of pain and punishment. Salutations to delusion under which I laboured for a long time and which is not seen by me even now.

O cave, the companion of samadhi (meditation), salutation to you. You have given me shelter when I was tormented by the pains of worldly existence. O staff, you have been my friend too, protecting me from snakes, etc., and you have saved me from falling into a pit, etc. Salutations to you.

O body, return to the elements of which you are composed. Salutations to activities like bathing; salutations to all the activities in this world. Salutations to the life-forces (prana) that have been my companions. Whatever I did in this world, was done only with you, through you and because of your energy. Pray, return to your own source, for now I shall merge in the infinite consciousness (Brahman). All things that come together in this world have to part one day or the other. O senses, return to your own sources, the cosmic elements.

I shall now enter into the self by the self indicated by the culmination of the OM-sound - as a lamp without fuel. I am free from all the activities of this world and from all notions of perceptions and experiences. My heart is established in the peace indicated by the resonance of the OM. Gone are delusion and error.

  section V - chapter 87 88 - acinmayam cinmayam ca neti neti yaducyate tatastat sambabhuva sau yadgiramapyagocarah (87/16)

Vasistha continued:

With all the desires in the mind utterly silenced and having well grounded himself in the plane of non-dual consciousness, sage Vitahavya uttered the holy word Om. Contemplating the esoteric significance of the Om, he perceived the error of confusing the reality with the appearance. By the total abandonment of all concepts and percepts, he renounced the three worlds. He became utterly quiescent, as when the potter's wheel comes to rest. By the utterance of the Om, he dispelled the webs of sense-organs and their objects, even as wind disperses scent. After this, he pierced the darkness of ignorance. He beheld the inner light for just a split second, but renounced that too immediately. He transcended both light and darkness. There remained just a trace of thought-form; this, too, the sage cut asunder in the twinkling of an eye, through the mind. Now the sage remained in the pure infinite consciousness, not modified in the least; it was like the state of consciousness of the just-born infant. He abandoned all objectivity of consciousness and even the slightest

movement of consciousness. He crossed the state known as 'pasyanti' and reached the deep sleep consciousness. He continued beyond that, too, and reached the transcendental or turiya consciousness. It is a state of bliss that is not its description, which is both the 'is' and the 'is not', both something and not-something, light and darkness. It is full of non- consciousness and (objectless) consciousness, it can only be indicated by negation (not this, not this). He became that which is beyond description.

That state is the void Brahman, consciousness, the Purusa of the Shankhya, Isvara of the yogi, Siva, time, Atman or self, non-self, the middle, etc. of the mystics holding different views. It is that state which is established as the truth by all these scriptural viewpoints, that which is all - in that the sage remained firmly established.

When the sage had thus become one with the infinite consciousness, the body decomposed and the elements returned to their respective source.

Thus have I told you, O Rama, the auspicious story of the sage Vitahavya. Reflect over it. Whatever I have said to you and whatever I shall say to you now is born of direct perception, direct experience and deep contemplation.

Meditate upon this, O Rama, and attain wisdom. Liberation is attained only by wisdom or self-knowledge. Only through such wisdom does one go beyond sorrow, destroy ignorance and attain perfection.

What has been described as Vitahavya is only a notion in our mind; so am I and so are you. All these senses and the whole world are nothing but the mind. What else can the world be, O Rama?

  section V - chapter 89 - avidyamapi ye yukttya sadhayanti sukhatmikam te hyavidyaimaya eva na tvatmajnastathakramah (15)

Rama asked:

Lord, why do we not see many of these liberated sages traversing the sky now?

Vasistha replied:

Flying in the sky and other powers are natural to some beings, O Rama. The extraordinary qualities and faculties which are observed in this world are natural to those beings - not to the sages of self-knowledge. Supernatural faculties (like flying in the air) are developed by even those who are devoid of self-knowledge or liberation, by the utilisation of certain substances or by certain practices. All this does not interest the man of self- knowledge who is utterly content in himself. They who, in pursuit of pleasures, acquire these powers tainted by ignorance, are surely full of ignorance; the sages of self-knowledge do not adopt such a course.

Whether one is a knower of truth or ignorant of it, powers like flying in the air accrue to one who engages himself in some practices. But the sage of self-knowledge has no desire to acquire these. These practices bestow their fruit on anyone, for such is their nature. Poison kills all, wine intoxicates all, even so these practices bring about the ability to fly, etc., but they who have attained the supreme self-knowledge are not interested in these, O Rama. They are gained only by those who are full of desires; but the sage is free from the least desire for anything. Self-knowledge is the greatest gain; how does the sage of self- knowledge entertain any desire for anything else? In the case of Vitahavya, however, he did not desire these powers; they sought him unsought.

Rama asked:

How is it that worms and vermin did not destroy Vitahavya's body when it lay abandoned in the cave? And, how was it that Vitahavya did not attain disembodied liberation in the first place?

Vasistha replied:

O Rama, the ignorant man's body is composed and decomposed on account of the states of his mental conditioning; in the case of one who has no such conditioning, there is no momentum for decomposition. Again, the mind of all beings responds to the qualities of the object with which it comes into contact. When a violent creature comes into contact with one who has reached utter equanimity, it also becomes temporarily equanimous and tranquil, though it may return to its violence when this contact is lost. Hence, too, Vitahavya's body remained unharmed. This applies even to material substances like earth, wood, etc., for consciousness pervades all. Since Vitahavya's consciousness did not undergo any change, no change happened to his body. Since there was no movement of prana in it, even decomposition could not take place. The sage is independent and free to live or to abandon the body. That he did not abandon the body at one time and did so later is purely coincidental; it may be related to his karma, etc., but in truth he is beyond karma, beyond fate, and devoid of mental conditioning. Again, it is like the crow dislodging the ripe cocoanut- purely coincidental.

  section V - chapter 90 - manastam mudhatam viddhi yada nasyati sa nagha cittanasabhidhanam hi tada sattvamudetyalam (16)

Vasistha continued:

When the mind of Vitahavya had become unattached and totally free through the practice of enquiry, there arose in him noble qualities like friendliness, etc.

Rama asked:

When the mind has been dissolved in Brahman the absolute, in whom do qualities like friendliness arise?

Vasistha answered:

O Rama, there are two types of 'death of the mind'. One is where the form of the mind remains and the other is where even the form ceases to be. The former happens when the sage is still alive; and the latter happens when he is disembodied. The existence of the mind causes misery; and its cessation brings joy. The mind that is heavily conditioned and caught in its own conditioning brings about repeated births. Such a mind brings unhappiness. That which regards as 'my own' the qualities that are beginningless is the jiva. It arises in the mind which has no self-knowledge and which is therefore unhappy.

As long there is mind, there is no cessation of sorrow. When the mind ceases, the world- appearance also ceases to be. The mind is the seed for misery.

I shall now describe how the mind ceases to be. When both happiness and unhappiness do not divert a man from his utter equanimity, then know that his mind is dead. He in whom the notions 'This I am' and 'This I am not' do not arise thus limiting his consciousness - his mind is dead. He in whom the very notions of calamity, poverty, elation, pride, dullness and excitement do not arise - his mind is dead and he is liberated while living.

The very nature of the mind is stupidity. Hence, when it dies purity and noble qualities arise. Some wise men refer to 'the pure mind' as that state of utter purity that prevails in a liberated sage in whom the mind is dead. Such a mind of the liberated sage is, therefore, full of noble qualities like friendliness, etc. The existence (satta) of such natural goodness in a liberated sage is known as satva, purity, etc. Hence, this is also called 'death of the mind where form remains'.

The death of the mind where even the form vanishes pertains to the disembodied sage. In the case of such a mind, no trace is left. It is impossible to describe it in a positive way: in it there are neither qualities nor their absence, neither virtues nor their absence, neither light nor darkness, no notions at all, no conditioning, neither existence nor non-existence. It is a state of supreme quiescence and equilibrium. They who have risen beyond the mind and the intelligence, they reach that supreme state of peace.

  section V - chapter 91 - dve bije cittavrksasya vrttivratatidharinah ekam pranaparispando dvitiyam drdhabhavana (14)

Rama asked:

Lord, what is the seed of this fearful tree known as the mind and what is the seed of that seed and so on?

Vasistha replied:

Rama, the seed for this world-appearance is the body within, with all its notions and concepts of good and evil. That body has a seed, too, and that is the mind which flows constantly in the direction of hopes and desires, and which is also the repository of notions of being and non-being and the consequent sorrow. The world-appearance arises only in the mind, and this is illustrated by the dream state. Whatever is seen here as the world is but the expansion of the mind, even as pots are transformations of clay.

There are two seeds for the tree known as the mind which carries within it innumerable notions and ideas: first, movement of prana (lifeforce) and second obstinate fancy. When there is movement of prana in the appropriate channels, then there is movement in consciousness and mind arises. Again, it is the movement of prana alone, when it is seen or apprehended by the mind, that is seen as this world-appearance which is as real as the blueness of the sky. The cessation of the movement of prana is the cessation of the world- appearance too. The omnipresent consciousness is 'awakened', as it were, by the movement of prana. If this does not happen, then there is supreme good.

When consciousness is 'awakened' thus, it begins to apprehend objects, ideas arise and thence sorrow. On the other hand, if this consciousness rests in itself, as if fast asleep, then

one attains what is most desirable and that is the supreme state. Therefore, you will realise the unborn state of consciousness if you either restrain the movement of prana in your own psychological ground (of concepts and notions), or refrain from disturbing the homogeneity in consciousness. It is when this homogeneity is disturbed and the consciousness experiences diversity that the mind arises, and the countless psychological conditions spring up into activity.

In order to bring about quiescence of the mind, the yogi practises pranayama (restraint of the movement of the life-force), meditation and such other proper and appropriate methods. Great yogis regard this pranayama itself as the most appropriate method for the achievement of tranquillity of the mind, peace, etc.

I shall now describe to you the other viewpoint, that of the men of wisdom, born of their direct experience: they declare that the mind is born of one's obstinate clinging to a fancy or deluded imagination.

  section V - chapter 91 - drdhabhavanaya tyakttapurvaparavicaranam yadadanam padarthasya vasana sa prakirtita (29)

Vasistha continued:

When, obstinately clinging to a fancy, and therefore abandoning a thorough enquiry into the nature of truth, one apprehends an object with that fancy - such apprehension is described as conditioning or limitation. When such fancy is persistently and intensely indulged in, this world-appearance arises in consciousness. Caught up in his own conditioning, whatever the person sees he thinks that to be real and gets deluded. And on account of the intensity of the conditioning and the fancy, he discards his own nature and perceives only the world-illusion. All this happens only to the unwise person. That, whose perception is thus perverted, is known as mind. When this mind is confirmed in its perverted perception, it becomes the seed for repeated birth, old age and death.

When notions of the desirable and undesirable do not arise, then the mind does not arise and there is supreme peace. These alone constitute the form of the mind - conception, imagination, thought and memory. When these are absent, how does a mind exist? When one, established in non-becoming, contemplates that which has not changed into becoming and when one thus perceives what is as it is, then the mind becomes no-mind. When the psychological conditioning or limitation is not dense, when it has become transparent, one becomes a liberated sage who apparently lives and functions by past momentum (even as a potter's wheel rotates after the initial impulse has been withdrawn), but he will not be born again. In his case, the seed has been fried, as it were, and will not germinate into world-illusion. When the body falls, he is absorbed into the infinite.

Of the two seeds for this world-illusion (viz., movement of prana and clinging to fancy), if one is got rid of, the other also goes away; for the two are interdependent. The mind creates the world-illusion and the mind is created by the movement of prana in one's own conditioning. Again, this movement of prana also takes place because of the mental conditioning or fancy. Thus this vicious circle is completed; one feeds the other, one spurs the other into action. Motion is natural to prana and when it moves in consciousness, mind arises; then the conditioning keeps the prana in motion. When one is arrested, both fall.

The psychological conditioning or limitation alone is the source of untold pain and sorrow and it is the root of ignorance: but when it comes to an end, the mind falls with it instantly. Even so, by the restraint of the movement of prana (life-force) the mind comes to a standstill, without perceiving the world that dwells within it.

  section V - chapter 91 - hrdi samvedyamapyayva pranaspando tha vasana udeti tasmat samvedyam kathitam bijametayoh (64)

Vasistha continued:

Rama, the notion of an object (of knowledge, of experience) is the seed for both movement of prana and for the clinging to a fancy, for it is only when such desire for experience arises in the heart that such movement of prana and mental conditioning take place. When such desire for experience is abandoned, both these cease instantly.

Of course, the indwelling consciousness is the seed for this desire for experiencing: for without that consciousness the desire for such experience will not arise at all. However, it has no object of experience either outside or inside; for it is the consciousness itself that, on account of a movement of thought within itself, desires to experience itself as an object. Just as a man dreams of his own death or of his travel abroad, even so this consciousness, by its own cleverness, experiences itself as an object. When such experience takes place, this world-appearance results, O Rama. When this truth is realised, the illusion ceases to be.

What is the truth? That all this is nothing but the one infinite consciousness and that there is naught else besides. Whatever is seen and whatever is unseen, all that is the infinite consciousness - thus should the wise one realise, so purifying his vision. Unpurified vision perceives the world; purified vision perceives the infinite consciousness and that itself is liberation. Hence, O Rama, strive to eradicate the desire for experience. Get rid of idleness. Free yourself from all experiences.

Rama asked:

Lord, how can these two be reconciled? Can I seek freedom from all experiences and freedom from inactivity at the same time?

Vasistha replied:

He who has no desire or hope for anything here, nor entertains a wish to rest in inactivity, such a one does not exist as a jiva; he is neither inactive nor does he seek to experience. He who does not lean towards experience or perception of objects, though he is engaged in ceaseless activity, he is neither inactive nor does he do anything or experience anything. The objective experiences do not touch the heart at all: hence, he whose consciousness is not inactive is a liberated sage here and now.

Freed from all conditioning, fully established in the state of unmodified consciousness, the yogi remains like a child or a dumb person: in him there is bliss, like the blueness of the sky. This bliss is not an experience, but the very nature of consciousness. Hence, it does not act as a disturbance, but remains integrated in the consciousness. There is freedom from all experiences. At the same time, the yogi is constantly engaged in action: hence, there is freedom from inactivity.

  section V - chapter 91 - badhva tmanam ruditva ca kosakarakrmiryatha cirat kevalatameti svayam samvitsvabhavatah (93)

Vasistha continued:

However difficult it may be to reach this state, Rama, strive for it and cross this ocean of sorrow.

This desire for experience arises as a thought in consciousness; and by the repetition of this thought, it gains strength. Thus having brought about the illusory creation within itself, consciousness leads itself to its own liberation. Whatever it conceives of, that materialises. Thus having bound itself, having subjected itself to sorrow (like the silkworm with the cocoon), in due course of time it attains to liberation, because its nature is infinite consciousness. What is seen as the universe is nothing but pure consciousness, O Rama.

Pure existence alone is the seed for this infinite consciousness. They are inseparable like the sun and his rays. However, this pure existence has two aspects: one, diversity, and second, unity. That which is desscribed as 'this' and 'that', 'I' and 'you' is known as diversity. When this diversity is abandoned and there is pure existence, it is regarded as unity. When diversity is abandoned and unity prevails, there is also non-experience: and hence unity is not a 'thing' nor an object of experience. This unity is therefore eternal and imperishable.

Hence, O Rama, abandon all forms of division - division in terms of time or of parts or of substance - and rest in pure existence. These divisions are conducive to the arising of concepts. They are non-different from the pure consciousness; what is more, they are not facts as such. Contemplation of division does not lead to purity of vision.

Pure existence alone without any division in it, is the seed for all these that we have discussed thus far: and there is no seed for this pure existence. It is the cause of everything and it is itself uncaused. In it are all these reflected. All the diverse experiences are experienced in this pure existence, even as diverse tastes are tasted by the one tongue. An infinite number of universes are born, exist and dissolve in it; and they come into mutual relationship in it.

That pure existence is heaviness in all heavy things; that is lightness in all that is light. That is grossness and that alone is subtlety. It is first among the first, last among the last. It is the light of the luminous and the darkness of the dark. It is substantiality of all substances and it is the space, too. It is nothing and it is everything; it is and it is not. It is seen and it is unseen. That I am and that I am not.

O Rama, therefore, by every means in your power, strive to get established in that supreme state and then do what is appropriate. They who reach that state,which is pureand undecaying and which is the truth of one's own self, attain to supreme peace. By reaching it, you will forever be freed from the fear of this worldly existence.

  section V - chapter 92 - adhyatmavidyadhigamah sadhusangama eva ca vasanasamparityagah pranaspandanirodhanam (35)

Rama asked:

Holy sir, kindly tell me, how may one quickly destroy all these seeds of distraction and reach the supreme state?

Vasistha said:

These seeds of sorrow, O Rama, can be destroyed, each by the destruction of the previous one. But, if you can at one stroke cut off all mental conditioning and by great self-effort rest in the state of pure existence (if you rest in that state even for a second), in no time you will be established in it. If however you wish merely to find your foothold in pure existence, you can achieve it, by even greater effort. Similarly, by contemplating the infinite consciousness, too, you can rest in the supreme state: but that demands greater effort.

Meditation is not possible on objects of experience: for they exist only in consciousness or the self. But if you strive to destroy the conditioning (the concepts, notions, habits, etc.), then in a moment all your errors and illnesses will vanish. However, this is more difficult than the ones described earlier. For, until the mind is free from the movement of thought, cessation of conditioning is difficult, and vice versa; and unless the truth is realised, the mind does not cease to function, and vice versa. Yet, again, until the conditioning ceases, the unconditioned truth is not realised, and vice versa. Since realisation of truth, cessation of the mind and the ending of conditioning are interwoven, it is extremely difficult to deal with them individually and separately.

Hence, O Rama, by every means in your power, renounce the pursuit of pleasure and resort to all the three simultaneously. If all these are simultaneously practised for a considerable time, then they become fruitful, not otherwise. O Rama, this world- appearance has been experienced as truth for a very long time: and it needs persistent practice of all these three simultaneously to overcome it.

Wise ones declare that the abandonment of conditioning and the restraint of prana are of equal effect: hence, one should practise them simultaneously. Prana is restrained by the practice of pranayama and the yoga asana, as taught by the guru, or by other means. When desires, aversions and cravings do not arise in the mind even though their objects are seen in front, then it is to be inferred that mental conditioning has weakened; thence wisdom arises, further weakening the conditioning. Then the mind ceases.

It is not possible to 'kill the mind' without proper methods. Knowledge of the self, company of holy men, the abandonment of conditioning and the restraint of prana - these are the means to overcome the mind. Ignoring these and resorting to violent practices like Hatha Yoga, austerities, pilgrimage, rites and rituals are a waste of time. Self-knowledge alone bestows delight on you. A man of self-knowledge alone lives. Hence, gain self- knowledge, O Rama.

  section V - chapter 93 - kincitpraudhavicaram tu naram vairagyapurvakam samsrayanti gunah suddhah sarah purnamiva ndayah (3)

Vasistha continued:

If one has achieved even a little bit of control over the mind by self-enquiry, such a person has attained the fruit of his life. For that self-enquiry will expand in his heart. When such enquiry is preceded by dispassion and has attained stability by practice, all the noble qualities resort to it naturally. Ignorance and its retinue do not bother one who is fully established in self-enquiry and who sees what is, without distortion. When he has found his foothold in the spiritual ground, he is not overcome by the robbers known as sense- pleasures.

But, sense-pleasures do overcome one who is not so established. He who is not constantly engaged in self-enquiry and is not thus constantly conscious of the self, he alone is considered a dead man. Hence, O Rama, carry on this enquiry constantly. This enquiry reveals the truth by dispelling the darkness of ignorance. Knowledge of the truth in its turn drives away all sorrow. Along with knowledge arises the experience of it. But when the inner light, kindled by a proper study of the scriptures and enquiry into their truth, illumines both knowledge and the experience of it, their total identity is realised. This inner light itself is regarded as self-knowledge by the holy ones: and the experience of it is an integral part of self-knowledge and non-different from it. He who has self-knowledge is for ever immersed in the experience of it. He is liberated while living and lives like an emperor of the world.

Such a sage is not distracted by the diverse experiences he may apparently be subject to, whether they are regarded by others as pleasant or unpleasant. He is not bound or overcome by pleasure nor is there a craving for pleasure in him. He is completely satisfied in his own self. He is not attached to anything or anybody; and he has no enmity or hatred in his heart. Nor is he frightened by the roar of an enemy or the roar of a lion in the forest. He does not rejoice when he visits a garden nor is he distressed if he happens to travel in a desert. Inwardly ever free, yet he engages in doing constantly whatever actions maybe appropriate for the moment. His attitude towards both a murderer and a philanthropist is the same. In his cosmic vision, all things great and small appear to be the same, for he knows that the entire universe is nothing but pure consciousness.

He who acts without attachment, merely with the organs of action, is not affected by anything, neither by joy nor by sorrow. His actions are non-volitional. He sees not, though eyes see; he hears not,though ears hear; he touches not, though the body touches. Surely, attachment (contact, association) is the cause for this world-illusion; it alone creates objects. Attachment causes bondage and endless sorrow. Therefore, holy ones dedare that the abandonment of attachment is itself liberation. Abandon attachment, O Rama, and be a liberated sage.

  section V - chapter 93 - bhavabave padarthanam harsamarsavikarada malina vasana yaisa sa sanga iti kathyate (84)

Rama asked:

Lord, kindly tell me what is this attachment? Vasistha replied:

Attachment is that, O Rama, which makes the conditioning of the mind more and more dense, by repeatedly causing the experiences of pleasure and pain in relation to the existence and the non-existence of the objects of pleasure, thus confirming such association as inevitable and thus bringing about intense attachment to the objects of pleasure. In the case of the liberated sage, however, this conditioning is freed from the experiences of joy and sorrow: hence it is purified, i.e., the conditioning is weakened if not destroyed. Even if it exists in an extremely weakened state till the death of the body, the actions that spring from such a weakened and so pure conditioning do not result in rebirth.

On the other hand, the dense conditioning which exists in the unwise is itself known as attachment. If you abandon this attachment which causes perverse notions in you, the ctions that you may spontaneously perform here will not affect you. If you rise beyond joy and sorrow and therefore treat them alike, and if you are free from attraction, aversion and fear, you are unattached. If you do not grieve in sorrow, if you do not exult in happiness and if you are independent of your own desires and hopes, you are unattached. Even while carrying on your activities here, if you do not abandon your awareness of the homogeneity of the truth, you are unattached. If you have gained self-knowledge and if, endowed with equal vision, you engage yourself in spontaneous and appropriate action in the here and now, you are unattached.

By effortlessly remaining established in non-attachment, live here as a liberated sage without being attracted by anything. The liberated sage lives in the inner silence, without pride or vanity, without jealousy and with his senses fully under his control. Even when all the objects of the world are spread out in front of him, the liberated sage, who is free from cravings, is not tempted by them, but engages himself in mere natural actions. Whatever is inevitable and appropriate, he does; his joy and delight, however, he derives from within: thus he is freed from this world-appearance. Even as milk does not abandon its colour when it is boiled, he does not abandon his wisdom even when it is severely tested by terrible calamities. Whether he is subjected to great pain or he is appointed the ruler of heaven, he remains in a balanced state of mind.

Hence, O Rama, engage yourself constantly in self-enquiry and rest firmly established in self-knowledge. You will never again be subjected to birth and bondage.

(Vicara in the preceding pages has been translated 'enquiry' or 'self-enquiry'. That is the popular translation. However, the word really means efficient movement of one's inner intelligence - 'car' in sanskrit is 'to move'. It should not be confused with intellectual analysis. It is direct observation or 'looking within'.)