Reading section 64

47. The soul which is the witness of our knowledge, of solar and visual lights and darkness, is without beginning and end, and is the form of the Supreme.

48. He who manifests this world to us, and keeps himself hidden from view, be he the same with or distinct from the world, is the form of the Supreme.

49. Who though full of activity, is sedate as a rock, and who though not a vacuum (being the plenum of all), appears yet as an empty vacuity, such is the form of the Supreme.

50. He who is the source and terminus of our triple consciousness of the knower, known and knowledge (_i.e._ from whom they rise and in whom they set by turns); is most difficult of attainment.

51. He who shines forth with the lustre of the triple conditions of the knowable, knower and their knowledge, and shows them to us as a large insensible mirror, is verily the form of the Supreme, who is here represented not as the cause—_nimitta_, but as the source—_vivarta_ of the triple category.

52. The mind that is liberated from bodily activities (as in the waking _Jagrat_ state) from its dreaming (as in the _swapna_ or sleeping state), and is concentrated in the intellect (as in the state of _susupti_ or sound sleep), and abides alike in all moving as well as unmoving bodies (as in the _turíya_ or fourth state of the soul), is said to remain in the end of our being.

53. The intelligent mind which is as fixed as an immovable body, and freed from the exercise of its faculties, is comparable with the Divine Mind.[10]

CHAPTER XI.

SPIRITUAL VIEW OF CREATION.

Ráma said:—Tell me, O Bráhman, wherein this world abides at its last dissolution, when it does not retain its present form, nor this resplendent show (as we see in it now).

2. Vasishtha answered:—Tell me, Ráma, what is the form of the barren woman’s son, and wherefrom he comes and where he goes, tell me also from where comes the sky-arbour (aerial castle), and where it remains.

3. Ráma replied:—There never was, nor is, nor ever will be the son of a barren woman or an arbour in the sky; why then ask about the form and figure of what is nothing?

4. Vasishtha said:—As there never was a barren woman’s son or a forest in the air, so there existed no such scene as that of the world before.

5. That which has no existence at all, could have neither its production before, nor can it have its dissolution afterwards. What shall I then tell you regarding its genesis or exit.

6. Ráma rejoined:—The son of a barren woman and a forest in the sky are mere fictions, but the visible world is not so, which has both its beginning and end.

7. Vasishtha replied:—It is hard to have a comparison of the compared object, agreeing in all respects with what it is compared. The comparison of the world, is as a simile of those objects, which admit of no comparison (but with themselves).

8. The appearance of the world, is compared with that of a bracelet, because the one is as false as the other, and neither of them is real.

9. And as there is nothing in the sky except a negative emptiness, so the existence of the world in Brahma, is but a negative idea.

10. As the collyrium is no other than blackness, and as there is no difference between frost and its coldness, so the world is not otherwise than the great Brahma himself.

11. As coldness can not be negatived of the moon and frost, so creation can not be negated of God. (Literally, creation is no negative property of Brahma, but essential to his nature).

12. As there is no water in a sea of the mirage, nor light in the new moon, so this world, as it is, does not abide in the pure spirit of God (in its gross state).

13. That which did not exist at first owing to its want of a cause, has neither its existence at present, nor can it be destroyed (when it is a _nil_ itself).

14. How is it possible for a dull material object to have any other cause but a material one; just as it is not the light (but some solid substance), that is the cause of a shadow.

15. But as none of these works, has come into existence without some cause, that cause whatever it is, is situated in these productions of it: (_i.e._ the author is displayed in his works).

16. Whatever appears as ignorance or delusion (as this world), has some appearance of intelligence or truth (of the Divinity) in it, as the delusion of the world seen in a dream, is the effect of the intellect within us. (Consciousness is awake in our dreams also).

17. As the illusion of the world in a dream, is not without our inward consciousness of it, in like manner Brahma was not unconscious of the expansion of the world, at the beginning of creation.

18. All this that we behold about us, is situated in the divine soul (in the same manner as the visions in our dreams, are but archetypes of our souls); there is no other world that rises and sets (but what is imprinted in our minds).

19. As fluidity is another name for water, and fluctuation the same with wind; and as sunshine is no other than light, so the world is naught but Brahma (displayed in nature).

20. As the figure of a city, resides in the inward intellect of one, who is conscious of his dreaming, in the same manner this world, is displayed in the Supreme soul.

21. Ráma said:—If it is so, then tell me, O Bráhman! whence is this our belief of its substantiality, and how this unreal and visionary _ideal_, presents its baneful visible aspect unto us.

22. For the view being in existence, there must be its viewer also, and when there is the viewer, there is the view likewise. As long as either of these is in existence, there is our bondage, and it is on the disappearance of both, that our liberation chiefly depends: (which can hardly take place).

23. It is entirely impossible to be so, as long as our notion of the view, is not lost in our minds, for unless the view is vanished both from the vision of the eyes and mind, no one can even form an idea of liberation in his mind.

24. Again the representation of the view at first, and its obliteration afterwards, is not enough for our liberation, because the remembrance of the view, is bondage of the soul.

25. Moreover when the picture of the view, is settled in the soul, and reflected in the mirror of the mind, there is no necessity of its recollection (for what is deeply rooted in the soul, comes out of itself).

26. The intellect which was without the notion of the visibles at first, would be entitled to liberation, were it not owing to the nature of the viewer (to imbibe the ideas of visibles).

27. Now sir, please to remove by your reasoning, my hopelessness of liberation, which I ween, is unattainable by any.

28. Vasishtha said:—Hear me, Ráma! explain to you in length, how the unreal world with all its contents, appears as real to us.

29. For unless it is explained to you by my reasoning, and the narratives and instances (of the practice of others), this doubt will not subside in your breast, as dirt sets down in the lake.

30. Then Ráma, you will be able to conduct yourself on earth, as one under assurance of the erroneous conception of the creation and existence of the world.

31. You will then remain as a rock against the impressions of affluence and want, and of gain and loss, and your relation with whatever, is fleeting or lasting and the like.

32. Mind, that there is that only one spirit, which is self-existent, and all besides is mere fiction. I will now tell you, how the triple world was produced and formed.

33. It was from Him, that all these beings have come to existence; while He of himself, is all and every thing in it. He likewise appears to us and disappears also, both as forms and their appearances, and as the mind and its faculties, and as figures and their shapes, and as modes and motions of all things.

CHAPTER XII.

THE IDEALISTIC THEO-COSMOGONY OF VEDÁNTA.

Vasishtha said:—

From the state of perfect quiescence and tranquillity of the supremely Holy spirit, the universe rose to being in the manner, which you must hear with your best understanding and attention.

2. As sound sleep displays itself in visionary dreams, so does Brahma manifest himself in the works of creation, of which he is the soul and receptacle: (_i.e._ who contains and forms and enlivens the whole).

3. The world, which of its nature is continually progressive in its course, is identic with the essence of that Being, whose form is selfsame with the ineffable glory of his eternally gemming Intellect (_chin-mani_).

4. This _chit_ or Intellect, then (_i.e._ after its inert quiescence), gets of itself an intellection (_chetyá_) in itself, before assuming to itself consciousness or the knowledge of egoism. (This is the first stage of the percipient soul).

5. Then this thinking Intellect (_chetya-chit_), gets the notions (_bodhas_) of some faint images (_úhita-rúpas_), which are purer and lighter than air, and which have received their names and forms afterwards. (The innate ideas are born in it before the embryonic mind or soul).

6. Afterwards this transcendent essence (Intellect), becomes an intelligent principle (_sacheta_), and eager for intelligence (_chetana_). It is now worthy of its name as Intellect or _chit_, on account of its attaining to what is called intelligence.

7. Lastly it takes the form of gross consciousness (_ghana-samvedana_), and receives the name of the living soul—_jíva_. It now loses its divine nature by reflecting on itself: (_i.e._ its own personality).

8. This living principle, is then involved in thoughts relating to the world only; but depends by its nature on the divine essence: (as the fallacy of the snake, depends on the substance of the rope).[11]

9. Afterwards there rises a void space into being, called _Kham—vacuum_ (Arabic _Kháviyetun_), which is the seed or source of the property of sound, and which became expressive of meaning afterwards. (It is called _ákása_ or sky-light from _kása_ to shine, as light was the first work of God).

10. Next in order are produced the elements of egoism and duration in the living soul (_i.e._ the simultaneousness of the ideas of self-entity and duration in the living principle). And these two terms, are the roots of the subsistence of future worlds. (_i.e._ The individuality and durability of things).

11. This ideal knowledge, of the unreal forms of the net-work of world, in divine Spirit, was made to appear as a reality by the Omnipotent power. (_i.e._ The ideal world appeared afterwards as real).

12. Thus the ideal self-consciousness became the seed (or root) of the tree of desires, which were vacillated by egoism in the form of air.

13. The intellect in the form of the airy ego, thinks on the element of sounds (_sabda tanmátram_); it becomes by degrees denser than the rarefied air, and produces the element of mind.

14. Sound is the seed (or root) of words, which were afterwards diversified in the forms of names or nouns and significant terms; and the assemblage of words, as shoots of trees, is varied in _padas_ or inflected words, _vákyas_ or sentences, and the collections of Vedas and Sástras.

15. It is from this Supreme spirit, that all these worlds derived their beauty afterwards; and the multitude of words (which sprang from the sounds), and were full of meaning, became widely spread at last.