Yoga Vasistha (Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana)

19. Get over the ocean of the world while you are young, and make your good understanding the ferry boat, to bear your body safely to the other shore. 20. Do what is good for you today, and why defer till tomorrow; you can do nothing in oldage, when your body becomes a burden to yourself. 21. Know your<self> as oldage (if it is fraught with learning); and account decrepitude as death itself in your lifetime. Youth is verily the life of the living, provided it is fraught with learning. 22. Having obtained thy life in this living world, which is as transient as the fleeting lightning; you must try to derive the essence from this dirty earth, by availing yourself of the benefit of good sástras and the company of the wise. 23. Woe to the ignorant! that will not seek their salvation in life; that are sinking in the pits of mud and mire; and never striving to lift themselves above them. 24. As the ignorant rustic is afraid at the sight of the earthen images of ghosts, and bends down to them; which those that are acquainted with the meaning of the word ghost never do.

25. So those that see God in an idol or in his visible creation, are misled to think it their god and adore it as such; but those that know the true meaning of the term, never pay their adoration to any visible object. 26. As things in motion come to rest afterwards, and the visible disappear from the sight of the learned, who are acquainted with their true meaning. (The world recedes, and the light of God opens to their view). 27. As the sights in a dream, seeming to be true in the state of dreaming, disperse at last upon waking, and upon the knowledge of their unreal nature. 28. So doth this world, which is conceived as something existing in the vacuum of the understanding; melts at last into empty air and nothing, upon our knowledge of its intellectual nature. 29. This living world is as a wilderness, burning with the conflagration of various evils attendant on life; and here we are exposed as weak antelopes, living upon our precarious sustenances; and here we are governed by our ungovernable minds and restless passions and senses of our bodies; all these require to be subdued in order to obtain our liberation from repeated births and deaths.

MEANS AND MANNER OF GOVERNING THE SENSES AND SENSIBLE ORGANS. Argument: - Government of the senses and fixedness of the Mind, and the study of yoga sástra. Ráma rejoined: - I know sir, all knowledge to be in vain and useless, without proper government of ourselves and senses; tell me therefore how these may be kept under control, in order to give us the true knowledge of things unbiased by the senses. 2. Vasishtha replied: - Addictedness to enjoyments and display of manhood, and devotedness to the acquisition of the means of life or wealth; are preventives of self-controul and liberation of one’s self, as blindness is an obstruction to one’s sight of a light. 3. Then listen to this least advice of mine as the shortest and best means, for the government of yourself and your senses; and this is sure to lead one to his successfulness, by his own endeavour and with no toil or trouble. 4. Know the intellect as the man that mans you, and its power of intellection which makes you a living man; and whatever the living soul thinks of within itself, it verily becomes the very same (but the ignorant man becomes effeminate).

5. Let the strength of your consciousness, ply the pointed goad of your acute good sense; and you will doubtless subdue your ungovernable elephantine mind, and come off victorious shortly at last. 6. The mind is the captain of the army of your bodily and mental senses; subdue therefore this leading mind, and you will conquer the whole host of your senses. Just so does a man walking on boots, tread over the thorns lying by his way. 7. [In order therefore to subdue your mind], you must settle your self-consciousness in your consciousness of the omnipresent vacuum of the Divine soul, and rest yourself quiet in the recess of your heart; and then your mind will sit quiet of itself, as the snows of winter settle down of themselves in autumn. 8. Thus by stopping the action of your consciousness, you will also shut up your mind, and put a stop to the operation of all its faculties; as you can never been able to do by means of all your devotion and austerities, your pilgrimages, your knowledge and sacrifice, and all other ceremonies and acts and duties.

9. Whatever comes to occur in the consciousness, the same must be forgot or buried in the consciousness of the great God alone; and so the forgetfulness of all enjoyments and their objects, amounts to our victory over them. (The way to overcome the pleasures of life, is to bury their remembrance in oblivion). 10. We must try by all means, to shut out the objects of sense from our consciousness; and this state of our unconsciousness of them, is tantamount to the state of godliness or heavenly bliss. 11. Again the contentment which arises, from our acting in conformity with the rules of our order, is another cause of preserving the steadiness of the mind; therefore remain firm in the practice of your particular duties, and seek no happiness besides. 12. He who relinquishes his inclination, towards the attainment of what is unlawful for him; and remains content with earning his lawful gains, is verily said to be a man of subdued appetites, and one who has governed. 13. He who is pleased with his inward and conscious gratification, and is not grieved at the unpleasant things all about him, is said to have well governed and benumbed his mind.

14. By suspension of the action of consciousness, the mind too comes to forget and forsake its activity, and the sensations also being relaxed from their restlessness, pursue their discrimination and judgement. 15. The discriminative and judging soul, becomes ennobled and magnanimous, and keeps its command over the feelings and senses; and is not impelled by the waves of its desires, to be tossed about on the surface of the wide ocean of this world. 16. The man of well governed senses comes, by his association with the wise, and his constant study of religious works, to know all things in the world in their true light. 17. All worldly errors are dispelled by the light of truth; or else one must fall into the pit of misery, by his mistake of falsehood for truth; as the ignorant traveller is ingulfed in the dreary sands, by his mistake of the mirage for water. 18. Knowing this world as the unknowable intellect itself, that is the knowledge of the material world as the immaterial mind of God; is the true light in which the cosmos is viewed by the wise, who have neither the fear of their falling into the snare of error, nor require their release from it.

19. As the dried up waters of a river, are seen no more to glide even slightly in their course; so the formless phenomenals of the world, never appear in the sight of the wise, nor leave their slightest vestiges behind in their mind. 20. The knowledge of the world as an infinite void, and freed from the erroneous individualities of myself and thyself; leads to the knowledge of a supreme-self, which is apart from all, and the only ego that fills the whole. 21. All this conception of our subjective egoism and the objective world, are but errors of our brain proceeding from ignorance; they are all situated in the void of Intellect, and are void of themselves; and all bodies are but empty shadows in air, and as quiet as quietus or nullity itself. 22. This world appears as a shadow of the Intellect, in the vacuity of the very Intellect; it is a void amidst the void of the Intellect, which is certainly a void itself. 23. No body can deny its similitude, to the shadowy sight in a dream; it is an unreal notion, and as unsubstantial as all notions can be, and as the notion of a void is void itself.

24. This dream is no other than our consciousness of it, and the airy realms that it presents to our view for the time; so doth the Intellect show us the sight of the world, without any action or passion or instrumentality of itself. 25. So I am of the substance of the very Intellect, which is without its activity, passivity and instrumentality; and the world being unassignable to any causality or instrumentality, subsists only in our simple conception of it. 26. As the conception of one’s death in a dream, is no reality at all; and the sight of water in the mirage, is a visual deception only (so the sight of the world appearing to view, is no real existence or entity at all). 27. The vacuous intellect reflects its thoughts at first, in the clear mirror of its vacuity (or concavity); which is a mere hap-hazard of chance, and has no firm base or support (nor any form or figure of itself). 28. The world appears as fixed and firm, without its foundation anywhere; and seems to be shining brightly, with its darksome opacity; know then this fixity and this brightness of it, to be the diuturnity and glory of the eternal and glorious God.

29. The vivacity of living beings, displays the spirit of the ever living God; the air is his vacuity, and the running waters, show the vortiginous current of the eternal soul. 30. As every member of the body is constituent part of the whole frame; so all the various parts of animated and inanimate nature, constitute the entirety of the one cosmical deity. (These are but parts of one undivided whole, whose body nature is and God the soul. Pope). 31. As the crystal mirror shows the shade of everything in itself, so doth the transparency of Divine soul, exhibit the reflexions of all things in it; the silent soul is as quiet as the mute crystal, but shows the varying scenes of nature, as interminably as a clear mirror reflects everything. 32. There is no beginning or end of the supreme being (nor of his acts and attributes, which are displayed in nature); it is the intermediate of the two that is dimly seen by us, the rest is all enveloped in ignorance, though there is no ignorance in the Omniscient. 33. The living soul wakes from its sleeping dream, to fall back to its waking dream again; and thus it continues for ever in its dreaming whether waking or sleeping which are both alike to it.

34. The soul finds its rest only, while it remains in the fourth state of its sound sleep; or else it passes all along from dreaming to dreaming, in both its state of sleeping and waking, which continually haunt after it, unless it is drowned in its susupti or sound sleep of hynotism, the only resort of the wise. 35. But waking and sleeping and dreaming and sound sleep, are all alike to the enlightened soul; which is equally indifferent in all states, and whether it is asleep or awake, is never infested by dreams nor set beside itself. 36. The knowledge of unity or duality, and that of Ego and tu or the subjective and objective; never disturbs the enlightened; who views the whole as an empty void, and is alike insensible of all as well as null. 37. The distinction of unity and duality, made in the meaningless speech of the unwise, is laughed at by the enlightened and wise, as the aged and intelligent men laugh to scorn, at the pranks and prattlings of young lads. 38. The controversy of unity and duality, is of spontaneous growth in the heart like an indigenious plant; which without its pruning will not put forth its blossoms, to perfume the atmosphere of the understanding.

39. The discussion of unity and duality, is as benificial to man as his best friend; in sweeping away the dirt and dross of ignorance from their minds, as they drive away the dust from within the doors of their houses. 40. Then the minds of men are settled in the Divine Mind, when there ensues a mutual communion between themselves, and a communication and participation of their reciprocal joys and felicity with one another. 41. These men being always joined together in their fellowship, and serving one another with the mutual delight and obligingness of their hearts; attain to that state of the enlightenment of their understandings, whereby they are admitted into their communion with the Most High. 42. It is possible for a man to be benefited, even by his careful preservation of a trifle (at some time or other); but it is never possible for any body, to attain the most recondite knowledge of God, without his diligent inquiry into the same. 43. Whatever highest position one may enjoy in this material world, is to be recognised by all as nothing, provided that one does not remain aloof from all kind of vices.

44. What is that happiness which is gained by the possession of a kingdom, which at last is no better than mere botheration of the mind; while the mind that has gained its peace and tranquility in truth and Divine knowledge, spurns at the state of gods and kings as mere straws to him. 45. The sleepy as well as the wakeful, are alike apt to see the visibles, and are rapt with the sight; but the saints that are calm and quiet and at rest with themselves, are averse to sight-seeing, and see the only one in themselves. 46. Without painstaking, and your continued practice of contemplation, you can not succeed to attain this state of infinite felicity; for know this state of transcendent bliss, is the fruit of intense devotion only. 47. Thus have I said at length, to impress in you the necessity of intense devotion; but to what good is all this say the evil-minded to me, and thus slight and take no heed of all that I have been so long delivering unto you. 48. It must be by means of steady attention to these lectures, and by long and repeated practice of devotion; as also by hearing these sermons and discoursing upon them that the ignorant can come to the right light of truth.

49. He who having once read this spiritual work, slights it afterwards as already perused by him; and turns to the study of unspiritual books, is a vile wretch that collects the burnt ashes after the fire is extinguished. (Irreligious works are the ashes of the fiery religious ones). 50. This excellent work is to be read always, like the recital of the vedas, which are embodied herein; and this is calculated to reward the labor of the student, by its being constantly read with reverence, and rightly explained with diligence. 51. The student will learn from this sástra all that he expects to find in the vedas; because it embodies both the practical as well as spiritual doctrines of the sacred scriptures, and a knowledge of both of them, is available by proper perusal of this work. 52. By learning this book, one may have a knowledge of the doctrines of the vedánta, tarka and siddhánta sástras, because this is the only work, that treats of the tenets of all schools. (Here the word drishti is homonymous with darsana, which is rendered as a school of philosophy by Colebrooke).

53. It is from my sympathy for you all, that I propound these doctrines to you; and by way of imposture, that I impose these lessons on your credulity. You are best judges of my discourse and can well detect, whether there is anything as deception in my prolusions. 54. The knowledge that you may derive, by weighing well the instructions given in this great work; will serve you as salt, in order to season and relish the teachings of other sástras, that are at best but sundry dishes before it. 55. The materialist who is conversant with the visibles, disparages this book for its occult teachings of spiritualism; but don’t you be the killer of your souls as to neglect your eternal salvation, in order to revisit this material world, and to be busied with your temporal affairs. 56. Biased minds cling to the dogmas of exploded systems, and ignoble men drink the foul water of tanks, dug by their ancestors; you are reasoning men yourselves, therefore do not remain for ever fast bound to your ignorance.

UNITY OF THE DIVINITY AND THE MUNDANE WORLD. Argument: - Intromission of the Living soul and all bodies, that is the subjective and objective into the Divine Essence. Vasishtha continued: - The atoms of living souls in the world, are as the particles of rays in the orb of the sun (or as the sparks of fire in a furnace); and as all these parts taken collectively, make the one undivided whole; so there is no division of the unity of the Deity, throughout the whole creation. 2. By attaining the transcendental knowledge of all being the One, and the One as all; every thing loses its shape and form before us, and there remains nothing whatever as a distinct being or duality. 3. The true believer or knower of truth, sees the self-same object in all states and forms of things; and this is the transcendent and translucent Brahma only, and nothing else whatsoever at any time. 4. He is the same, that is known to the ignorant, as their objects of sense; but we do not recognize either ourselves or others, or the sensible objects of the ignorant as such.

5. The belief of the ignorant man in the reality of himself, thyself and all others, does not affect the knower of truth, as the delusion of mirage never overtakes the man on Mount Meru: (where the deceptive sands of the deserts are wanting). 6. As the man intent upon one object, has no consciousness of any other thing in his mind; so one enrapt at the sight of God alone, is conscious of nothing besides. 7. There neither is nor was nor shall ever be, any such thing as the material world at any time; the world in esse is the image of Brahma himself, and abides in his spirit. 8. The world is the splendour of the chrystalline vacuum of the Divine Intellect, and subsists in the vacuity of the supreme soul itself; it is in this light that the universe is seen in the dhyána yoga or abstruse contemplation of <the> yogi. 9. As there is nothing in an empty dream or in the aerial castle of imagination except the clear atmosphere of the Intellect; so there is no essence or substance nor form or figure of this world, that we view in our present waking state.

10. At first there was no creation of any kind, nor this world which appears to us (in its material form); it exists in its aerial form in the Divine Mind from all eternity; and there being no primary or secondary cause of it, how is it possible to call it a material thing of its own spontaneous growth. 11. Therefore there is nothing that sprang itself out of nothing at first, nor was there ever a creator called Brahmá or other by the ignorant, in the beginning; there is nothing but an infinite void from eternity to eternity, which is filled by the self-born or increate spirit, whose intellect exhibits this creation, contained for ever and ever in its vacuity.

ON THE SIMILARITY OF WAKING AND DREAMING. Argument: - The steadiness of the Intellect in waking and Dreaming, which are alike to one another. Vasishtha continued: - In the state of waking dream the dream passes under the name of waking; and in the state of dreaming wakefulness, this waking goes by the name of sleeping. 2. The dream terminates into waking, and the waking man rises from his dreaming, and falls back into it again; so one awakened from his dream like waking, falls afterwards to his waking dreams. 3. The dream of the waking dreamer, is to be called a dream also, as the waking dream of this world; and so the waking (or consciousness) of the sleeping waker, is to be styled his waking state. 4. Therefore that wakefulness (or consciousness) of one, remains in his dreaming state, is to be called his waking likewise and not his dreaming; so also the waking dream (of the existence of the world), and the imaginations of airy castles while one is waking, is to be designated his dreaming and never as his waking.

5. Whatever lasts for a short while, as a temporary delusion or flight of imagination, passes under the name of a dream even in one’s waking state; and so the short watchfulness of consciousness in the state of dreaming, is known as dreaming and never as waking. 6. Therefore there is no difference whatever, between the two states of waking and dreaming, beside the absence of one of these two in the other (i.e. the absence of shortness in waking, and that of durability in the dream). Again they are both unreal, owing to their blending with one another (i.e. dreaming blended with the view of the phenomenals in waking; and the wakeful consciousness blending with dreaming). 7. The waking dream of the world, vanishes under its unconsciousness in death; and the consciousness of dreaming is lost, under the knowledge of its being an airy nothing. (The world recedes as heaven opens to view. Pope). 8. The dying person that does not come to perceive the vanity of the visionary world at his death-bed can have no sight of the state of his waking (or resurrection), in the next or future world.

9. Whoever believing himself as alive, among the varying scenes of this vacuous world, lives content with them; he can never come to the sight of the visions, which await upon him. 10. As the intellect displays its wonders, in the exhibitions of the various scenes of worlds, to the sight of one in his dream; so doth this universe appear before the minds of men, at the time of their waking. 11. These creations which are so conspicuous to sight, are at best but nothing in their transcendental light and all the forms of things, are as the empty shadows of them appearing in our dreams. 12. As the world with all its varieties of visible objects, appear in its inane and shadowy form in the dream; so it is seen in its vacuous and intellectual form only, in our waking state (although it seems to be tangible body). 13. It is the nature of the vacuous Intellect, to show the form of the world in its own firmament; so doth this earth appear unto us, amidst the spacious atmosphere, like the orbs of light in the skies.

14. It is the wondrous display of the Intellect, that shines before us under the name of universe; and these wonders are as inborn and innumerable in itself, as the watery and earthly particles, are connate with, and diffused throughout nature. 15. What thing is there in it, which you can mistake for a reality in this unreal world; that is situated as a vacuous body in the infinite womb of vacuity. 16. The words recipient, receipt and reception, or the percipient, perceived and perception (i.e. the subject, object and attribute), are all meaningless with regard to this vacuous world; and whether it is a reality or unreality, we have no perception of it. (Because the presence of everything is lost, at the absence of its properties, which are adscititious only). 17. Whether it is so or not or be it anything otherwise (as others may have it); yet why should mistake it for anything at all, in whatever light you take it, it will amount to your mistake of an empty ball for a fruit (so says the vedánta: - जगद्ब्रह्म स्वरूपत्वात् प्रागभाब तथा प्रध्रंसाभाब एबं अन्यान्य भाबानाम दुर्निरूप्यत्वात् केबलात्यन्ताभाबोऽस्ति ।).

ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT: IN THE FORM OF A DIALOGUE. Argument: - Definition of supreme soul and its synonyms and its simile to a blue stone. Vasishtha continued: - The true sense of the word soul or self, is to be understood from the title which is applied to it; and this title of the soul is borne out by the simile, of the solid and transparent blue stone. 2. It is from the beginning of creation, that the vacuous soul is thus diffused in itself; and the reflexion which it casts in its own vacuity, the same passes under the name of this world or creation. 3. There runs no river in it, nor there rises nor sinks any rock in the same; it is the mere vacuum subsisting in its infinite void, wherein the intellect reflects itself without any action or bidding or fiat of it. 4. This reflexion of the Divine Intellect, was without its utterance of “word” and quite without its “will” or “thought”. It was also without the appliance of any subsequent material (as matter), and this is the true sense of the word soul or self.

5. The soul itself is the whole world, which has no other expression for it; and being devoid of a name, it is expressible by no other name though they give many names to it. 6. Its name being nameless, whatever appellation they put to it, is not opposite but inappropriate to it; what is the good therefore of giving it a name or no name at all. 7. Its namelessness or giving it a misnomer or improper expression, is all the same; since all what is visible, is no other than a display of the wondrous fabric of the Divine Mind. 8. Whatever shines in any manner, in the empty space of the Divine mind at any time; the same shines forth even then and in that manner, as the rays of that Intellect (emanating therefrom, and concentrating into all other minds). 9. It is denominated by one as soul, by another as asat, and by some as nothing; all these are the mystery of intellect only, but in fact, all are the attributes of soul. 10. The word itself conveys the meaning of self - soul. It is without beginning and end, and no language can express it; in fact, it is an undivided whole.

11. Now listen to a long narrative which hangs on this subject, and which will serve to gladden your hearts and ears, by removing the duality from your sight, and by enlightening your understanding (with knowledge of the unity). 12. Know that there is a very large crystal stone, extending itself to thousands of leagues in space; and stretching like the solid cerulean fabric of the firmament, or as the blue sky all around us. 13. It is all of a piece without any joining of parts in it, and is as dense and compact as the hard adamant; it is thick, big and bulky in its size, but at the same time as clear and far as the face of the sky. 14. It continues from countless times, and endures to endless duration; and with its comely and pellucid body, it appears as the clear firmament, or the blank vacuum on high. 15. No one ever knows its nature or genus, from his having never seen anything of the same kind, nor does any body know from when and where, it hath come to existence. (All know it is, but none knows how and whence it is).

16. It does not contain anything substantial, as the material elements within itself; and yet it is as dense and solidified in itself as a crystalline, and indissoluble as an adamant. 17. Yet it is composed of innumerable streaks and strokes, which are embodied in itself; and these resemble the veins and fibres on lotus leaves, and the marks of conches etc. in Hari’s feet. 18. These marks are named as air, water, earth, fire and vacuum, though there are no such things to be found therein; except that the stone was possest living soul, which it imparted to its marks. 19. Ráma rejoined: - Tell me sir, how that stone of yours, could have life or sensibility in it; the stone is an insensible thing, and could not give names to the marks on its body. 20. Vasishtha replied: - That immense and luminous stone, is neither a sentient nor inert body; no body knows its nature and state, and there is no other like it. 21. Ráma said: - Tell me sir, who ever saw those marks, which are imprinted in the bosom of that stone; and how could any one ever break that stone, in order to see its contents and its marks.

22. Vasishtha replied: - It is hard to break this hard stone, nor has anybody been ever able to break it; by cause of its extending over infinite space, and encompassing all bodies within its bosom. (So says the sruti: - There is nothing but is encompassed by it - the all pervading soul). 23. It is full of numberless spots in its spacious cavity; and these consist of the marks of mountains and trees, and of countries, towns and cities. 24. There are also small and large dots in it, with any form or figure of them; but serve to represent the forms of men, and gods and demigods in them, as an outline shows the images of things. 25. There is a long line drawn in it in the form of a circle, which represents the great circle of the visible sky or horizon; and this contains the two central points, signifying the sun and moon. 26. Ráma said: - Tell me sir, who ever saw those marks of such forms; and how it is possible for any body, to look into the cell of a solid or hollow ball. 27. Vasishtha replied: - It is I, O Ráma, that beheld those marks of different forms in that impenetrable block; and it is possible for you to look into it, if you will but like to do so.

28. Ráma said: - How could you sir, look into those marks inside that solid stone, which you say, is as stiff as adamant, and incapable of being broken or perforated by any means. 29. Vasishtha replied: - It was by means of my being seated, in the very heart of that stone; that I came to see those marks, as also to penetrate into their meanings. 30. Who else is able to penetrate into that rigid stone beside myself, who have been able by my penetration, to pry and pierce into the mysteries of those hidden marks. 31. Tell me sir, what is that stone and what are you yourself; explain to me where you are and what you are speaking, and what are those things that you have seen and known to mean. 32. Vasishtha replied: - It is the supreme soul, which is the sole entity and sober reality; and this is represented by figure of speech, as the great stone, of which I have been speaking to you. 33. We are all situated in the cavity of this supreme spirit, and the three worlds form the flesh of this Great being, who is devoid of all substantiality.

34. Know the spacious firmament to be a part of this solid rock, and the ever flying winds as fragment of its body; the fleeting time and evanescent sounds together with all our varying actions and desires, and the imaginations of our minds, to be but the fugacious particles of its substance. 35. The earth, air, water and fire, and the vacuum and understanding also, together with our egoism and sensibilities, are the portions and sections of its totality. 36. We are all but bits and parcels of the great rock of the supreme soul, and every thing whatever there is in existence, proceeds from that source, and we know of no other cause or causality whatsoever. 37. This large stone is the great rock of Divine Intellect, and there is nothing whatever, which is beside and beyond its intelligence. Say then if there be any such thing and what it bears. 38. All things are but mere notions of them, as those of a pot or cot, a picture and all others; they appear in us as our dreams, and rise before us as the waves of water (which are no other but water).

39. It is all the substance of Brahma and the essence of the great Intellect, which fills and pervades the whole; know therefore all these as one, with the substantiality of the Supreme spirit, and all as quiet and calm as itself. 40. Thus all this plenum is situated, in the bosom of the great rock of the intellect; which is without its beginning, middle and end, and without any hole therein, or doorway thereto. Therefore it is the Supreme soul only which contemplates in itself, and produces (as the object of its thought), this ideal creation of the universe (or the one converted into many), and which passes under the title of the visible or phenomenal world.

ABSENCE OF THE THREE FOLD STATES OF WAKING, DREAMING AND SLEEP. Argument: - Refutation of the four fold Appellations of the World, and the three fold states of the Living soul. Vasishtha continued: - The four titles, namely, the self-styled, the misnamed, the nameless, and the otherwise named, under which the world passes in their different senses; are all meaningless to the spiritualist (who view the world in its spiritual light, and as selfsame with the Supreme spirit, as it is related in the preceding chapter). 2. These different words do not disturb the mind of the spiritualist, whose soul is at rest in the Supreme spirit, and who pays no regard to the use of words (or terminology of theology). 3. All these visibles rise from the Intellect only, and bear no names of their own; they are of the nature of pure vacuum, and appear unto us in their simple vacuous forms (as phantoms in the air). 4. This is the soul, and this its title (that is giving a name to a nameless spiritual thing), is an erroneous conceit or coinage of the brain. The spirit admits of no expressions; therefore take heed of no word but mind its meaning.

5. Whatever appears to be moving or staying or doing any action, is as calm and clear as the void air, and devoid of action as the Divine soul. 6. All things however sounding, are as silent as the still stone said before; and though they seem to be ever moving, they are ever as quiet as the void of the sky, and as still as the quiescent stone. 7. Though all things appear to be acting in their various ways, yet they are as motionless as the unmoving vacuum; and though the world appears to be formed of the five elements, yet it is but a void and devoid of its quintessence. 8. The world with its fulness of things, is but a congeries of your conceptions; it is full with the all pervasive and pellucid Intellect, which shows the visions of great cities, like the vacant sights in our dream (or as a dumb and shadowy show, without any sound or substance in it). 9. It is full of action and motion, without any activity or mobility in it, like the passing city of our imagination; it is the air built castle of our error, and as the fairy land in our dream.

10. It is a false conception or notion of the mind, and as the fading shadow of a fairy; it is creation of our fancies, but altogether unsubstantial in its substantiality. 11. Ráma rejoined: - I ween this world as a waking dream, and reproduction of our remembrance of it; because it is reminiscence of the past only, that presents the absent to our view, and brings the outer objects to our knowledge. (Hence remembrance is the cause of resolving everything to our knowledge of them). 12. Vasishtha replied: - No Ráma, it is the reflexion which the glassy mirror of the Intellect, casts before us at anytime, the same appears to us even then in its vacuous form; and there is no idea or thought of anything, that lays a firm hold on the mind, or has its foundation there. (Refutation of innate conceptions and prior reminiscence). 13. Therefore the phenomenon always belongs, to the noumenon of the Supreme spirit; and the fluctuating phenomenals ever abide in it, as the undulating waves play in the calm waters of the sea. 14. The uncaused world, exists of itself in the Supreme soul; and becomes extinct of itself, in the vacuity of the universal soul.

15. The world is viewed in the same light by every one, as it is reflected in himself, hence the ignorant are always in fault in having a wrong view of it; but not so the wise, who know it as nothing. 16. Again the lord god Brahma himself, has exhibited the lucid nature of his being, according to the four states or conditions, which are natural to the soul. 17. These are the three states of waking, dreaming and sleep, together with a fourth called-the turíya or the state of sound sleep, and these names are applied to the soul by the Supreme soul itself. 18. But in reality none of these quadruple states, belongs either to the Divine or the living soul, which is always tranquil, and which is of the nature of an indefinite void. 19. Or it may be said in respect to the soul, that it is either always wakeful, or in its ever dreaming state; or in a state of continuous rest and sleep. (The Divine soul never sleeps. Sir W. Jones. The ever wakeful eyes of Jove. Homer).

20. Or it is ever in its fourth state of turya, which is beyond all these triple states; but whether it is in this or that or what state, we know nothing of, being ourselves always in a state of disquiet and continued agitation. 21. We know nothing of the inanity of the vacuous soul, as to whether it is as the chasm in the foam or froth, or whether it is as the air in a bubble or spray; or whether it is as the gap amidst waves of the sea or what it is at all. 22. As a thing is known to be in its imagination, so it is impressed also in our conception of the same; and as anything appears either as real or unreal in the dream, we retain the like idea of it in our waking also. 23. All this is the display of our consciousness, and whatever reflexion it exhibits unto us it is but an empty shadow in the hollow of the vacant mind, which resides in the vacuity of the vacuous intellect, that pervades the infinite vacuum of the soul.

24. Consciousness is the pith and marrow of vacuous Intellect, and retains this form (of its quiddity) at all times; it neither rises nor sets, and this world is inherent in it (i.e. it is subjective and derived from within). 25. The creations on the beginning, and the dark nights of dissolution, are but parts of its body, and resemble its nails and hairs. (i.e. The light which was the first work of creation, likened the whiteness of its nails, and the darkness of the universal deluge, equalled the blackness of its hairs). 26. Its appearance and disappearance, that is its clearness and dimness; are no other than as the breathing air of the great Intellect. (i.e. The exhaling and inhaling breaths of the Intellect, are causes of its expansion and contraction). 27. Therefore what means the waking, sleeping or dreaming of the soul, and what signifies the term sound sleep or the turíya of the soul (which is ever awake) So the word volition and nolition are meaningless when applied to the soul, which is always composed and indifferent. (These attributes belong to the mind only). 28. It is the inward consciousness, that exhibits its inner concepts as outward objects; how then is there a duality or anything objective, and what means this remembrance of extraneous matter.

29. Therefore all these that appear to our sight, are without their base or foundation; they are the reflexion of our consciousness in open air, which is wholly devoid of any material object. 30. Though the external world is said to be a reality, it is because of its being a concept of the divine mind, out of which it has risen to view; and reminiscence is said to be its cause also, by reason of our remembrance of the first creation, which continue all along with us. 31. But there is no outward object at all, owing to the absence of material elements; and the want of the five principles of matter, before and at the time of first creation. 32. As there are no horns of hares, and no trees growing in the air, and as there is no son of a barren woman, nor a dark moon shining in the sky. 33. So this visible world, and these personalities of ourselves; which are mere misrepresentations of our ignorance, are things invisible and inexistent in themselves, and are seen and known by ignorant only.

34. To them the world appears as an erroneous body, and our personalities and abstractions of persons; but there is nothing as fictile or abstract to the spiritualist, who view them all in one undivided whole - the Divine spirit or soul. 35. It is consciousness the pith and marrow of the soul, that exposes all these concepts of it to light; and the manner in which it displays them to the imagination, so do they make their appearance to our sight. 36. Whenever our misconception portrays its concept in a material form, or gives a name and form to an airy nothing; we come to see the same form in our imagination, in the empty void of our mind. 37. The great Intellect has the appearance of the sky for itself, which in the ordinary use of language, is expressed by the word matter, as consisting of the four elements, and the endless void which is devoid of them. 38. The unchanging and undecaying intellect, bears to itself the form of air only; which it conceives by mistake as the stable earth; just as imaginary men believe the air built castle to a reality.

39. The intellect being an incorporeal substance, has neither this form nor that nor of any kind at all; it has its pulsation and rest of itself, like the breath and stillness of winds in the air. 40. As the intellect manifests itself in its own sphere in the two states of its volition and nolition (or action or inaction); so the world seems to be in its states of motion and quiescence; which take place in the bosom of vacuum. 41. As the sphere of the Intellect remains unchanged, at the rise and subsidence of its thought; so doth the sphere of air remain unvaried, with all the creation and its dissolution in its bosom. 42. The world is always in the same unvaried state, whether you call it so or otherwise; and the seeming revolutions of bodies and succession of events, are well known to be nothing to the learned and wise, and not to others. 43. Because the wise soul dwells in the hearts of all, which it views alike as its own self; but the ignorant soul is unconscious of its identity, from its sight of the outer world, and its knowledge of the difference of bodies from one another.

44. What is there the interior or exterior of it, and that what is visible and invisible in it; all this is in the Lord whether active or quiescent, know all to be the om or on and rest quiet. 45. There can be no reasoning, without an insight into the meanings of the significant terms and their significates; and it is consideration of both sides of the question that leads to our right judgment. Hence it is reasoning that leads us to truth, as the light guides us amidst the darkness of night. 46. Therefore drive off the multitudes of multifarious desires and doubts from your mind, by means of the clearness (light) of your understanding (obtained by your habit of right reasoning), and also by your attention to the true interpretation of the sástras; and then rise and fly aloft to the higher region of light and truth, and attain the highest, best and most perfect state of Divine felicity and self-liberation.

STORY OF THE HEWN STATUE OR CARVED IMAGE. Argument: - The false and ignorant Attribution of creation, to the increate and self-manifest world. Vasishtha continued: - As the unconscious tree, displays various forms in its branches; so doth the unconcerned spirit of God, exhibit the airy semblance of creation in air. 2. And as the ocean describes the whirlpools, insensibly upon its surface; so doth the spirit of God, exhibit this rotatory worlds unconcernedly, on the surface of its own vacuum, and as they are seen by all. 3. The Lord gives also to the sensible part of his creation, their internal faculties of the mind, understanding and egoism, as also many other powers under different appellations. 4. The phenomenal world is the production of the insensible Intellect, whose volitive faculties are as loose as the rolling eddies of rivers and seas. 5. The mind and understanding and all mental faculties, proceed from the Divine Intellect; in the same manner as the whirlpools and eddies, and waves and surges rise on the surface of the sea. 6. As a picture is nothing except its canvas, so the world which is no more than a painting, is drawn on the substratum of the intellect; and this is a vacuous substance, with the lustre of the world in it.

7. What I have said before of the insensibility of the tree and sea, in the production of the branches and whirlpools by them; the same instance applies to Intellect also, which shows the creation rising in its vacuity, not by an act of its intention or will, but by ordinance of fate, which governs all things, (and rules over Jove himself). This is the doctrine of fatalism. 8. And as a tree exhibits its various forms, receiving the several names of a plant, a shrub, a creeper &c.; so doth the intellect display its many features, like its flowers &c., and called by the different appellations of earth, air, water &c. 9. And as the branches and leaves of a tree, are not different from the tree itself; so the productions of the great Intellect, are no other than its very substance (or are essentially the same with itself). 10. And as there are many things, made of the substance of a tree, bearing different names to themselves; so the productions of the Intellect, and the offspring of a living being, pass under several forms and appellations (of boy, girl, infant, adult and the like).

11. The offshoots of the Intellect are all these creatures, which grow in and rise from the mind (of their own spontaniety); they appear to be the works of the mind as their cause, but are no better than the dreams (arising of themselves in the mind). 12. Should you say, why these conceptions of creation rise in vain in the mind (if the creation is nothing in substance); I answer that they rise in the manner of dreams in the state of sleeping, which you cannot deny to enjoy. (The thoughts of creation like those of imagination and the conception in our dreaming, are not unattended by a certain degree of delight, during the time of our enjoyment of them. Gloss). 13. As the tree displays various forms in the productions, and the imagination presents different shapes to our mental sights; so the intellect is employed in realizing many such creations in empty air. 14. As the odours of flowers fly about invisible in the open air, and as pulsation abides inherent in the wind; so the intellectual powers, are intrinsic in the very nature of the soul.

15. These creations likewise are ingrained in the Divine spirit, as fragrance is inborn in flowers and vacuity is ingenite in the air; and as vacillation and velocity are innate in the winds. 16. As the air, wind and the flower, are receptacle of inanity, oscillation and odours respectively; so the Intellect is container of creation, although it is literally but an empty vacuity. 17. Vacuity is no other than vacuum itself, as fluidity is not separate from liquids; fragrance is as inseparable from flowers, as pulsation is never to be the disjoined from the wind. 18. Heat is not disparate from fire, nor is coldness apart from snow; know thus the world to be no way different nor disengaged from the transparence of the vacuous Intellect. 19. In the beginning, the Divine Intellect sees the creation appear in itself, as a dream rising in the mind; thus the world having no extraneous cause, and being subjective to the Intellect (as derived from within itself); is no way a heterogeneous mass or different from the Divine mind. 20. The instance of the dream is the best illustration of creation, and you can judge it well by the nature of the dream you dream every night; say what is there substantial in it, beside its being essential to the universal soul.

21. The dream is not the effect of any impression in the mind, nor the result of remembrances stored in the memory; because it shows us many sights, unseen and unthought of before; say therefore how these come to pass. 22. If what is seen in a dream, comes to present itself at the time of our remembrance of the dream? 23. Therefore these revolving worlds; are as the rotatory whirlpools (in the wide ocean of the infinite mind); they are the fortuitous appearances of chance, and whatever occurs in the mind, passes afterwards for its dreams. 24. The creations being insensibly produced from the Divine Mind, like the waves and whirlpools in the ocean; receives its stability and continuity afterwards, in the manner of the continuation of the whirling waters and ever rolling billows. 25. Whatever is born without its cause, is equal to the unborn; because the unborn are forever similar to those, which have no cause for their birth. 26. As the precious gems growing insensibly of themselves, have their lustre inherent in them; and as this brilliance is no substance or anything real at all, so the appearance of the world has no substantiality of itself.

27. Some how or other, the world has its rise, like the wave or eddy in a river; and then it continues to go on as the continuous course of the stream. 28. There are numberless worlds of intellectual forms, gliding in the vast vacuity of the Intellect; and passing as aerial dreams without any cause whatsoever. 29. All these again become causes and productive of others, and they <are> all of vacuous forms including even the great Brahmá and the gods and angels (all of whom are aerial beings, and others of the same kind). 30. All that is born in and produced from void, are null and void also; they grow in the void or air, and return also into vacuity. 31. It is the vacuum that appears as the plenum, as in the instance of an empty dream seeming as something; the man that denies his own percipience of it, is no better than a boor or brute. 32. The unreal appearing as real, is the fabrication of error and ignorance; but the spiritualist who knows the truth, views the world as the wondrous display of the Divine Mind and falsification.

33. It is the longstanding and deep rooted prejudice, that produces the erroneous conceptions of the creation and destruction of the world; it is wisdom to know it in its true light, and foolishness to take the wrong view of it. 34. The light of the Divine spirit, being once seen in this causeless void of the visible world, it continues for ever before our sight; as the dream that we see in our vacant minds in sleep, remains ever afterwards in our remembrance. 35. It happens that the intellect comes to present, the adventitious appearance of the world to our minds; in the same manner, as the sea shows its whirls and waves to our sight, of its own nature. 36. Such is the nature of the Intellect also, that it shows itself in this manner (as the sea); and exhibits the revolving worlds, in its own etherial essence only (of its own accord). 37. Then the aerial Intellect, by a retrospective view in itself, invented certain worlds afterwards, significant of the mental and intellectual powers as well as of material elements and their properties.

38. Ráma said: - If it is so sir, that all these powers are the spontaneous growth of chance, how can the mental power of memory be produced on a sudden, when it is well known to be the product of remembrance or former impressions in the mind. Please explain me this. 39. Vasishtha replied: - Hear me Ráma, and I will destroy your doubt, as the lion kills an elephant; and will establish the one invariable unity as the broad day light of the sun. 40. There is an only universal soul, that is invisible amidst the vacuum of his Intellect; as the uncarved doll remains unseen, in the wood of every forest tree. (All things are contained in the Divine soul, as the future images in blocks of wood and stone. Aristotle, Addison). 41. We see the carpenter that carves out the puppet, from the wood of the tree (and the mason who hues out the statue from the block of stone); but we know not the soul, which chisels out the figure of the world from the great bulk of Instinct.

42. The statue does not appear in the rugged block, unless and until it <is> hewn out by the skill of carver, so the hidden world does not make its appearance in the Intellect, till it is brought to view by the ingenuity of the Mind (the universal architect). 43. The uncarved body of the world (Corpus-mundi), does yet appear <in> its aeriform state; which is original and genuine form in the Divine Intellect (until <it> is moulded in this its fictitious shape by creative mind). 44. In the beginning of creation, the inventive Intellect forms of its natural originality, the concept of the future world; appearing as an airy dream in the sight of the soul (and then the imaginative mind frames it according to its conceit in various forms). 45. The vacuous Intellect conceives in its empty bosom, the airy ideal of the world; as if it were a toy or doll gliding of itself in itself. 46. It conceives itself as the essential part of the great Brahma, and the seed of the mundane system; and then imagines itself as the source of life and the living soul, and the receptacle of egoism.

47. It imagines itself as the understanding and the mind also; and to be the reservoir of space and time. It deems itself as the root of the knowledge of I, thou, he, and others, and as the quintessence of the quintuple elements. 48. It sees in itself the congeries of the inward and outward senses, as also of the eight faculties of the mind; and both the spiritual as well as the elemental bodies contained in itself. 49. It thinks itself as the great trinity, consisting of the three persons of Brahmá, Vishnu, and Siva; and sees the sun, moon and stars all in itself. It considers itself as the whole creation and the interior and exterior part of everything. 50. All these being the imaginary creations of the Intellect; there is nothing whatever beside itself; but it is quite transparent in its essence, there is no concrete matter in it; and neither remembrance of gross materials is ever attached to it, nor any duality whatsoever subsisting in the unity of its nature. 51. The world is a causeless, uncaused and increate thing; and a nothing at all in reality; its creation is a dream, and its appearance, is as that of a delusive shadow in empty air.

52. It appears as a phantom in vacuum, and as an intelligence in the Intellect; it is intelligible as it is, and that is in the sense of a nihility. 53. What is the remembrance of a thing, any more than the dream of something, which is nothing in reality; and what is time of which we have no conception, except it be an imagination or devise of the mind in empty air. 54. What is contained in the inside of the compact intellect, the very same appears on the outside of it; but in reality there is no substantiality in the exterior object of sight, as there is naught in the interior object of thought; all which are but the glitterings of the Intellect. 55. Whatever issues out of the bodiless and nameless something, which is forever quiescent and calm in its nature; are deemed as causeless and uncaused productions, appearing before the blinded sight. 56. Know therefore that this world, is to be viewed in the same intellectual light; as you see the supreme Brahma himself; and know it to be the very aerial castle of your dream, as it is represented in the vacuous space of your mind in your sleeping state.

57. There is no such thing, as the visible or phenomenal world at any time; where can you find any dust on the watery surface of the sea; and how can you see anything visible, in the invisible spirit of Brahma. 58. If the world should appear as anything at all to your sight, you must view it as the manifestation of God himself, in his unthinkable and incomprehensible nature. (Nature is the body of God). 59. The world is full of the glory of God, from the fullness of Divine glory; nor is the one derived from the other; but a full representation of Divine splendour on the face of nature. 60. Though I have been repeatedly giving these lectures, yet the deluded minds of men are far from receiving them; they believe the world of their dream as if it were in waking, and knowing even its unreality they will never get rid of their rooted prejudice.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CALM AND TRANQUIL MIND. Argument: - Character of the unexcited and self-liberated man and his happiness in Life. Vasishtha continued: - He who is <neither> delighted with his delights, nor dejected in his distress; who looks only within himself for his peace and solace, is verily called the liberated man in his life time. 2. He is called the self-liberated man, whose mind is <not> moved from its steadiness in solid rock of intellectuality, towards the worldly enjoyments that are spread before him (and which are ever attractive of unrestrained minds). 3. That is called the liberated soul, which reclines in its intellectuality, and has its mind ever fixed in it; which delights in intellectual culture, and has repose therein. 4. He is verily styled the liberated soul, who reposes in the supreme soul; whose mind does not slide from divine contemplation, nor takes any delight in visible objects all around. 5. Ráma said: - Sir, I ween the man that feels no pain in pain, nor derives any pleasure from what is pleasurable, and is entire insensible of both, to be a mere block, and devoid both his senses and sensibility.

6. Vasishtha replied: - We call him the self reposed, who rests in his vacuous intellect only; and whose soul derives a spontaneous delight from the purity of his understanding, such as it finds in nothing and no where besides. 7. He is said to have his rest in the supreme soul, whose mind is cleansed of its doubts in all things; and who has obtained by means of his discrimination, the true and certain knowledge of everything. (So says the sruti: No doubts disturb the mind of one, whose soul confides and has found its rest in God). 8. He is said to rest and have his repose in God, who takes no delight in any earthly thing whatever; and though he is outwardly employed in discharging the duties of his life, yet his soul is fixed in his god. 9. He is known to have his quiescence, whose activities are all without any aim or expectation; and he goes on and lives content, with whatever he gets and offers itself to his lot. 10. He alone is happy and successful, in this world of woe and misery; who in his long restless, helpless and tedious journey in it, has found his repose in the supreme spirit, by means of his intellectual improvements.

11. They who after running their long race, in the active course of worldly life; have come at last to set themselves at ease and quiet, at the latter end of their lives, are as men that appear to fall fast asleep, and enjoy their repose after the vexatious dreams of their busy days. 12. They shine and pass as brightly, in the open sphere of their intellects, as the glorious sun rises in the sky, and runs his daily course without stopping any where. 13. Good people seem to be sleepy in their minds, though they are seen to be wakeful and employed in business with their bodies; they remain as inactive as any inert body, though they are never dormant in their souls (which are ever awake to their eternal concerns). 14. They who lie asleep on their beds, and are drowned in their reveries and dreams; are said and believed to be sleeping: though they are not insensible of the workings of their minds. 15. When the tired traveller, halts after his long and wearisome journey, and ceases to utter a word owing to his hard breathing, such dumbness does not bespeak his dead silence or torpidity.

16. The man of transcendent knowledge, and perfect peace and tranquility of his mind and soul; remains as blind to the splendours of day as the purblind owl, and as quiet as any body in the darkness of night, when the whole creation sleeps in the gloom of ignorance and unconsciousness. 17. That man is happy, who sleeps over the varied scenes of this visible world, and does not sights of woe, which it presents to view at the time of waking. (The gloss quotes a corresponding passage from the Bhagavad Gítá). 18. He who pays no regard to ceremonial rites, and remains sincere to the welfare of his soul; such a man is said to be self satisfied, from his communion with himself, and is never, O Ráma, deemed as dead himself. 19. He who has passed over the miseries of this world, and got to the other side of it (next world); remains supremely blest in himself, by his sense of heavenly bliss in his inward soul. 20. He who is fatigued with his long and tiresome journey in this world, and is ever deluded by four senses and sensible objects; gets weary of and cloyed with his enjoyments in life, and meets with the spectres of despair at the end.

21. Being overtaken by hoary old age, he is battered and shattered by the hoar-frost of diseases; and then like the old and worn-out antelope, he wishes in vain to traverse his native forests and plains. 22. Forsaken by the supreme soul, the sole and faithful guide in our journey through life; we are exposed to the intricate maze of thorns and thickets, till the weary traveller is at a loss of the shady grove whereto take his rest. 23. Here we are robbed of our passport and passage money, by the highway men of our sins and sensualities; till we are overcome by our weakness, and exposed to numberless dangers and difficulties on the way. 24. He that is possest of his soul by means of his spiritual knowledge, gets over the ocean of the world to the spiritual regions; where he rests calmly in the bedstead of his spirit, and without the bedding of his body. 25. The man who moves about, without any aim or attempt of himself and without his dream and sound sleep; whose mind is ever wakeful and whose eyes are never closed in sleep, such a man sleeps softly in the lap of his soul.

26. As a horse of real breed, sleeps in his standing as well as running; so the self-possest person sleeps in himself, even though he <is> employed in the acts of life among mankind. 27. How very sound and profound, is the trance or reverie of the philosophic mind, that it is not disturbed, even at the crackling of thunders or cracking of volcanoes. 28. How exquisite is the ecstasy of the right discerner of truth, who sees all within himself, which the external observer with his open eyes, finds as lying afar without himself. 29. The man who with his open eyes, sees the world disappear from his sight; is giddy with his ecstatic views, and not with ebriety liquor. (He sleeps calmly in the trance of ecstacy). 30. Ah! how happily he sleeps in his reverie, whose soul is satiate and at rest, after it has swallowed the visible world in itself, and drank the ambrosial draught of self satisfaction. 31. How happily doth the self-possest man sleep in his solity, who is ever joyous without any joy or anything to enjoy; who is joyful in enjoying the everlasting felicity of unity, and who sees effulgent light of his inward spirit, without any mortal thing on the outside.

32. Happy is the self-possest soul, which is blind to the objects of common desire, and rejoices in the blaze of transcendent light in itself; which delights in subtile and spiritual joys, as much as others luxuriates in their solid food and gross enjoyments. 33. Happily sleeps the spiritual man, with the inward peace of his mind; who shuts his eyes against the outer world, which abounds only in sights of woe, and restlessness of the giddy mob. 34. The self-possest rest in perfect peace of their minds, who bemean themselves as the meanest of the mean in their outer demeanour; but deem themselves as the greatest of the great in the greatness of their souls; they have their repose in the lap of the vast void of their selves. 35. The spiritualist sleeps happily in the universal soul, with its body resting in its vast vacuity; which contains an infinity of worlds in every atom of it. 36. The spiritualist rests perfectly blest in Supreme Spirit, which is full of ineffable light, and in which he sees the repeated creation and dissolution of the world, without being destroyed himself.

37. Blest is the godly man, that seeing the world as a dream in his sleep, rests in the Spirit of his god, where he sees everything as clear as day light, and as bright as open sky. 38. How blest is the psychist with his musings, who contemplates on the essences of all substances, and engrosses the entity of whole nature in himself; and whose comprehensive mind grasps the cosmos in itself, as the vacuity of the sky, comprehends the whole universe within its ample womb. 39. How happily does the self-communing sage, sleep in his abstract contemplation of the clear and bright heavens in himself; and who views the whole universe in the light of the clear firmament, resounding with the sound of his own breathings or snoring. 40. How happily doth the self-communist, rest in the depth of his inmost thoughts; who finds himself as null and void, as the infinite vacuum itself, and views the universe hovering as a dream, in a corner of that vacuity. 41. How cheerfully does the self-musing sage, lie down in his humble bedstead, which he finds as a matting made of straws, swept before him by the tide of time, and the current contented circumstances.

42. The sage, who by his diligent self-consultation, has come to know the true nature of himself (i.e. of his soul); lives in his lifetime as in the state of dreaming, and deems as an aerial figure of his dream subsisting in empty air. 43. The sage who by his diligent self-cogitation, has come to the knowledge of his own vacuousness; comes to the same knowledge of all nature at large, till at last he comes to reduce and assimilate himself to vacuity. 44. The waking man falls to sleep, and the sleeping person rises to wake again, and in this manner they pass their time in endless turns; but the sound sleeper alone is ever wakeful to his true friend of spirituality (because sound sleep is one’s absorption in the quiet of Divine Spirit). 45. He who having passed his days in this life, in company with his best friend of self-liberation (jívan mukti) in his lifetime; comes to enjoy the sweet companionship of that friend (amurta-mukti), in his future life for a long period of time, he is verily entitled to his perpetual rest and everlasting bliss, in the list of the Divinity itself forever.

ON THE CONDUCT OF THE SAPIENT MAN. Argument: - Our acts are our best friends and relatives; their virtues and the enjoyments of their fellowship. Ráma said: - Tell me sir, who is that friend with whom he lives, and what is the nature of this enjoyments, whether it is subjective or objective, that is whether derived from within oneself, or from external objects. 2. Vasishtha replied: - Our own conduct alone is our only true friend, whether it is ingenite in our nature, or derived by our extrinsic training and education from others. (The two words svaprabáha and swapráya in the text, are explained in the gloss as sahaja - innate and abhyasta or learnt.) 3. Our inborn good conduct is as infallibly and friendly to us, as the natural beneficence of our parents; and our extraneous good behaviour, is as overruling upon us, as the controul and restraints by a faithful wife in the intricate maze of life. 4. A fearless course of life, and a well earned livelihood, and a well regulated mode of living; together with a dispassionate temper and coolness of mind, are replete with unrestricted and ambrosial sweets.

5. An unblemished life acquired from early youth, is able to save a person from all dangers and difficulties in the world, and render him confidential for every trust, and a repository of all wealth and treasures. 6. It is able to preserve men from all evils, as a father prevents his boys from daubing their bodies with dust and dirt; and hinder them from all acts of wickedness. 7. Such a life gives a man the fervour of fire, and the sweet of flowers; it adds a clearness to his mind and countenance, as the sunlight brightens the face of the day. 8. It supports a man as the father feeds and fondles his child, and protects him from every accident, as the father is ever ready to shield his children from all harm. 9. As fire purifies the body of gold from alloy, and separates the gross that is to be rejected; so does it show the good qualities, from whatever is to be shunned and avoided. 10. It gladdens the hearts of men with polite speech, which is policed from rusticity; and is a repository of all laudable pursuits, as a treasury is full of moneybags and precious gems.

11. As the sun never shows darkness to view, so the good man never exposes his dark side to sight; as the loving wife shows only her affection to her beloved, so does he show his tenderness only to people. 12. He speaks and behaves kindly with all men, and doth them good only; and his words are always sweet and cooling, and without interested or selfish view. 13. He is the well-wisher of men, and is therefore revered by them all; he speaks smilingly to all without any craving of his own, and bears the form of goodness only to all beings. 14. Should he happen to meet an enemy in a contest, who is ready to strike the first blow on him; he tries to evade it by eluding his opponent by some artifice or sleight of art or skill. 15. He is the patron of gentle and polite men, and protector of women and his family; and is as the nectarious physic to the souls, of all those that ailing under sickness and sick-heartedness. 16. He is particularly a patron of learning, and patronizer of the learned; he is a servitor of venerable men, and a favourer of the eloquent and argumentative. He is a compeer and alter ego to his equals in births and breeding.

17. He conciliates the favour of princes, noblemen and the liberal towards him; and in conducting all sacrifices, acts of charities, austerities of devotion and pilgrimages, by contribution of his honest means. 18. He partakes of his good food and drink, in company with his friends and Bráhmans; and joining with his wife and children, and all the dependants and inmates of his family (i.e., he never eats alone), and he never keeps company save with the good and great. 19. He abstains from all enjoyments, deeming them as straws and causes of disease; and indulging himself in conversing upon good subjects, with his view to the edification and beatification of mankind. 20. In this manner he passes his time, in company with his friends and family; he is content with his own state, and glad at what fortune has provided for him (i.e., his own lot and profession). 21. Ráma rejoined: - Tell me Sir, in short, who are his wives and children and his friends also; what are their different forms, and what are the qualities and virtues they are respectively possessed of. 22. Vasishtha replied: - Sacred ablutions and charities, religious austerities and meditation are his so many sons; that are all of great souls, and entirely devoted to him.

23. His wife is named Chandra-lekha, who is like a digit of the moon in her appearance, and whose very sight delights the eyes; she is his constant companion, always loving to him and content in herself. 24. She is the ravisher of his heart, and dispeller of the gloom of his mind, by reason of her loving kindness to him; she is the delight and delighter of his soul, and is ever a faithful helpmate unto him. 25. He has another consort by name of Samata (i.e. of the same mind) with herself; who is dear to his heart, and keeps at the door to his house, and pleases him by her very appearance. 26. She fixes her mind always, at the mansions of virtue and patience; and runs before and guides the steps of her emburdened lord, to the abode of the blessed and felicitous. 27. That strong man has another wife named Maitri or friendship, whom he bears along with Samata on his either shoulder; and who advises him how to quell the enemies of his king’s states (in royal service). 28. She is his clever counsellor in all honourable acts, and gave proof of the veracity of her advices; by augmenting his wealth and rendering him honourable before all.

29. Being thus employed in the discharge of his duties, in the circle of his friends, family and advisers, the sapient man <is> always pleased in himself, and never frets nor grumbles at any person or anything whatever. 30. The wise man ever remains as he is, silent and sedate in his mind; he remains always as unmoved as a picture in painting; though he may be moving about in the ordinary affairs of life. 31. He remains as dumb as a stone in fruitless discussions; and feigns himself as a deaf man in useless conversation. 32. He continues as a dead body, in acts which are against the social usage; but in conversations regarding polity and good manners, he is as eloquent as the wise Brihaspati, and as fluent as the snake Vásuki (with its hundred tongues). 33. When engaged in some righteous discourse, he exposes the fallacy of sophistical reasoners; and clears all doubts in a moment, by the versatility of his conversation on various subjects all at once. 34. He is tolerant and magnanimous, bounteous and charitable; he is pliant and gentle, sweet in his speech and handsome in his look, and famed for his pious acts.

35. Such is the character of enlightened men of their own nature, and no practice nor education can ever make any one as such; as the sun and moon and fire are bright by themselves, and there is none and nothing else, that can ever make them shine.

MEDITATION OF PURE VACUUM. Argument: - On the nihility of the Phenomenal, and substantiality of the Noumenal vacuum. Vasishtha resumed and said: - It is the manifestation of our vacuous consciousness, that exhibits the phenomenal world unto us; whereas there is in reality no such thing as this world, or its appearance, or a vacuum in nature or a thing as consciousness in ourselves. 2. Whatever is apparent before us, is the manifestation of the Intellect, and vainly styled the world; just as the open air called the sky, is no other than the air itself. (So the vacuum known as the world, is not otherwise than the very vacuum). 3. As a man going from one place to another, sees a gap and blank between; and yet thinks of the place he has seen and left behind, so is the world a mere gap and thought of the mind. 4. Before creation there was nothing, how then could this something appear from that nothing; the latter having no material cause, is no material or visible thing. (Ex nihilo nihil fit. So the sruti: sat eva asit, na kinchit idam agra asit). 5. Then there was not an atom - the origin of the world in existence; how then and from where, could this revolving world, have its rise and form?

6. Therefore this formal and visible world, could not have sprung from it, as no child could ever be born of a barren woman. Hence there is nothing as the visible world, and the conception thereof must be entirely false (as that of a ghost or goblin). 7. Whatever then appears as visibly present before us, is only the blank vacuity of the Intellect; and this is the transcendental state, in which the supreme unity appears unto us (according to the doctrine of srutis). 8. As it is in depth of our sound sleep, there appears a fleeting dream before us; so it is with the supreme Intellect, which never forsakes the serene and unalterable tranquility of its divine nature. 9. But exists of itself in itself, and in its calm and quiet state, ever before the appearance of creation; and manifests intellectual vacuity, in the form of the visible world, as it appears unto us. 10. As the idle thoughts of the mind, present themselves as airy castles in our sleep; so doth the vacuum of the supreme Intellect, exhibit the appearance of the creation in its own empty space.

11. As the empty air evolves itself, in the manner of whirlwinds in itself; so does the intellectual vacuum exhibit the phenomenal world, subsisting in its very self (in the noumenon). 12. Hence the three worlds that appear so visibly to our view, are quite unintelligible and unexposed to our sight in their very nature; it is the Supreme Deity itself, that appears in this manner of its subsistence in its own vacuous substance. 13. There is nothing as the formal earth, or anything whatever at any time; or be it anything either formal or formless, (i.e., whether as plastic nature or subtile air or spirit, or whatsoever you may choose to call it; it is the Great Deity alone, that manifests itself in this manner). 14. As the formless mountain appearing in dream, disappears in air upon waking; and as the visible world in waking becomes invisible in sleep, so does the triple world appear and disappear by turns, in the transparent and tranquil intellect only. 15. To the watchful and enlightened mind, the world appears as identic with God; but however intelligent we may be, can never know that we are all along sleeping in our waking.

16. As the mind is unoccupied with any object, in the interim of one’s journey from one place to another; so the minds of all livings beings, are naturally unoccupied with any preconceived idea; and this blankness is the true state of the intellect. (This passage contradicts the doctrine of innate ideas in the mind). 17. That unemployed state of mind, which one has in the interval of his journey from place to place, is what bears the name of transcendent void, wherein all existence is contained. (This passage is opposed to the preceding one. To say the intellect to be a perfect void and blank, and again the container of all, is quite contradictory). 18. Now this void of the mind, and the vacuity of the world, are similar to one another as regards the similarity of their contents; as neither of them contains anything besides the principles of the five elements, either in their ideal or gross forms of elemental bodies, called as the real and unreal ones. (Sadasadátmaka).

19. The ideal or unreal ones, are the inward conceptions of the mind, and are called as manaskáras; while the real or gross forms of them, are styled the rúpalokas or visible objects, and both of these are but different modes of divine essence. All of them are like the eddies and waves, rising on the surface of the infinite ocean of the Deity. 20. Hence there is no such thing as the objectivity of the world, except that it be of the nature of that vacancy of the mind, as a traveller has in the interim of his journey from one place to another. 21. As the rising and setting of the passions and affections in the mind, are mere modes of it; so the being and not being of anything, and the presence and absence of the world, are mere modalities of the Divine Mind. 22. The chasm that there is between one thought and another, is truly characteristic of the voidness of the Divine Mind, (which reposes forever, in its everlasting and tranquil intellectual felicity sachchidánanda); the visible world is but a wave in the ocean of Eternity, or as the mirage in a sandy desert.

23. The Divine spirit never changes from its state of calm repose, and vacant mindedness, as that of a traveller in the interval of his journey from one place to another. Such is the state of this world which is ever calm and quiet. 24. From the beginning or since the time of the first creation of the world, nothing was made, that seems to be made; it is only a magic show that appears so palpably to sight. 25. Alas! all this is nothing, that is so bright to sight; and yet it is something right, when viewed in the light of Brahma himself; and then it affords us fresh delight. 26. Ah! where shall I go, and what can I get from this ungodly world, which is ever prone to unrighteousness; it is an unsubstantial sight, and passes for substantial, and yet no body understands that it is Brahma the very god, that exhibits himself in this mode and manner. 27. It is no production nor reflexion, neither the archetype nor its ectype; what then are these phenomenals, and how and from where? All these that appear to view, are of the vacuity of Brahma, who exhibits himself in this manner (in all shapes).

28. As a gem shines itself of its own lustre, and not derived from without; so does the vacuous Intellect shine of its own splendour, shown forth in the creation, which is selfsame with itself. 29. It is in that calm and quiet vacuity, that this sun shines with all his glory; or rather a spot of that vacuum shines in the shape of the sun, which is but a modicum or molecule of it, and nothing beside. 30. Though situated therein, yet neither does the sun nor the moon shine of itself; it is that God that illumes those luminaries, neither of whom can illumine that transcendent Being the supreme Lord unto us. 31. It is his lustre, that enlightens this visible (the mundane) sphere; and it is he alone that is the enlightener of the sun, moon, and stars and fire as also of all other shining bodies, that shine with their borrowed light from him.

32. Whether He is formless or fictile, bodiless or embodied, is the verbal disquisition of the ignorant only at all times; whereas it is well known to the learned, that any supposititious form of Him, is as unreal as the potentiality of a sky flower growing in empty air. (Here are ákás-latas - sky-plants or orchids in air, but no ákás-pushpa or sky-flower, which must grow on the plant and not in the air.) 33. As a ray of sunbeams, a particle of sand or sunstone, shine brightly in sunshine; but the sun and moon also do not shine even as conspicuously as those particles, before the great glory of their Maker. (The sun is a grain of sand, and the moon a molecule, before the glory of the Great God). 34. The shining sun, moon, and stars being but offshoots, of the flaming gem of the vacuous Intellect of the Deity; say how can they be otherwise than flashes of the same gem, from which they are emitted. (The flash is not separate from the gem).

35. The divine state or hypostasis being divested of intellectuality, and being devoid of its voidness also, becomes deprived of its essentiality, as also destitute of all quality; being thus drained of all its properties and attributes, it becomes full of the plenum and totally of all existences. 36. The earth and all elemental bodies reside in it, in a manner as they are absent therein, and all living beings living by it, do not abide in the same. (All these opposites meet in its nature). 37. All things combine therein in unity, and in their atomic forms, without forsaking their grossness without; while the Divine never forsakes its uniformity, without any mixture of duality in its pure entity of unity. 38. Anything here is nothing, nor is anything a nothing altogether; therefore it is too difficult to say, what thing it is and what not. (The nature of God is inscrutable). 39. There is one thing which is infinite, and without any intersection, and is ever extended in everywhere; and this is the essence of the vacuous intellect, containing the germ and gist of the universe in itself.

40. As the mind is vacant and still, in the interim of its passing from one thought to another; such is the nature and form of the world (i.e., of a quiet void), although it appears so variegated to view. 41. Though it appears to be multifarious, yet it is the uniform intellect only, which extends invariably over all vacuity; and sees as in its dream, the forms of the five elemental bodies hovering about it. 42. As the intellect passes from its rest of sleep, to the sights in its dream; so it passes from the state of pralaya or the void of universal desolation to the commotion of creation. (The sleeping and waking of the soul causing the extinction and resuscitation of the world. Manu I). 43. As sleep and dream recur to every soul, so the extinction and renovation of the world, occur to all alike; so also is waking akin to the turíya, or enlightened state of the soul: hence the world is no other than a phenomenon in the intellectual vacuum. (The words waking and enlightenment are synonymous terms).

44. Thus the whole universe is no more, than a stage of waking, sleeping and dreaming and turíya scenes; such is the understanding of the learned on this subject; and we know nothing in what light, it is viewed by the ignorant. 45. The Lord is inscrutable amidst the living brute and all inert creation; nor can we come to any conclusion, in respect to the nature of that Being, who is beyond the knowledge, of our mind and understanding. 46. This much is knowable of Him, that he is of the pure Intellect, and that all things are full of Him; yet they are not of the form of that Reality, which manifests itself in the form of the universe. 47. The words permeation and diffusion, of the Divine spirit in creation; are used by the learned only, for explanation of the Omnipresence of the Deity; else there is no scent, i.e. nothing of the import of the word pervasion (of Divine essence) in all nature. (Nature is the mere body; but God its soul is a bodiless Being). 48. It is since the first creation of the world, that this great essence of the vacuous Intellect, is situated of itself, in the souls of great souled (or high minded men).

49. The all pervading Intellect is ever situated, in the minds of the sages, whose souls are full with the presence of the One supreme spirit; and it is that Intellect, which conceived in itself the idea, which passes under the name of the world. 50. The knowledge of the felicity of the world, like that of a dream upon waking, is attained with delight, but the want of this knowledge, as of some bad dream at the time of sleeping, makes us uneasy all the while. 51. The silent saint that knows the truth, is always in the selfsame state of tranquility, whether he be walking or sitting any where, or remain in the states of waking and sleeping. 52. The wise man that remains indifferent to everything, and sits content even in his distress; and cares not whether he lives or dies, has nothing whatever either to gain or lose. 53. The wise man, who is outwardly employed in worldly affairs, without taking any thing to heart, and neither parts with nor craves anything; remains inactive in his active life. 54. Utter indifference is characteristic of the wise man, just as heat and cold, are natural to fire and snow, and this habit of the mind, is not acquired by practice or education.

55. He who is not by his nature, of this disposition of his mind, is ever ignorant of truth; and ignorance of this truth, is the sign of a character, that <is> inclined to base desires. 56. The truly wise man, remains perfect and pithy in his own good nature; he is quite satiate with the sweet ambrosial draught, of his transcendent tranquility; he is sedate in his mind, and without his varying desires of this thing or that.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE IDENTITY OF THE DEITY AND THE WORLD. Argument: - The world a Pantheon or full with the fullness of God; and our erroneous conception of its materiality. Vasishtha continued: - The world is devoid of any material element, as the earth and others; and I ween the first creator to be the Mind only, which is the fruitful tree of desires. 2. The word mind derived from the act of minding, came to be used afterwards as a name for the thinking power, as it was from the whirling of waters, that is got the name of a whirlpool. 3. It is by its connection with the Intellect, that it has its understanding and the other faculties; or else it would <be> as blank as the void of the air, which could have no dust were it not for the earth underlying it. 4. The mind is neither the body nor heart, nor the senses nor desires nor even has it any of these; and though these are commonly attributed to it, yet in its true sense, it is devoid of all properties.

5. How can reminiscence be the cause of reproduction of the world? The former creator or Brahmá, being liberated or extinct with the extinction of that world, could not have retained his reminiscence of it; nor could the new creator of the new world, possibly have any remembrance of what he knew not all. (There have been many by gone Brahmás before). 6. The holy and liberated souls, have neither their bodies nor reminiscences any more; nor the passing currents of other rivers, return or whirl back, like the whirlpools of some. (So the sruti: - The liberated souls, return no more to mortality). 7. Or if he have any body at all, owing to the reminiscence of his former state; it must be an unearthly and immaterial body, quite still and rarefied as in imaginary forms. (Such are the spiritual bodies of gods and angels). 8. As our imagination presents to us, a visionary mountain to the mind’s eye; such is the air-drawn body of the all engrossing Virát; presented unto us without any earthly form. (Virát is Pantheon).

9. There is therefore no such thing as reminiscence, at any time whatsoever; it is merely built on popular belief, and not upon the reason of wise men. (Because the creator had no remembrance of a prior creation in his first formation of the world). 10. Ráma rejoined: - How do you say sir, that rememberest everything that there was no previous remembrance in the first creator; who must have remembered the creation of a first kalpa or learnt it, O inspired sage, by his inspiration also. (So says the sruti: - Brahmá performed austerities and was inspired by the Lord, see Manu I). 11. Vasishtha replied: - The pre-existence of reminiscence is possible in the outward or visible world, which admits of cause and effect; but can it be where there is no such world, but a mere vacuum only. 12. There is nothing visible here, from the highest heaven to the lowest pit; if it <were> so a nullity only, then what is its reminiscence and to what use is it. 13. The remembrance of the prior world in its absence, is called its reminiscence; but when there never was nor is any visible world at all, how can you think of its reminiscence; even in fancy.

14. The entire absence of the phenomenals at all times, makes it identic with the invisible Brahma himself; and this being the truth of it, say how can you fancy the reminiscence of anything. 15. Therefore the prime creator, could have no remembrance of a prior existence; nor could he have any bodily form, being of a spiritual form of pure intelligence only. 16. We should remember the past from our present state, that we are mortal beings undergoing repeated transmigrations, and not bring other persons and things to our remembrance, as others think it to mean. (We should remember ourselves only). 17. Reminiscence means the retention of past things, in our remembrance or inward memory; but what can we remember, when there nothing was nor is, nor shall ever be anything. 18. All this stupendous fabric, is the supreme Brahma itself; who remains as immovable as a mountain, and without its beginning, middle or end. What then is the reminiscence or presence of it? 19. The Lord being the universal soul, is the soul or essence of all things; and shines like the lustre of the vacuous Intellect; outwardly he is quite calm, as I may say he is reposing in our remembrance.

20. So the remembrance of the Lord, is as he is seen in the light of nature; hence the habitual meditation of the lord, corresponds with the contemplation of external nature. (Because apart from nature we have no idea of God, unless we think as the Lord of nature. This is called the natural religion, or the worship of God in nature, the ancient vedic religion). 21. Whatever is known to us is nature, and the same is the object of our meditation. Hence the appearance of any thing (in the mind), is called to be its remembrance. 22. And as anything which is absent or inexistent, appears visible (by error) before our sight, like the false appearance of water in the mirage: such is the case with our misleading memory also (which is hence called a treacherous memory). 23. Again any prejudice which is rooted in the minds of men, and appears as right by long habit of thinking it as such; this also passes for memory also (though it is a wrong impression in the mind). 24. Any sudden accident or passing event, that strikes the mind for a moment; pass also under the name of memory; though it may or may not happen any more.

25. Any idea that rises of itself in the mind, becomes so impressed in it, by its being fostered for any length of time; that any other thing bearing resemblance thereto, passes for an object of our memory. 26. Any thing whether obtained or not by any means, passes also for an object of memory; as the ventilation of wind by means of a fan. (It means a negative idea is ever accompanied with its affirmative one in thought and memory). 27. Again whatever occurs in the mind, by parts of the whole subject, is also called its memory (how imperfect so ever it may be); just as any part of the body is called the body also. 28. There are also many chimeras, rising of themselves before the mind, like magic shows appearing before our sight; and if the remembrance of these be called memory, then say what truth or reliance is there in it. 29. Consider then how very imperfect and erroneous, this faculty of memory is to man; and as there is no visible creation at all, its memory therefore is altogether meaningless.

30. Hence then the world being but a display, of the density or volume of the Divine Intellect; it is reflected at present as a visible object in the minds of the ignorant, who have given them the name of memory, which in reality is nothing at all. 31. I cannot tell you about the means of liberation, nor do I know wherein it consists; yet however to clear the doubt of the inquirer, I will relate something about it at present. 32. Until there is an end of the sight of the visibles, and an oblivion of the remembrance of past events; and a cessation of avidyá, ignorance and delusion, it is hard to be attained. (i.e. A slave to this world and errors, is never emancipated in this life - jívan mukta). 33. The ignorant have a belief, in whatever is quite unknown to us; since they can never conceive whatever is imperceptible to their senses (i.e. whose minds never rise beyond sensible objects.) 34. The enlightened are unacquainted with the gross errors, which lurk in the darkness of ignorant minds; as the ever luminous sun, knows nothing of what passes in the gloom of night.

35. Whatever likeness of any thing, ever appears to be impressed in the mirror of the mind; the same being habitual to thought, as any thing studied or stored in the mind, receives the name of reminiscence from its impression in the memory. 36. But these glaring impressions in the imagination, being rubbed out of the mind like the colours of a painting, there remains no more any tinge of the mistaken world therein, as in the clear minds of the learned. 37. The mirage shows the appearance of water in it, which is a mere delusion and never true; so is the dream that shows this creation to view, which is no more in reality than a false vision. 38. It is the vacuous Intellect, which contains the creation in it; and shows its representation in ourselves; thus the world appears in the void of the Intellect only, and not any thing as fallen or detached from it. (It is a picture in the plate of the mind).

39. The supreme soul shows this form in itself, and makes its unreality appear as a reality unto us; and though this form was manifested at the beginning, yet it is no more than the display of an unreality. (i.e. Being seen in God it is real, but without him it is unreal and nothing). 40. Then say, whence and where is this world, with all its pleasant as well as unpleasant things; it is never anything of a plastic form, nor an appearance proceeding from reminiscence. 41. The world having no cause (either material or instrumental), in the beginning, appears as the very form of the supreme, it is to our woe only, that we view its visible form, or search in our memory (for a pristine pattern of it). 42. Both of these views are wrong, and tend to our bondage in the world; but the view of its voidness in the vacuity of the Intellect, is the only means to our release and liberation from it. 43. The view of the apparent world in its vacuous form, and as situated in the vacuity of the Intellect, and its identity with swarúpa or self same spirit of God, and as undetached in their essence from the divine essence (is the only means of our liberation herein).

44. The view of the situation of the visible bodies, as those of the sun, moon, and mountains &c., in the empty space of the Divine Intellect; like those of the invisible ones, as space, time, and other ideal objects therein, is the only means of our release from the bondage of this world. 45. The view of the self same spirit, situated or dwelling in the recess of the Intellect, and identic with its own notion of itself, and bearing resemblance to the nature of the dream, which proceeds from its essence, is the only means of our emancipation from our temporal bondage. 46. How can any earthly or other elemental body, have its place in the spirit of God, which is not of the form of the earth or any other element; it shines of itself and in itself, in and as the quiet void of the Intellect itself. 47. How and from where could the earth and other elements, proceed in the beginning as in the state of our dreaming; unless they were inherent in and coeval with the divine essence, as the many objects of our dream rise from our own nature.

48. These effusions of the spirit, as named afterwards as the earth &c., and deemed as material objects; but say, how could the spiritual emanations or mnemonic effluences, assume such corporal and tangible forms. 49. The world is neither the production of our error, nor is it a representation of our delusion or as a magic show; nor is it the permeation of the spirit as pervading all nature, but it is the very essence of the selfsame deity itself. 50. It is the Divinity Brahma itself that shines in the form of this wondrous world; it is the self-same unity, which appears to manifest, and yet so very obscure as mysterious unto us. What is visible is only pure light, and that of the serene clearness of open air, which glows and grows dim by turns, by the vicissitudes of the light and shade of creation and destruction. (These as they change are but the varied God. Thomson’s Seasons).

BRAHMA GITA OR A LECTURE ON SPIRITUALITY. Argument: - The attribution of all physical force to the Divine spirit, like the ascribing of all our bodily actions to the Mind. Ráma rejoined: - If the nature of the Divine spirit is, as the notion which is Universally entertained of it; that it is common soul of all, and infinite in its pervasion, why then is it supposed to be the soul of the living body only, and called the Ego or a personal being? 2. How does the Intellect become inert, as a block of wood or stone in the state of our sleep, and why is it said to exist or become extinct in the state of its numbness (when it is said to be universal in its nature). 3. Vasishtha replied: - It is by common usage and mode of speech, that the universal soul is said to reside as the ego or personal being in the body; as it is by common use of language only, to take the hands of the body as hands, and not to understand the feet as such. (So the embodied soul only is called the ego).

4. As the leaf of a tree is considered only as a leaf or part of the tree, so the universal soul residing in the tree (as vegetable life), passes under the designation of a tree only. 5. And as vacuity in the sky, is styled the sky also; so the universal soul dwelling in matter, is designated as that matter likewise. (And so the common vacuum indwelling a pot, passes under the name of the pot also). 6. And as an aerial castle in a dream, appears as a tangible castle to the dreamer for the time; so the universal soul living in our sleep, dream, and waking, is thought to be sleeping, dreaming or being awake at that time. 7. As stony trees or cliffs are seen to rise on mountains, and waves on the surface of waters; so the huge mountain also rises as a stony tree, from the bosom of the all pervading spirit. 8. As the living body gives growth, to dull and dead nails and hairs, so the living soul of the universe, grows the insensible stones and trees upon it. (So the spirit produces the matter, and the insensible rises from sensibles).

9. As the conscious soul becomes unconscious, as a stone or block of wood in its sleep; so the universal soul becomes inert, before creation and after its dissolution. And again as the sleeping soul, sees the train of dreams rising out of it, so the tranquil spirit of God, beholds the lustre of creation issuing out of it. 10. And as the sensible and insensible soul of man, produces both sensible offspring and insensible excrements from its body; so the universal soul, produces both living beings and inert bodies from itself. 11. The sensible as well as the insensible, are both embodied in the person of the universal soul; which is possessed of both the movables and immovables in itself, although it is formless in its substance. 12. All these contraries in nature, disappear before the sight of the truly learned; as the false sights in dream, disappear from view of the awakened man, who knows the falsity of dreams. 13. All this is the vacuity of the Intellect, where there is no sight, view nor its viewer; as a dreamer being awakened from his dreaming, neither sees his dream nor his dreaming sights any more.

14. Millions and millions of creations, are appearing in and disappearing from the vacuum of the Intellect, in the manner of recurring waves, and the revolving whirlpools in the sea. 15. As the waters of the ocean, show various shining forms in the rising waves; so the Intellect raises many creations, bearing different names in its own intellectuality. 16. The world as it is, appears as the very Brahma to the truly learned, while to the ignorant mass of men, it appears as many and changing, for want of the precise knowledge of it. 17. The wave that knows its nature, of calm and cool water only, thinks no more of its being a fluctuating wave (so the man that knows himself as Brahma, thinks no longer of his frail and mortal state). 18. The conception of the undulation of the divine spirit, from the fluctuating appearance of creation, is a mistaking of the calmness of the Divine nature; the fluctuation belongs to the powers residing in the Divinity. 19. The vacuous Intellect never forsakes its tranquility; and the variety of knowledge that rises in it, like the varying train of dreams, is attributable to the mind, which they call Brahma or the great progenitor of all.

20. Thus the prime lord of creatures, was the formless and undecaying mind; it was of intellectual form like an imaginary being, and supposed as the cause of all. 21. Who says “thou art nothing,” that saying is like the word gold, which has no form of itself, but whose purity is gold. 22. The increate Brahma, being of an intellectual and vacuous form, and an imaginary body endued with volition, appeared as the prime Ego or a personal being, and containing the world in his person. 23. It is the empty void of the Intellect, which displays these wonders that are known to constitute the continued bustle, of the alternate creation, sustentation, and destruction of the world. 24. The clear and increate light, to which the intellect evolves itself of its own accord; and which bears resemblance to the evolution of airy dreams from the mind; is termed the first father of all. (Light was the first work of God, or coeternal with the Eternal spirit. Hail holy light Heaven’s first-born, or the Eternal coeternal beam. Milton). 25. As a wave assumes one form or other, and rolls on interminably over the vast expanse of the sea; so runs the heavenly mind, in the forms of the revolving creations and their dissolutions.

26. The light of the intellectual vacuum, which passes under the name of Virát; is of the same mind as Brahma, and stretches out the creation, like a castle or city of imagination. 27. Virát is the combined form of the triple states of waking, dreaming and sleep; the two first are analogous to the creation and supportance of the universe, and the last is similar to the utter darkness of dissolution. 28. From the chaotic state of his dissolution, there sprang light and darkness (in the forms of days and nights), like dark and white hairs growing on his head; and the rotations of time resembling the joints of his body. 29. His mouth represented the fire, his head the upper sky, and the air below his navel; his foot-stool was the earth, his eyes were the sun and moon, and the east and west were his two ears. In this manner did the Lord Virát manifest himself, in the imagination of his mind (Virát represents the concrete universe). 30. Thus did the expanded vacuous form of Virát, represent the whole visible world in his ideal person; which was a figure of his own imagination, as any of the unsubstantial forms of our dream or fancy.

31. Whatever is thought of in the vacuity of the Intellect, the same comes to be vividly exhibited therein; such is verily the form of this world, which we conceive in ourself. 32. Virát is verily an aeriform being in himself, and appears to be as wide extended as the vast extent of the universe; and is in his own nature, like a city or mountain, that we see in our dreams. 33. Whatever one thinks himself to be, he conceives in him to have become the same, without his actually being as such, so an actor is seen to play his part in dream, from the concept of his acting on the stage. 34. Whatever be the tenets of the Vedánta, Buddhism, Sánkhya and Saugata systems of the philosophy; and whatsoever may be the doctrine of Tryaksha, Pashupati and other propounders of Ágama sástras; they all agree in acknowledging Brahma, as the giver of the boons that they respectively desire; and all of them obtain the particular object of bliss from the same. Such is the glory of the great God, whose soul fills all bodies, and whose bounty supports them all (lit., whose body comprehends the whole).

THE SAME OR A LECTURE ON NIRVÁNA. Argument: - Subsistence of Brahma after evanescence of the world, likened to the continuance of Intellection after disappearance of dreams upon waking. Vasishtha continued: - The Intellect alone glistened in the beginning, with its thought of creation, appearing as the vision of a dream before it. This was the representation of the three worlds, and a reflexion of the light of Brahma Himself. (The Divine spirit was the archetype, of which the world was an ectype or réchauffé). 2. These creations were as the endless billows in the ocean of the Divine Mind, and rising from the fluidity of his omniscience; hence there is no difference between the creation and its absence, nor is there any woe in the one or bliss in the other. 3. As the dream and sound sleep of the soul, do both of them appertain to its sleeping state; when the mind remains as vacant as empty air; so the visible and invisible creation (i.e. its presence and absence) are both of them alike in the vacuity of the Intellect (where they both resemble but an empty dream). 4. This world appearing like a city seen in our dream, in our waking state; is not worthy of reliance of the wise, who are well acquainted with its nature of a visionary appearance.

5. And as we find the falsity of the visionary city in the dream, upon our waking, so we come to find our mistake of the reality of the world at last. 6. As upon waking, we come to find the falsity of all our efforts and desires; in the visionary city of our dream; so do we find at last, all our aims and attempts in our waking state in this world, to be equally false and fleeting. 7. If any one assigns any other cause, then why that one does not admit, what he said, is mere fancy. 8. When guessing knowledge is no better than a dream of the world; so ocular authority is more strong than inocular one. 9. It is better to judge the soul and other attribute by near example, than by the far off; otherwise it is like a fall from the top of a hill in a dream. 10. Perfect insensibility is entire inertness, and a changeless state of body and mind; while the nature of the world, and the state of things herein, are incessantly restless and changeful; therefore it is incapable to conduct samádhi or intense meditation in either of these two states.