The Vision and the Way of Vasistha

$43
Item Code: IDH619
Publisher: Samata Books
Author: Samvid
Language: Sanskrit Text with English Translations
Edition: 2005
ISBN: 8185208549
Pages: 586
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.7" X 5.5"
Weight 750 gm
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Book Description

From the Jacket

This compilation in Sanskrit originally formed an appendix to the thesis, The Philosophy of Vasistha as presented in Yogavasistha, submitted to the Banaras Hindu University in 1928 by B.L. Atreya for the degree of Doctor of letters. The author has written several books on the philosophy of Yogavasistha and other subjects connected with this magnificent work which swami Rama Tirtha considered as the most wonderful book ever written under the sun, which nobody on earth can read without Realising God Consciousness. In Vedantic traditions, Yogavasistha is regarded as the ultimate book expounding the Truth from the Siddhavastha, or the state of a yogin who has realized the Absolute Reality by personal experience.

This compilation, consisting of nearly 2500verses, was first published in 1936 by the Government Press, Allahabad as the 64th Volume in the series Sarasvati Bhavana texts and has not been reprinted thereafter. In the words of the author, it is meant for those who may wish to make themselves acquainted with the philosophy of Yogavasistha in its original, sweet and beautiful language, the charm of which eludes translation, but have not the time and intention or patience to go through the voluminous work of thirty two thousand Stanzas. The author has stated that no aspect of the philosophy or the practice recommended for experiencing the Reality and no important verse expounding the same have been omitted in this compilation.

It is a challenging job to translate such an exalted work into a language which lacks the proper words to convey exactly the sense and spirit of Vedantic and yogic terminology, but, fortunately, the 20th century has produced many literary and spiritual giants who have built up a suitable terminology for expressing Vedantic and yogic concepts in English, though the shades of meaning attached to such terms may not exactly and fully convey the connotations of the corresponding Sanskrit words. But the context in which such words are used invariably help in binging out the exact sense.

The Translator has liberally mad use of the excellent Sanskrit commentary on the Yogavasistha by Anandabodhendrasarasvati, for deciphering many complex verses, especially those dealing with esoteric and recondite subjects. But, the overpowering urge of the translator throughout was the faithful rendering of the sense and spirit of the original, simultaneously giving the reader a taste of the power and beauty of the original.

 

Foreword

“Samvid” is giving this fruit of his askesis of knowledge to the world of questing aspirants. The work chosen for (study) and (Exposition in the form of translation) is Atreya’s condensation (in the words of the original) of Yogavasistha called by him. The style of the Samskrit Original is an alchemic fusion of the precision and clarity of the enlightened Intellect, the vividness of the luminous Imagination, the ecstasy of the emotional, sensuous and even nervous-physical being - all sharing the spiritually concrete Insightful, Inner Mystical Vision of the Absolute, which is the main-spring setting in motion the entire work. Samvid does not attempt the impossible task of shaping the least-fitted earthy English language to embody the magical Divine qualities of Samskrit but has wisely contented himself with providing the minimum necessary help to the reader to go to the original. In a work of this kind, the minimum is also the maximum. To give more would lead to a devastating distraction from the original. To give less would deprive him of the needed help. This stupendous task can be achieved only by a Tapasya of Humility, in Humility and by Humility. Humility is endless. But Humility is so natural to Samvid that he successfully makes his English efface itself, the original being left finally free to radiate the aroma of its innate Breath of the Spirit.

This vision of Vasistha is propounded in the form of a Dialogue between the Master and Disciple. The disciple is no less a person than, the Avatar among Avatars, the unique Incarnation capable of complete identification with the human personality to the extent of even a total unconsciousness of the Divinity. The Divine becomes all Human so that the Human becomes all Divine, the perfect Bridge between the Finite and the Infinite, Time and the Timeless. Rama begins his life as the representative Man, sharing the bewildering preoccupation of the Finite with the Finite, the shortlived excitements of Sensations, Feelings, Emotions, Thoughts and Images - all driven by Chameleon Desire and oriented to the Phantasmagoria of objects in this world. The consciousness of man seems to be fated to be the victim of the Turbulent ocean of Universal Life-energy with its whirlpools, eddies and typhoons with rare periods of a deceptive calm, a vain cyclic movement in Ignorance leading to a state of, the profound Sorrow which finds no escape or way out of the sorrows of existence and so deprives the will of its meaningful motivation for action and even continuation of life. The rationalising mind with its unique power of analysing and measuring the Finite and its movements, the so-called Reason and Scientific Temper (the modern consciousness and malady of the century) - is simply of no avail in the task of facing the impermanence of life in this world. Rama’s consciousness therefore leaves aside this Reason. His is willing to abdicate its suzerain status in favour of another Faculty, which will not allow Analysis, Ratiocination or Conceptualising of any kind to intrude or distract in its work. He stands firm on the Rock of Inner Contemplation, the or Faculty of Awareness, which seeks, the complete Illumination. He does not allow the Sense-mind to cloud his but is ever-wakeful and watchful of the movements of the Samsaric ocean which is threatening all the time with its seemingly endless and various Temptations to impose its slumber of Unconsciousness and Oblivion of anything other than Itself. Even when one is above this temptation, the illusive Maya of the Universe presents before the seeker many illusory lights, gurus who are really Blind but who have the delusion or perversion -(often a mixture of both) - of the true wisdom, to accept whose guidance is to have the fate of the Blind leading the blind. These dazzling personalities, who dazzle in order to impress-(and ‘man wants to be dazzled in order to be impressed’) do not and cannot have the true (wisdom) because of the basic insincerity in their constitution but consider themselves pundits. Knowledge in any field, even in the realm of the Finite, is possible and easy only by contact with a real Great Knower and not a deluded Idiot. The seeker of something other than the Finite has to seek only the in that other Dimension. If his knowledge is to be complete he has to take refuge in the company of a community of the Greats. The Infinite has infinite aspects and it is very rarely indeed that one comes across a Guru who has the key to unlock all the Mansions in the Empyrean. Hence the Upanishadic call, warning and injunction.

 

Preface

This compilation in Sanskrit originally formed an appendix to the thesis, "The Philosophy of Vasistha as presented in Yogavasistha", submitted to the Benares Hindu University in 1928 by B.L. Atreya for the degree of Doctor of Letters. The author has written several books on the philosophy of Yogavasistha and other subjects connected with this magni- ficent work which Swami Rarna Tirtha considered as "The most wonderful book ever written under the sun which nobody on earth can read without realising God-Conscious- ness." In Vedantic traditions, Yogavasistha is regarded as the ultimate book expounding the Truth from the siddha- vastha , or the state of a Yogin who has realised the Absolute Reality by personal experience.

This compilation, consisting of nearly 2500 verses, was first published in 1936 by the Government Press, Allahabad as the 64th volume in the series "Sarasvati Bhavana Texts" and has not been reprinted thereafter. In the words of the author, "it is meant for those who may wish to make themselves acquainted with the philosophy of Yogavasistha in its original, sweet and beautiful language, the charm of which eludes' translation, but have not the time and inten- tion or patience to go through the voluminous work of 'thirty-two thousand stanzas'." The author has stated that no aspect of the philosophy or the practice recommended for experiencing the Reality and no important verse expounding the same have been omitted in this compilation. A perusal of this work and comparison with the original work of 27,687 verses will substantiate the claim of the author.

Another special feature of this compilation is the exhaus- tive and learned introduction in five chapters written by the author. It gives everything that should be known about the original work and its philosophy, before one studies this analytical presentation of the entire philosophy of Yoga- vasistha and the Way to the realisation of the Absolute. Therefore, the translator would like to add only a few remarks about the translation.

The diction of Yogavasistha is powerful, poetic and ins- pired. It is rich in simile and metaphor. The words gush out of the fullness of the author's personal experience of the Absolute. Reality. The language is deep, recondite in many places and, at times, breaks the bounds. of traditional usage. This is what is to be expected in a work which combines soulful poetry, transcendental philosophy, spiritual expe- rience, and the exposition of the inexpressible Truth.

It is a challenging job to translate such an exalted work into a language which lacks the proper words to convey exactly the sense and spirit of Vedantic and Yogic termino- logy. But, fortunately, the 20th century has produced many literary and spiritual giants who have built up a suitable terminology for expressing Vedantic and Yogic concepts in English, though the shades of meaning attached to such terms may not exactly and fully convey the connotations of the corresponding Sanskrit words. But, the context in which such words are used invariably help in bringing out the exact sense.

The translator has liberally made use of the excellent Sanskrit commentary on the Yogavasistha by Ananda- bodhendrasarasvati , for deciphering many complex verses, especially those dealing with esoteric and recondite subjects. But, the overpowering urge of the translator throughout was the faithful rendering of the sense and spirit of the original, simultaneously giving the reader a taste of the power and beauty of the original. The translator is aware that his obsession with exactitude in translation has led to complex constructions in several places and perhaps, some transgres- sion of the normally accepted usage of the language. The translator hopes that the readers will pardon this apparent shortcoming, since the advantages of the translator's ap- proach outweigh those of the usual paraphrases which are presented as translations. The analytical headings of the several parts, chapters, sections and subsections will more than explain the contents.

The translator invites the readers to verify for themselves, by a study of the original work, the conviction of the author expressed in the following verses: "When this (scripture) is heard, meditated upon and understood, there is nothing whatever, such as austerity, meditation or repetition of sacred words, that is of use to a man here, for the attainment of liberation. (11-18-35) There is no other scripture that removes the ignorance of those with intellects refined a little, as this scripture does when listened to. (11-13-14) Having heard these holy means of liberation, producing the benefit of direct experience (of the Self), even a child goes to the state of the knower of That (Self). What need one say of a person like you? (VI b-215-6) It is the destroyer of all misery and a great comforter of the heart. (11-10-9) It ends (both) pleasure and pain and is the one cause of Supreme Bliss. (11-10-7) The intellect of one displaying nobility, who hears this (scripture) daily, attains to enlightenment even beyond perception (or ordinary knowledge). There is no doubt (about this). (111-8-13)

 

Introduction

Sri Vasisthadarsanam (the Philosophy of Vasistha) is an attempt to place before the modern world, in a systematic form, the philosophical doctrines embodied in an ancient work Yogavasistha. Yogavasistha, also known as the Maharamayana, the Arsararnayana, jnanavasistha , Vasis- tharamayana or simply as Vasistha, is a voluminous Sanskrit work which is widely read, in the original as well as in vernacular translations, by the seekers of self-knowledge throughout India. It is the Bible of those who seek for Peace and Liberation, as the Ramayana of Tulsi Das and the Bhagavata are for the devotees and the Bhagavadgita for men of action. Thousands of men and women from the lowest to the highest grade of culture find solace in the study of this wonderful work, which contains many stories in which even children may find pleasure, and philosophical speculations which the brightest intellect may find difficult to comprehend. In grandeur it may be compared to the great Himalayas which, being situated on the earth, are within the reach of all, yet whose lofty peaks baffle the attempts of even the most earnest expedition. Men of all tastes, literary, religious or philosophical, find interest in it. It is really one of the wonders that the mind of India has produced in its literature, and surely the best companion for one who is anxious to realise Cosmic Consciousness and to live on the heights of spiritual Peace, where the best and the noblest men of India have always aspired to stay. All who have had the fortune of studying Yogavasistha share this view, and others who will study it earnestly will not differ much.

Svami Rama TIrtha, one of the greatest saints of modern India and a great Vedantist, said in one of his American lectures, "One of the greatest books, and the most wonder- ful according to me ever written under the sun, is Yoga- vasistha which nobody on earth can read without realising God-Consciousness" ("In the Woods of God-realisation", Delhi edition, Vol. III, p. 295). Dr. Bhagwan Das, an erudite scholar of Indian thought, writes in the Prefatory Note to his "Mystic Experiences": "The Yogavasistha, a Sanskrit work in thirty-two thousand slokas, or sixty-four thousand lines, is highly honoured among Indian Vedantins for its philosophy and its hints on practical mysticism, as also for literary beauty and poetry. The saying about it, among the Vedantins, is that it is a work of the Siddhavastha, i.e., for the philosopher-yogi, who, having mastered the theory, is passing on to the practice of it, while the other well-known works, even the Gita, the Upanisads and the Brahmasutras, are works of the Sadhanavastha, i.e., for those who are yet trying to master the theory." Lala Baijnath, in his Introduc- tion to the Hindi translation of Yogavasistha, writes: "On the Vedanta philosophy, there has not, up to this time, been written any other work, so big, and expounding the doc- trines with so many stories, illustrations and arguments, as Yogavasistha. All will agree when it is said that, by the study of this work alone, even the most passionate and worldly- minded will become dispassionate and will gradually realise peace within." (Yogavasistha Bhasatika, Vol. II. Bhumika, p. 7). He further says, "It is the crest-jewel of all the works on the Vedanta, and no aspirant of liberation can afford to neglect it." (Ibid., Vol. I, Bhumika, p. 4).

The author of Yogavasistha himself was quite confident of the uniqueness, greatness, effectiveness and beauty of his own composition, and has given expression to his opinion in several places in the work. Here are some of his statements: "It is a composition of thirty-two thousand verses containing beautiful similes and metaphors. (II.17.6) It is written in a very intelligible style, ornamented with literary beauties, and full of illustrations in support of the doctrines expoun- ded. (11.18.33) Having studied, understood and realised its philosophy, one does not stand in need of any other performance for liberation. (1l.18.35) Having learnt the method of liberation expounded in this work, even a child comes to realise the Self. (Vlb. 215.6) It brings all suf- ferings to an end, and gives a unique consolation to the heart. (11.10.9) It leads one to the state of highest bliss which is beyond pleasure and pain. (11.10.7) He who studies it daily comes to realise God-consciousness. (1l1.8.13) And he becomes liberated even while living this life. (11l.8.15) With the help of this work one crosses over the ocean of misery. (1.2.14) It is really a store of wisdom, and contains all that is best anywhere. (111.8.12)"

The greatness, authoritativeness and value of Yogava- sistha are also evinced from the influence it has had in the history of Indian thought. A comparative study of Yoga- vasistha with Vakyapadiya and Vairagyasataka of Bhartr- hari, with the Mandukyakarikas of Gaudapada , with Vivekacudamani, Aparoksanubhuti, Satasloki etc. of Sankaracarya, and with Manasollasa of Suresvaracarya will clearly reveal the influence which Yogavasistha has exer- cised over these illustrious thinkers of the Advaita school of thought. About ten centuries ago, in the first half of the 9th century A.D., the huge work was summarised into a Laghu Yogavasistha by Gauda Abhinanda of Kashmir. Since then, it has become very popular and has inspired many writers on Yoga and Vedanta. Vidyaranya (Madhavacarya), a well- known writer of the first half of the fourteenth century, must have considered Yogavasistha as a book of great authority, for he quotes it very often in his famous and widely read work, Paricadasi, and his Jivanmuktiviveka is chiefly based on it, containing no less than 253 slokas of it in support of its own thesis. Yogavasistha has also been quoted in many other works, some of which are Bhaktisagara of Narayana Bhatta (Vide Winternitz: Geschichte der indischen Littera- tur, Vol. III. p. 443 note), in Hathayoga-pradipika (IV. 15, 22,23,56 and 61), Ramagita (Sarnadhi, 17,23,31,32, etc.), Vedantasiddhantarnuktavali and Vijnanamrta etc.

A careful study of the Minor Upanishads will reveal that a number of them are wholly or panially composed of slokas selected verbatim from Yogavasistha. (Vide our Paper - "Yogavasistha and some of the Minor Upanishads" pub- lished in the Princess of Wales Sarasvati Bhavana Studies, 1933.) All the six chapters of the Maha Upanisad , except the first, which is a small introductory chapter in prose, which contains no less than 535 slokas, all the five chapters of the Annapurna Upanisad (337 slokas) but the introductory portion (17 slokas), the whole of the Aksi Upanisad , the main portion of the Muktika Upanisad , the fourth chapter of the Varaha Upanisad, 50 slokas of the Sannyasa Upanisad , 18 slokas of the Sandilya Upanisad , 10 slokas of the Yajnavalkya Upanisad , 3 slokas of the Yogakundali Upanisad and one sloka of the Paingala Upanisad , are taken verbatim from Yoga-vasistha. The section on Samadhi in the Jabaladarsana Upanisad , the whole of the Tejobindu Upanisad , stanzas 1 to 11 of the fourth section of the Yogasikha Upanisad , 1 to 9 of the Tripuratapini Upanisad and 12 to 16 of the second part of the Saubhagyalaksmi Upanisad , when compared with Yogavasistha, clearly reveal its influence, if not direct borrowing from it, as in the case of the former group of Upanisads.

All these facts clearly indicate that Yogavasistha is one of the most important works of Indian Philosophy and that, in the history of Indian thought, it has stood on equal footing with the Upanisads and the Bhagavadgita for the last one thousand years at least.

Yet it is very strange that this important work has been very much neglected by oriental scholars. There is, for example, not a single paragraph on the philosophy of Yogavasistha in the two admirable volumes of Prof. Radhakrishnan's Indian Philosophy. Prof. Das Gupta has not even mentioned the name Yogavasistha in his first volume of "A History of Indian Philosophy", where he devotes a long chapter to the philosophy of Gaudapada and Sankara whose works were written much later than Yoga- vasistha. The learned author, it is gratifying, has however, although not at the right place in the "History of Indian Philosophy", devoted a chapter to the philosophy of Yoga- vasistha in his Vol. II. There is no mention of the name of Yogavasistha in the otherwise very excellent Bibliography of Indian Philosophy prepared by Prof. Vasudeva Abhyankara Shastri and appended to the Sarvadarsanasangraha edited by him and published in the Bombay Government Oriental (Hindu) Series. There was hardly any work in any language dealing with the philosophy of Yogavasistha in a systematic, exhaustive and clear manner, from which a modern reader could have an exact idea of it, before the three small works of the present writer- "Yogavasistha and its Philosophy", "Yogavasistha and Modern Thought" and "Vasisthadarsa- nam" appeared recently.

It is due to this paucity of literature on Yogavasistha that there prevails a great deal of ignorance and also of mis- understanding about the nature of the work. Dr. Winternitz, Dr. Farquhar and Prof. Radhakrishnan (Vide "Geschichte der indischen Litteratur" Vol. III. p. 443; "An Outline of Religious Literature of India," p. 228; and "Indian Phi- losophy" Vol. II. p. 452, footnote) have all regarded Yogavasistha as a "religious (sectarian) work," as differen- tiated from philosophical. This view will be exploded after a careful study of the work. It is a purely philosophical work, written in a popular but literary style. It is in no way inferior to many works which are usually accepted as philosophical by the students of Indian Thought.

 

CONTENTS
  Foreword xxxvii
  Translator's preface xlvii
  Introduction 1
  Auspicious Introductory Prayer 55
  The Entrance to the Work 56
  I The Mode of Expression of the Work 56
  II The Excellence of the Work 57
  III Introduction to the story of the Conversation between Vasistha and Rama 58
Chapter 1 The Qualification for Knowledge 62
I The characteristics of a Qualified Person 62
II The Description of the Dejection of Rama for Expounding the Qualities of one Entitled 62
1 The description of the behaviour of Rama by the servants of Rama 62
2 The Worthlessness of Worldly existence described by Rama 66
3 The questions of Rama 78
4 The intensity of the Desire to know 80
III The Means for the Cessation of Sorrow 81
1 The cause of Sorrow is only attachment to Worldly life 81
2 Only knowledge is the means of the Cessation of sorrow 83
3 Only Self knowledge is the means to Tranquillity 85
IV The Descent of the Knowledge of Reality 86
V The Glory of Human Effort 87
1 Everything is obtained through human effort 87
2 Censure of dependence on another 90
3 Refutation of Fate 91
4 The meaning of the Word Fate 92
5 The power of human effort 94
6 Good human effort 95
7 Censure of idleness 96
VI The Qualities of an Aspirer after Liberation 96
1 Tranquillity 97
2 Contentment 99
3 Company of the Good 100
4 Reflection 100
Chapter 2 Knowledge of the True Principle 102
I The definition of the Mode of Proof 102
1 Only direct perception is the mode of proof in knowing the Self 102
2 The use of examples 103
II The theory of Imagination 104
1 Consciousness is the nature of visible objects since they are known 104
2 Identity on account of relationship 106
3 The conscious nature of everything 107
4 The aggregate of objects is of the nature of thought 108
5 Absence of difference between the Seer and the Seen 117
6 The Seer is the cause of the seen 118
7 Absence of difference between waking ad dreaming 119
8 The dream nature of the world 121
9 The world-dream 123
10 The World dream in every individual soul 124
11 The world made by Brahma at the beginning of creation is existing even today 126
12 The identity between the theory of externality of objects and the theory of knowledge 127
13 The theory of knowledge through ideation 130
III The World 130
1 The appellations of the World 130
2 Even what is imagined is of the nature of that which causes the imagination 131
3 Within every world, there are other worlds 132
4 The collections of worlds are not perceived mutually 134
5 The possibility of everything everywhere at all times 135
6 The variety of the Worlds 136
7 The constant repetition of creation and dissolution 138
8 The destruction of everything at the end of and Aeon 139
9 Only the Ultimate Reality is left remaining at the end of an Aeon 141
10 The description of the birth of the world 141
11 The three Skies 147
12 The fixed nature of things 148
13 The accidental nature of the fixed law of nature 149
14 There is no contradiction between human effort and a fixed law of nature 150
15 Even the fixed law of Nature is conquered by human effort 150
IV The Mind 151
1 The nature of the mind 151
2 The absence of difference between the mind and the supreme Spirit 155
3 The forms and the names of the mind 156
4 The assumption of the ego nature by the individual soul 163
5 The assumption of the state of a body by the individual soul 163
6 The covering is effected by its own imagination 169
7 The investigation of the origin of Transmigratory existence 170
8 Individual souls are innumerable 175
9 Seven kinds of Ignorance of Individuals souls 176
10 Seven kinds of Individuals souls 178
11 Classes of individual souls 182
12 The birth of all living beings from Brahman 186
13 The similarity of birth and dissolution everywhere 188
14 All objects have a mental nature 188
V The Greatness of the Mind 190
1 The omnipotence of the mind 190
2 The ability of the mind in the course of the world 190
3 The mind imagination of the world in itself and at will 192
4 All minds possess the power of this nature 192
5 The power of the living being in accomplishing everything 193
6 The nature of objects is according to mental perception 194
7 The result is in accordance with imagination 198
8 Praise of Practice 200
9 The power of determination of the mind 202
10 The course or destiny is according of thought 203
11 Pleasure and pain are dependent on the mind 205
12 One's World is fashioned by the desire of the individual being 206
13 The mind is the maker of the body 207
14 The mental cure of diseases 209
15 When the mind is purified, life becomes full of happiness 217
16 The Self is reflected in a pure mind 218
17 Until there is a stupefied mind, there is the darkness of worldly existence 218
18 The mind is the nave of the world 219
VI Superhuman Powers 219
1 Superhuman powers produced by the concentration of the mind 219
2 Superhuman powers attainable through the yoga of Kundalini 226
VII The Self 240
1 The waking, dreaming and deep-sleep states 240
2 The fourth state of experience 245
3 The four kinds of egotism 246
VIII Death 254
1 Death does not lead to fear 254
2 The nature of death 255
3 The dying state of Creature 257
4 There is the experiencing of pain at the time of death only for the ignorant 260
5 The experiences following death 263
6 The experience of the departed is in conformity with one's own actions 267
7 After the experience of the other world 272
8 The experience after death of one who has entered upon the path of yoga 273
9 The rule for attaining to a different body from body 274
10 The course of wordly existence till the knowing of the self 275
11 The state of one liberated while living, after death 275
12 The self neither dies nor is born 276
13 The cause the diminution or increase of the duration of life 278
14 Death does not wish to kill him 279
IX Brahma 280
1 Brahma is the creator of the world 280
2 The mind alone is described as brahma 281
3 The birth of Brahma from the Ultimate Reality 281
4 This movement of Brahman is natural 284
5 Brahman throbs spontaneously only out of its own sport 285
6 This movement is perceived as different 286
7 This vibration is of the nature of Thought 287
8 This vibration is of the nature of imagination of Objects 288
9 It is of the nature of mere appearance of Absolute Consciousness 289
10 The causeless origination of the maker of the world 289
11 There are no actions for brahma 291
12 Brahma has a body only of thought 291
13 Brahma is the cause of the existence of the three worlds 293
14 The Universe created by Brahma is mental 294
15 The newness of Creation 295
X Power 295
1 The powers of Brahman 295
2 The power of movement 297
3 Nature 298
4 The Identity of the Absolute Reality and its power 299
XI The Supreme Brahman 302
1 The inexpressible nature of Brahman 302
2 Not thus, not thus 303
3 Impossible nature of Brahman 303
4 It is not proper to say that it exists or does not exist 304
5 The nature of Brahman exceeding knowledge and ignorance 306
6 The Absolute reality is beyond light and darkness 307
7 Even its name Self is invented 308
8 It is neither inert nor sentiment 309
9 The nature of the Absolute Reality cannot be described 309
10 Names are fashioned for the Absolute Reality 309
11 The nature of Brahman 310
XII Expansion 327
1 The world is the expansion of Brahman 327
2 The triple world is within Consciousness 331
3 Brahman alone appears as the World 333
4 Only the inherent nature of Consciousness is shining as the world 334
5 Even the duration of Creation is only a part of a moment in Brahman 335
6 The power of creation of various forms exists only in the same Brahman 335
7 Brahman is not touched by the multiplicity within Itself 337
8 The doership of the Self by its mere presence 337
XIII Identity 340
1 The identity of Nature with the Self 340
2 The identity of the mind with Brahman 342
3 The identity of the world with Brahman 342
4 There is no Abode for God Without the World 348
5 All this is indeed Brahman 348
XIV The Unreal Nature of the world 350
XV The Highest Perception 370
1 The invention of difference is only for the instruction of the Unenlightened 370
2 The supreme Doctrine 372
3 The negation of doership of Brahman 375
4 The negation of modification of Brahman 376
5 The denial of causality of Brahman 378
6 The denial of causality of Brahman 380
7 The illusory nature of the world on account of its causelessness 384
8 The unreal appearance of the World like a dream 385
9 The unborn nature of the world 386
10 This doctrine should not be revealed to one who is fit for it 389
Chapter 3 Liberation  
I Happiness or Bliss 391
1 The pleasantness of enjoyments only at the current moment 391
2 The painful nature of pleasures 391
3 The worthlessness of worldly life 393
4 The worthlessness of prosperity 394
5 Investigation of the cause of happiness 395
6 The bliss of the self 397
II Bondage and liberation 398
1 The nature of bondage 398
2 The causes of bondage 399
3 The nature of liberation 402
4 When liberation is experienced 403
5 Liberation is of two kinds 405
6 Absence of difference between the two states 405
7 The difference between inanimateness and liberation 406
8 The falseness of bondage and liberation 408
III The Means of Attaining Liberation 409
1 There is no means other than knowledge 409
2 Knowledge alone is the means 410
3 Devotion unnecessary for the attainment of Liberation 413
4 The renunciation of works till the end of life is not proper. Therefore, even renunciation of works is not the cause in Liberation 425
5 The nature of right knowledge 427
6 The knowledge of the Self arises only through one's own effort and investigation 428
7 For the Purpose of investigation the purity of the mind is required 429
8 Subjects for investigation 430
9 The destruction of Ignorance only by Ignorance 431
10 The use of scripture in the attainment of Knowledge 432
IV The attainment of Knowledge 435
V The Seven Stages of knowledge 505
1 The First view 505
2 The Second view 508
3 The Third view 510
VI Cutting off the Fetters of Actions 518
1 The Law of consequence of actions 518
2 The nature of Karma 518
3 The absence of difference between the Person and Action 519
4 At the beginning of creation, there are no previous action, for the individual souls 520
5 Desire alone binds one to the fruits of actions 523
6 The way to freedom from the bondage of actions 524
7 The yoga of action 530
8 The characteristic of a noble Person 536
VII The Experience of the Self 536
1 The signs of the dawn of Self-experience 536
2 Abiding in the natural state of the Self 539
3 Incomparableness of the experience of the Self 540
4 The absence of the mind in the experience of the Highest Truth 541
5 There is no return of Nescience again 543
6 The greatest satisfaction 545
VIII Liberation while Living 548
1 The characteristics of one liberated while living 548
2 There is nothing which is fit to be adandoned or acquired, for a person liberated while living 559
3 The person liberated while living is a great doer 561
4 The person liberated while living is in Samadhi, though engaged in business 563
5 The person liberated while living is a great enjoyer 566
6 The reign over the body-city of one liberated while living 568
7 The continuance of those liberated while living in situation as obtained 571
8 The equality between the enlightened and the unenlightened ones in behaviour 572
9 The mind of the liberated person 573
10 The attainment of the knowledge of Absolute Reality is different from the acquisition of superhuman powers like traveling in the sky 575
11 Absence of all dangers to one liberated while living 577
12 The life of one liberated while living is indeed splendid 578
13 The state of the enlightened one immediately after the dissolution of the body 581
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