Configmation of one's mind-stuff
Sri Vasista
O respect - worthy Rama, people become mute and dumb to the knowledge of spirit, being swayed by the agitations of the sea of 'samsara'.
In my opinion such people can not be (easily) taught this knowledge about gaining the spirit, a great art of munificient benefits.
Which demented fool can attempt to show a picture of a beautiful creeper - filled garden to one who cannot see?
Who will go to a fellow with a leprosy-eaten nose to distinguish between fragrances? It is foolish to attempt spiritual teachig to one bereft of any discrimination and intelligence.
Which idiot will expect an ability for judgement in Self-knowledge instruction from one whose senses have become perverse with the intoxication of spirits?
Who will try to clear his doubts from a dead body or those gathered in a cemetry? Who can teach a fool?
How can one teach a man of folly who cannot conquer /vanquish a blind and dumb serpent of mind taking refuge in the cave of his heart?
Consider that a non existent mind is conquered. A stone that is not near you is equivalent to a stone that is thrown away.
O Rama, if one cannot conquer a non existent mind because of false comprehension he is similar to one who is dead due to a poison -swoon.
A man of knowledge perceives the vital energies as the vibrations of Self, and senses as the laws of their inner movements and actions. O Rama, what then do you call as mind?
The energy and power of the pranic vibrations, the knowledge power of the Self and the inherent power of the senses - all these are one and the same Among these, who becomes bound? (Who fetters whom?)
All are the aspects (and parts) of the Self. By talking of them independently and separately, where from have the names sprung up?
What is this so called Jiva? Mind has blinded the entire world. Both are unreal and nonexistent. What then is their power and force? You (better) understand.
O Rama, my mind becomes anguished with compassion, like that of a young tender-hearted lady, when I witness the endless sequences of sorrows of people with a mind - free perception.
Where and what is that giref by which a fool /stupid is distressed / consumed? Donkeys and fools are born only to grieve.
Stupid and ignorant people become embodied only to die. These babes arise incessantly like bubbles in a sea.
-20 . Don't you see that hundreds of animals are slaughtered day in and day out in slaughter houses? Why grieve for them? Millions of mosquitoes are blown to death by winds (how) can one grieve for them? Millions of barbarians, living on high mountains, kill every day millions of animals. How can one grieve for them? Big fish swallow small fish to quench their hunger. Why grieve for them?
-27 . A fly eats lice. A spider gobbles that fly. That spider is consumed by a wild fly. That wild fly is swallowed by a frog. Both are lapped up by a serpent. Even poisonous serpents are hunted down as food by eagles and mongooses. A cat eats that mongoose. A dog hunts down a cat and the dog is chased and killed by a bear. A bear is torn down by a tiger. A tiger is killed by a lion. In turn a tiger kills a lion. Even that tiger falls to death in its eagerness to jump across a cloud. That cloud is blown off by winds. That wind is obstructed by high mountains. Mountains are powdered by thunderbolts. That thunderbolt is in the grip of Indra. Indra is created by Vishnu. Vishnu takes all kinds of animal forms which are beset with joys and sorrows and aging and death. Even big animals and beings are becoming food for simple, tiny mosquitoes.
This cycle goes on without respite. Slaughtering and shredding goes on in this jungle of elemental existences. Mutual attractions and infatuations, killings and exploitations go on endlessly.
-33 . Multitudes of various species are born and are dying, starting from ants and lice. Huge elephant-like whales and crocodiles are being born in lakes. Scorpions and serpents, mosquitoes and mice are being born on earth. Birds and wild animals are being born in wooded forests. Even on the bodies and in the bodies many insects and bacilli born. Even inside a stone frogs are born. Many insect-like creatures are born in slush and garbage.
One may gieve out of compassion for such creatures. But it is better to be indifferent to such happenings.
It is not proper to either enjoy or grieve for a mutable world which is beset with unceasing births and deaths.
-37 . These are like leaves which appear on a tree and fall off it. To grieve for them and to wipe out the tears of wicked people is like trying to prevent the heat of sun from the entire sky by one's umbrella.
What is the purpose and point in trying to teach (spiritual things) to people with the nature of animals? It is like planting a stump in a garden.
What is the distinction between animals and people with vast mind? Animals are dragged by a rope. And stupids are pushed by mind.
Even stones weep, looking at people who are sunk in the mire of their own minds and are involved in actions leading to self - destruction.
People who have not conquered their minds will always be struck by sorrow A jnani will not attempt to relieve them of their sorrws.
O Raghava, it is simple to relieve people of their sorows if they have conquered their minds. A jnani will attempt to relieve such people of their sorrows.
O mighty, armed Rama, mind does not exist. Why invent it purposelessly? If you invent it, you will also be hurt by that child's demon.
As long as you forget the nature of Self, you will remain a stupid fool. The serpent of mind will appear again and again (and envelop you).
O slayer of foes, you have now beome a knower of Self. Mind will grow because of your own volition and will. You discard that immediately.
If you depend on phenomena, you will be bound by that phenomena. By discarding that, you shall be liberated from mind and become a liberated one.
You shall become bound when you take refuge in 'gunas' (qualities). If you cast them off, you shall become liberated. Do whatever you like.
'I am not, nor is this world' - thinking thus, stay steadfast and unmoved. The heart space of the Lord of heart is effulgent and vast.
World is only an aspect of that pure Self. O Rama, leave aside the duality perception. Be firm and stable in what remains, (ie) the Self.
Between Self and world the internal vision and viewer, there is a middle state called seeing. In this always think of Self.
The enjoyable and the enjoyer-there is a middle state, that is enjoying. Always think of Self as enjoying and become filled with Self.
O Rama, there is a middle state between experience and experiencer. Think of an unsupported Self as experiencing (in this state) and abide in it.
Bereft of the idea of a mutable world and with the ideas of existence and lack of it being cast away, only contemplate on Self by self. Abide in that and become that Self.
When discarding the existence of Self and thinking of only objects, you shall become that mind - stuff which is very sorrowful.
O mighty armed one, cut asunder the chain of mind-stuff and free the lion of Self from the cave of mind.
The moment you fall prey to the sense of objects, leaving the Self state, you will reach the state of wills and volitions. Then you will see only objects and phenomena.
Then arises mind, with all its aspects of basic mind-stuff of consciousness, passive memory and such, negating the Self. When this condition of (mental consciousness) is thrown off, mind ceases to exist.
When realization internally occurs that 'all this phenomenal world is Self alone', then where is mind, where is that mind-stuff, where is the sensuousness and where is that relative sentience?
The sense - mind and its relative sentience is nothing but the feeling 'I am this body. I am that being with that body'. When such a feeling arises, grief gets expanded/increased.
-61 . 'I am the Self. I am not the one called 'jiva'. There is nothing else beyond this.' Such (an experience) is called the quietining of mind. It is perfect happiness. This is true without doubt, O Rama.
With such enlightenment, the person will reach a state of experience where the world is Self alone. Then mind will fall off like darkness which is chased away by sunlight.
As long as the serpent of mind stays in one's body, there will be tremendous fear. When this serpent is shaken off through yoga, where then is the need for fear?
O sinless one, destroy and decimate with the force of integral knowledge this demon of sentient mind, which is a product of illusion and delusion.
Settle then peacefully without anguish and affliction, after ejecting this 'yaksa' from your body. You can then be without any fear.
'I have no attachment. I have nothing to acquire. I am in that conditon' -with such feeling, with the mind stripped out of you, attain that perfect state of quiet and calm. Have only that ultimate desire for the supreme in your heart.
