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Válmiki
Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 6: Nirvāna-Prakarana (On ultimate extinction) - part 2. Chapter 11 - On Truth and Right Knowledge
Bhuśunda continued: He is said to be situated in the seat of the Supreme, who has his mind unmoved at the stroke of a weapon of his bare body, as also at the touch of a form with his naked person. 1
One must strive by exercise of his manly powers and patience, to practice his rigid habitude or stoicity, as long as he attains to his somnolence or susupti over all visible appearances. 2
The wise man who is acquainted with the truths of nature, is not to be thwarted back by the severest tribulation and persecution; as the heaving waves of the lake, cannot submerge the lotus that stands firm amidst its water.
He who is impassive as the empty air, to the strokes of weapons on his person, and unaffected by the embraces of beauties; is the only person who sees inwardly what is worth seeing: 3.
As poison breeds the rust in itself, which is not different from the nature of poison. So the infinity of souls which are produced in the Supreme spirit, retain the nature of their original; and which they are capable of knowing.
As the insect that is born in the poison, does not die by the same; so the human soul which is produced by the eternal soul, is not subject to death, nor does it forsake its own nature, though it takes a grosser form like the vile figure of the poisonous insects.
Things born in or produced by Brahma, are of the same nature with itself, though different from it in appearance; such is the rust and mustiness of meat, which adheres to the food and appears as otherwise. So the world subsisting in Brahma, sees as something without it. 4
Now worm is born in poison, that does not retain the nature of poison; it never dies in it without being revivified in the same. 5
It is owing to the indestructible property of self-consciousness, that all beings pass over the great gulph of death, as they leap over a gap in the ground hide by the foot mark of a bull 6.
Why is it, that men neglect to lay-hold on that blessed state, which is beyond and above all other states in life, and which when had, infuses a cool calmness in the soul?
What a great stain it is to the pure soul, to neglect the meditation of the glorious God, before which our mind, egoism and understanding do all vanish into nothing or insignificance.
As you look upon a pot and a piece of cloth as mere trifles, so should you consider your body as brittle as glass, and your mind, understanding and egoism also as empty nothing.
Therefore it is for the wise and learned, to divert their attention from all worldly things, as also from their internal powers of the mind and understanding; and to remain steadfast in their consciousness of the soul.
The wise man takes no notice of the faults or merits of others; nor does he take heed of the happiness or misery of himself or any body; knowing well that no one is the doer or sufferer of anything whatever.
Footnotes
1. One must practice his self-control until he attains to this state of insensibility of both his body and mind
2. susupti is a deep sleep over the phenomenal, but wakeful to the spiritual
3. though he is outwardly as insensible as a block of stone
4. The fruit is alike its tree, though unlike to it in its shape and size
5. All things that are seen to die in nature, have only to be regenerated in another form, or as it is said "we die but to be born again"
6. goshpad
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