| Philosophy and Religion / Yoga Vāsistha / Yoga-Vāsistha (6.2): Nirvāna-Prakarana |
Válmiki
Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 6: Nirvāna-Prakarana (On ultimate extinction) - part 2. Chapter 196 - Story of a Wood-Cutter and his Gem
Vālmīki related: After the lotus-eyed Rāma, had said these words, he fell into a trance and remained silent, with his mind reposing in the state of supreme bliss. 1
He felt himself supremely blest at his repose in the Supreme spirit, and then awaking after a while from his holy trance, he wistfully asked his sagely preceptor, saying:-
Rāma said: O Venerable sir, that art the dispeller of my doubts, as the clear autumn is the scatterer of dark clouds; that the doubt which had so long rankled in my breast, has at last quite set at rest.
I find this knowledge of mine to be the best and greatest of all, and capable of saving me from the boisterous ocean of this world; it transcends all other doctrines, which are mere berbiology to ensnare the heedless minds of men.
If all this is certainly the very Brahma, and our consciousness of him; then O Venerable sir, he must be unspeakable and in-expressible in words, even by the most learned and wisest of men.
Remaining thus in the meditation of the knowable One, and without any desire in our minds of any earthly good; we are enabled to attain the consciousness of our highest bliss. 2, which is unattainable by learning and unutterable in words. 3
How can this certain and invariable state of felicity, be obtained from the dogmas of the śāstras; which are at variance with each other, and are employed in the enumeration of their several categories. 4
We can gain no true knowledge from the tenets of the different śāstras, that are best but contradictory of one another; it is therefore in vain to except any benefit from them, that are best upon mere theories of our pretended leaders.
Tell me therefore, O Venerable sir, whether it is of any good to us, to learn the doctrines of the śāstras or attend to the teaching of our preceptors; 5
Vasistha replied: So it is, O mighty armed Rāma, the śāstras are not the means to divine knowledge; those being profused in wordy torrents, and this beyond the reach of words.
Yet hear me to tell you, O you best of Raghu's race, how the dictates of the śāstras and the lectures of your preceptors, are of some avail towards the improvement of your understanding.
There lived in a certain place some wood-cutters, who had been ever unfortunate and miserable in this lives; 6. They pined and faded away in their poverty, like the withering trees in summer heat.
Excessive poverty made them cover themselves with patched up rags, and they were as emaciated in their despair as the fading lotus flowers for want of their natal water.
Being parched by famine, and despairing of their lives; they only thought of the means of filling their bellies.
In this state of their distress and dispondence, one thought gleamed in their minds; and it was to carry the woods day by day to the town, and to live upon the profits of their sale as fuel.
Thus determined they went to the forest to fell down the woods, because any plan that is hit upon in distress, is best to by availed of, for the preservation of life.
Thus they continued daily to go to the forest to fell the woods, and fetch them to the town for sale; and to fill their bellies and support their bodies with the sale proceeds thereof.
It happened that the skirts of the forest wither they went, were full of woods with hordes of treasures, consisting of gold and precious gems, lying hidden under the trees, and also exposed to view.
It then turned out that some of the log-bearers, happened by their good luck to espy the brilliant gems, which they took with them to their homes from the forest.
Some saw the valuable sandal wood trees, and others beheld beautiful flowers in some place; some found fruit trees some where, all which they took and sold of their food and livelihood.
Some men of dull understanding, slighted all these goods; and kept collecting the blocks of wood, which they bore to the way side of the forest, and there sold at trifling prices. 7
Among all these wood men, who were employed in common in collection of woods, some of them happened by their good luck, to find some precious gems where, which set them at ease for every care.
Thus amongst all of these that had been toiling and moiling in the some field of labour; now it happened to obtain their desired boon the Philosophers gem. 8
Now they having obtained the desirable gem, which bestowed upon them all the blessings of affluence and prosperity; they became preeminently happy with their fortune, and remained quite content in the very woods.
So the seekers and sellers of worthless wooden blocks, been gainers of all bounteous gem of their heart's desire (Cintāmani); remained happily with themselves, as the gods dwelling together in harmony in the Elysian field.
Thus the Kirwood man, having obtained their best gains of what forms the pith and gist of every good in the main, remained in quiet and quite content in themselves, and passed their days without any fear or grief, in the enjoyment of their everlasting equanimity and felicity.
Footnotes
1. The ecstatic state of rapture and transport of the devout
2. The Turīya state
3. The divine state is only known one self, but never to be spoken or expressed
4. The ever varying śāstras cannot give us any knowledge of this invariable felicity
5. when our true knowledge is derived from within ourselves: (i.e. from our intuition, self-consciousness and our personal experiences).
6. or who were miserably poor all their lives
7. Nothing is valued at home unless it is taken to a distance
8. That converts all things to gold, and is desired by all but found by few
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
