[Advaita-l] Yoga Vasishtha Sara - The Essence of the Yoga Vasishtha - CHAPTER V (THE DESTRUCTION OF LATENT IMPRESSIONS)

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from previous post)
 
 
CHAPTER V: THE DESTRUCTION OF LATENT IMPRESSIONS
 
1. O Rama, this enquiry into the Self of
the nature of 'Who am I?' is the fire which
burns up the seeds of the evil tree which is
the mind.
 
2. Just as the wind does not affect the
creepers in a picture, so also afflictions do
not affect one whose understanding is fortified
by firmness and (always) reflected in
the mirror of enquiry.
 
3. The knowers of truth declare that
enquiry into the truth of the Self is knowledge.
What is to be known is contained in
it like sweetness in milk.
 
4. To one who has realized the Self by
enquiry Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are
objects of compassion.
 
5. To one who is fond of enquiring (constantly)
'What is this vast universe?' and
'Who am I?' this world becomes quite unreal.
 
6. Just as in a mirage the idea of water
does not occur to one who knows (that it is
a mirage), even so latent impressions do not
rise in one whose ignorance has been destroyed
by realizing that everything is
Brahman.
 
7. By the abandonment of latent impressions
or by the control of breathing mind
ceases to be the mind. Practise whichever
you like.
 
8. O pure soul, cherish the association of
sages and the true scriptures ; you will
attain the state of Supreme Consciousness
not in the course of months but days.
 
9. Latent impressions cease to be active
when one associates with sages, discards all
thoughts of samsara and remembers that the
body has to die.
 
10. O Raghava, even ignorant persons
convert by the firmness of their conviction,
poison into nectar and nectar into poison.
 
11. When this body is taken to be real it
serves the purpose of a body, but when it
is seen to be unreal it becomes like space
(unsubstantial).
 
12. O Rama, while lying on a soft bed
you wander about in all directions with a
dream body ; but now (in this waking state)
where is that body ?
 
13. Just as a respectable man avoids contact
with an outcast woman carrying dog's
flesh, so also one should discard the thought
'I-am-the-body', even if everything were
to be lost.
 
14. When the aspirant (sadhu) thinks
only of Brahman and remains calm and free
from sorrows his egoity dies of itself.
 
15. If one-realizes the unity of things
everywhere, one always remains tranquil,
inwardly cool and pure like space without
the sense of 'I'.
 
16. If inwardly one is cool the whole
world will be cool, but if inwardly one is
hot (agitated) the whole world will be a
burning mass.
 
 
(To be Continued)