There is no
liberation without the
realization of one’s identity with the Ātman
, not even in the lifetime of a hundred Brahmās put together. The realization of Truth is brought about by discrimination. The man who discriminates between the Real and the unreal,
whose mind is turned away from the unreal, who possesses calmness, and who is longing for liberation, is alone qualified
to inquire after Brahman. Faith, devotion, and the yoga of meditation—immediate factors of liberation from the bondage of the body. By the realization of one’s identity with Brahman liberation is possible. The Ātman is ever blissful, and never suffers misery. Māyā is without beginning. It is she who bring forth this whole universe. The traits of pure sattva are cheerfulness, the realization of one’s own Self, supreme peace, contentment, bliss, and steady devotion to the Ātman. It is neither born nor dies, It neither grows nor decays, nor does It undergo any change, being eternal. It does not cease to exist even when the body is destroyed. To remove
his bondage the wise man should discriminate between the Self and the non-Self.
By that alone he comes to know his own Self as Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, and becomes happy. He indeed is free who discriminates between all sense-objects and the indwelling, unattached and inactive Self. The mind is the only cause that brings about man’s bondage or liberation. The seeker after liberation must carefully purify the mind.
When this is purified, liberation is as easy of access as a fruit on the palm of ones’ hand. Knowledge subject to change is insentient, is a limited thing, an object of the senses, and is not constantly present. All this universe is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.
The supreme Brahman, pure, the Essence of Knowledge, serene, devoid of beginning and end, beyond activity, the Essence of Bliss Absolute—transcending all the diversities created by Māyā. The wise man must give up the contradictory elements on both sides, noticing carefully the essence of both, which is Cit, Knowledge Absolute. All modifications of clay, such as a jar, which are always accepted by the mind a real, are (in reality) nothing but clay. Similarly, this entire universe which is produced from the real Brahman, is Brahman Itself and nothing but That… the only self-existent Reality, our very Self, that serene, pure, Supreme Brahman, the One without a second. That which is transcending space, time, and sense-objects—that Brahman art thou.
That which is free from birth, growth, development, waste, disease, and death;
which is indestructible;
which is the cause of the projection, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe—that Brahman art thou.
As the mind becomes gradually established in the Inmost Self, it proportionately gives up the desires for external objects. And when all
such desires have been eliminated,
there takes place the unobstructed realization
. Be the Essence of Bliss
Absolute. The destruction of desires is liberation. The most intense darkness completely vanishes before the glow of the rising sun. The truth is extremely subtle and cannot be reached by the gross outgoing tendency of the mind.
It is only accessible to noble souls with perfectly pure minds.
Reflection should be considered a hundred times superior of hearing, and meditation a hundred thousand times superior even to reflection. The first steps to yoga are
control of speech,
nonreceiving of gifts, entertaining of no expectations,
freedom from activity, and always living in a retired place. Living in a retired place serves to control the sense-organs, control of the senses helps to control the mind, through control of the mind egoism is destroyed; and this again gives the yogin an unbroken realization of the Bliss of Brahman. The wise manrealizes the Infinite Brahman which transcends all limitations ever free and without activity, like the limitless sky, indivisible, and absolute. Not dwelling on enjoyments of the past, taking no thought for the future and looking with indifference upon the present, are characteristics of one liberated-in-life. Realizing the Ātman, which is unattached and indifferent like the sky, the aspirant is never touched in the least by actions yet to be done. The scriptures, reasoning, the words of the Guru, one’s own experience
– is proof. Experience is the ultimate proof.
The illumined sage ever lives at ease, whether going or staying, sitting or lying, or in any other condition. Though doing, yet inactive; though experiencing fruits of past actions, yet untouched by them; though possessed of a body, yet without identification with it; though limited, yet omnipresent is he. As milk poured into milk, oil into oil, and water into water, becomes united and one with it, so the sage who has realized the Ātman becomes one in the Ātman. How can there be any idea of limitation with regard to the Supreme Truth, which is without parts, without activity, calm, unimpeachable, taintless, and One without a second, as there can be none with regard to the infinite sky? There is neither death nor birth,
neither a bound nor a struggling soul, neither a seeker after liberation nor a liberated one—this is the ultimate truth. The soothing ocean of nectar, Brahman, the One without a second—lead on to liberation.
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