NIRVANA PRAKARANA.
THE STORY OF BHUSUNDA.
Summary Having traced in the previous Prakarana all from Samsara up to Turyatheetha at the end of Satta- Samanya and having also given out the quiescence of the mind and thereby the whole universe, the author states the means of directly cognising that Turyatheetha state in this, the Nirvana Prakarana. Therefore, in this story of Bhusunda, the Yogic mysteries are given out to attain that end.
Yasishta again continued As the quarters and the time do not exist, the immutable and non-dual Brahman alone shines as Absolute Consciousness without any environment and without any fluctuation, destruction, beginning or end but none else exists. With this thought in your mind, you should not identify yourself with objects ; and having become a Jivanmukta, may you reach the non-dual quiescent silence and enjoy the final beatitude. So long as the idea of Ajnana exists, so long will the Brahmic state not be attained. So long as there is the sense of the illusory enjoyment in this legerdemain of the world, so long will the false creations of the mind, &C M not wear off. In fact neither Chitta nor Maya nor Manas nor Jiva exists ; but the effulgent Brahman alone is, like one vast ocean ebbing and falling.
So long as this “I” which identifies itself with this body of nine avenues has the conception of reality in the visibles of this universe, so long will the illusions of Chitta, etc., exist. So long as there are desires in objects with the idea, “They are mine, so long will the illusions of Chitta, etc., exist. If, oh cloud colored Rama, through the stainless internal, “That”, the light straw of the three universes be sacrified in the fire of Jnana, then the illusions of Chitta and others will never approach him.
Those who, contemplating upon the allpervading Self which is the one partless Jnana without this or that limit and without Sankalpas, regard without any duplicity of mind as friends even those who are hired as as sassins to kill them those only can be said to have truly worshipped their immaculate Atma. Like a cataract which washes away the trees on its banks, those who have des troyed material desires and the injurious ill-will of the mind would have purged themselves of all stains with true glory of heart. Those who have contemplated internally upon the true meaning of Tatwa-Jnana Sastras and discrimi nating thereby have put an end to all desires, are like a sun that dispels darkness. Those who have known the (real) express meaning (of the Vedas) fit to be known, will find it to be clearly impinged in their mind like water in a burnt ground.
Those who through incessant practice have not cognized the Brahmic Principle those who have not seen directly the eye of Jndna will ever whirl with their mental modifications like a withered leaf. Even though this Jn&na is imperishable, all persons do not try to know it and are ever of a drooping heart. And all the egoisms and threats of the ignorant ring for their destruction in our ears, like arrows hissing in the battle fields from the bows. These worthless persons will but loiter their time and not cognize the imperishable Jnana.
To the ignorant, the express significance (of the Vedas) is like a thing sunk in mire. It is like the howling of a dog with its eye cast up in the heavens. Ajnana is the cause of all dangers ; but no dangers will befal a knower of truth. This Maya is the necessary attendant upon the ignorant. This universe is in the mind of a Jnani, only like the foot prints of a cow ; but to the Ajnanis, it is an immutable ocean of pains.
Nought is but the one Sachidananda Reality which is illimitable, unperceivable by the senses, quiescent, the all and above thought. Out of this Sachidananda which is the witness of all, an intelligence arose and being subject to change created the. three states subtle, middling, and gross through the three Gunas Satwa, Rajas and Tamas.
These three kinds of Avidya do generate re-births to all Jivas. It is the destruc tion of this Avidya that is the Brahmic seat. But the Gunas of this Avidya are the forms themselves. All these three can be made nine through the triune divisions of each. Under the heading of Satwa in the originial Avidya are classed Rishis, Munis, Siddhas, Nagas, Vidyddharas, Devas and the virtuous Jivas. Vidyadharas and Nagas come under the Tamasic aspect of the abovementioned Satvva. Munis and Siddhas under the Rajasic aspect of the same ; the Devas, Jivas and others under the Satwic aspect of Satwa. Out of this Avidya, is Vidya.
This Vidya is no other than the pure Satwa of Avidya. Again, it is stated, that Rajas and Tamas have each their three divisions. The excessive Tama sic intelligence has the Ajnana body of trees, etc.
Here on being questioned by Rama as to how intelligence came to be embodied in trees and other bodies and so subject to the trammels of excessive Ajndna, Yasishta replied The Intelligence will be (first) in that fierce state when it is with out Manana (meditation) or non-meditation and when it occupies the intermediate state between Sat and Asat. Then Jnana will be with the Puriashtaka body dormant in the tree and will be inert like an idiot or the blind without pains through Satta Mdttra.
Again Rama, with an eager desire to know, questioned the Muni lovingly “Why not consider the state of the fixed objects in the universe as Moksha itself, inasmuch as the Intelligence in that state is in harmony with Satta be necessary?
Vasishta replied “The attainment of the seat of Satta common to all mankind after a discriminative enquiry between the real and the unreal constitutes the supreme Moksha. If after having clearly and completely experienced and renounced all Vasanas of objects, one reaches the Satta Samanya state, then it is Moksha. Like the sprout in the seed, the Vdsanas rest dull in the heart within. This is Sush- upti and this is it which generates all re-births.
It is only be cause all the Vasanas are latent in the heart, after the hetero geneous worldly thoughts (of the waking state) are extinct, that the dire Samsaric pains arise. Trees and others are inert only. Though going into Sushupti, they are again and again born. Like flowers latent in seeds and pots in earth, the un ceasing Vasanas will be potential in the tree. Therefore this Sushupti which is the seed of the all-expansive Vasanas can not be called Moksha ; but the pure Vasanas which are not the seed of that state are themselves Turya and hence it is Moksha. It is not necessary to have much to do with our enemy of impure Vasanas, fire, debts, disease, poison, enemy, anger or love ; but a slight association with any of them is enough to afflict us all our life.
Persons who have burnt up Ajmtna, the seed of impure Vasanas and have reached the Satta-Samanya state will never suffer from pains, whether embodied or disembodied. The Chit-Sakti is of the nature of Vasanas and their seed Ajnana, Sleep alone is (to us) the characteristic of the Chit- Sakti. Persons, well-versed in all departments of knowledge, state that non-cognition of this eternal Jnana is Avidya. Having burnt up completely Rajas and Tamas through the primeval Satwa and Avidya, may you become the non-dual one without any misgiving.
The certitude of conviction that the Supreme Brahman is not the universe is itself Avidya ; hence the certitude that Brahman alone is this universe is emanci pation, devoid of Avidya. May you be blessed with that certitude of conviction which is to be found in the pure minds of Jivas as well as of Narada and other Rishis.
