CHAPTER LIII. THE RATIONAL RAPTURE OF UDDÁLAKA.
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Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
Argument. Description of the Soul unsullied by its desires and egoism, and the Difference subsisting between the body and mind.
Uddálaka continued:—The intellect is an unthinkable substance: it extends to the limits of endless space, and is minuter than the minutest atom. It is quite aloof of all things, and inaccessible to the reach of desires, &c.
2. It is inaccessible by the mind, understanding, egoism and the gross senses; but our empty desires are as wide extended, as the shadowy forms of big and formidable demons.
3. From all my reasonings and repeated cogitations, I perceive an intelligence within myself, and I feel to be the stainless Intellect.
4. This body of mine which is of this world, and is the depository of my false and evil thoughts, may last or be lost without any gain or loss to me, since I am the untainted intellect.
5. The Intellect is free from birth and death, because there is nothing perishable in the nature of the all pervasive intellect: what then means the death of a living being, and how and by whom can it be put to death?
6. What means the life and death of the intellect, which is the soul and life of all existence: what else can we expect of the intellect, when it is extended through and gives life to all?
7. Life and death belong to the optative and imaginative powers of the mind, and do not appertain to the pure soul; (which is never perturbed by volition or imagination).
8. That which has the sense of its egoism has also the knowledge of its existence and inexistence (and that is the mind); but the soul which is devoid of its egoism can have no sense of its birth or death (since it is always existent of itself).
9. Egoism is a fallacy and production of ignorance, and the mind is no other than a appearance as the water in a mirage; the visible objects are all gross bodies; what then is that thing to which the term ego is applied.
10. The body is composed of flesh and blood, and the mind is considered as a nullity of itself; the heart and the members are all dull objects, what then is it that contains the ego?
11. The organs of sense are all employed in their respective functions for supporting the body; and all external bodies remain as mere bodies; what then is it to which you apply the term ego?
12. The properties of things continue as properties, and the substances always remain as substances; the entity of Brahma is quite calm and quiet, what then is the ego among them?
13. There is only one Being which is all pervading and subsisting in all bodies; it exists at all times and is immensity in itself. It is only the Supreme Spirit that is the intelligent soul of all.
14. Now tell me which of these is the ego, what is it and what its form; what is its genus and what are its attributes; what is its appearance and of what ingredients it is composed? What am I and what shall I take it to be, and what reject as not itself?
15. Hence there is nothing here, which may be called the ego either as an entity or nonentity; and there is nothing anywhere, to which the ego may bear any relation or any resemblance whatever.
16. Therefore egoism being a perfect non-entity, it has no relation to anything at all; and this irrelation of it with all things being proved, its fiction as a duality (beside the unity of God), goes to nothing whatever.
17. Thus every thing in the world being full of the spirit of God, I am no other than that reality, and it is in vain that I think myself as otherwise, and sorrow for it.
18. All things being situated in one pure and omnipresent spirit; whence is it that the meaningless word ego could take its rise?
19. So there is no reality of any object whatever, except that of the supreme and all-pervading spirit of God; it is therefore useless for us to inquire about our relation with anything which has no reality in itself.
20. The senses are connected with the organs of sense, and the mind is conversant with the mental operations; but the intellect is unconnected with the body, and bears no relation with any body in any manner.
21. As there is no relation between stones and iron nails, so the body, the senses, the mind and the intellect bear no relation with one another, though they are found to reside together in the same person.
22. The great error of the unreal ego having once obtained its footing among mankind, it has put the world to an uproar with the expressions of mine and thine, as that this is mine and that is thine, and that other is another’s and the like.
23. It is want of the light of reason that has given rise to the meaningless and marvellous expression of egoism; which is made to vanish under the light of reason, as ice is dissolved under heat of solar light.
24. That there is nothing in existence, except the spirit of God is my firm belief, and this makes me believe the whole universe, as a manifestation of the great Brahmá himself.
25. The error of egoism presents itself before us in as vivid and variety of colours as the various hues which tinge the face of the sky; it is better to obliterate it at once from the mind, than retain any trace of it behind (as I am this child, youth, old man, &c.).
26. I have altogether got rid of the error of my egoism, and now recline with my tranquil soul in the universal spirit of God, as the autumnal cloud rests in the infinite vacuum of the sky.
27. Our accompaniment with the idea of egoism is productive only of our misconduct and misery, by producing the great variety of our acts of selfishness.
28. Egoism hath taken a deep root in the moist soil of our hearts, and sprouts forth in the field of our bodies with the germs of innumerable evils.
29. Here is death closely following the course of life, and there is a new life hereafter awaiting upon our death; now there is a state of being distinct from its privation or not being, and again there is reverse of it in our transmigration, to our great annoyance only.
30. This I have gained, and this I will gain, are the thoughts that constantly employ the minds of men; and the desire of a new gain is incessantly kindled in the minds of the senseless, as the ceaseless flame of the sun-stone is increased in summer heat.
31. That this I want and this must have are thoughts ever attendant on egoism; and the dull-headed pursue dull material objects with as much ardour, as the heavy clouds hasten to halt on high-headed hills.
32. Decay of egoism withers away the tree of worldliness, which then ceases to germinate in the manner of a plant on sterile rocks. (Or as seeds cast on sandy sounds).
33. Your desires are as black serpents creeping in the hole of your heart; but skulking their heads, at the sight of the snake-eater Garuda of reason.
34. The unreal world gives rise to the error of appearing as real; as the unreal I and thou (or ego and nonego) seem to be realities, though they are caused by mere pulsations of the unreal mind.
35. This world rises at first without a cause and to no cause, how then call it a reality which is sprung from and to no cause at all. (The visible world is produced by, and continues with our error which, is no cause in reality).
36. As a pot made of earth long before, continues in the same state at all times, so the body which has long ago come to existence, still continues and will continue the same. (The body being made of earth, remains in and returns to the earth again).
37. The beginning and end of billows is mere water and moisture, and the intermediate part only presents a figure to view; so the beginning and end of bodies is mere earth and water, and the intermediate state is one of bustle and commotion.
38. It is the ignorant only that trust in this temporary and fluctuating state of the body; which, like the billow, is hastening to subside, in its original liquid and quiet state.
39. What reliance is there in any body, which makes a figure in the middle, and is an unreality both in its prior and latter states.