CHAPTER CLXXXXV. Lecture on the Enlightenment of Understanding.
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Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
40. Our perception of the world having a form, is no proof of its reality; because there is no truth whatever in the many curious forms, that present themselves before us in our dreams. (This is a refutation of the Buddhists’ reliableness in perception).
41. It is an unprecedented dream, that presents us the sight of the world, of which we had no innate or preconceived idea in us; while our usual dreams are commonly known, to be the reproduced representations, of our former impressions and perceptions, and the results of our past remembrances of things &c.
42. It is not a day dream as some would have it to be, because the night dreams disappear in the day time; but how does a dreamer of his own funeral at night, come to see himself alive upon his waking in the day? (This continuous sight of the world day by day, is not comparable to a transient dream by day or night, but a permanent one in the person of the Great God himself).
43. Others again maintain that, no bodiless things can appear in our dream, since we dream of certain bodies only; but this tenet has no truth in it, since we often dream of, as well as see the apparitions of bodiless ghosts both by day and night.
44. Therefore the world is not as false as a dream, but an impression settled like a dream in our very conscious soul; it is the formless deity, that manifests itself in the various forms of this world, to our understandings.
45. As our intellect remains alone and in itself, in the forms and other things, appearing as dreams unto us in our sleep; so doth Brahma remain solely in himself in the form of the world we see: for God being wholly free and apart from all, can not have any accompaniment with him.
46. There is nothing that is either coexistent or inexistent in him (that is what can be either affirmed or denied of him); because we have no concept or conception of him ourselves, nor do we ＜have＞ any notion or idea we are to form of him.
47. What is this nameless thing, that we can not know in our understanding; it is known in our consciousness (i.e. we are conscious of it), but it is in esse or non-esse, we know nothing of (this world).
48. It is an inexistence appearing as existent, as also an existence seeming to be unexistent; all things are quite manifest in it at all times and in all forms (but how and whence they are is quite unknown).
49. It is the development of Brahma in Brahma, as the sky is evolved in vacuity; for nothing can be found to fill the vacuum of Brahma, except Brahma himself (or his own essence).
50. There I, my seeing and my sight of the world, is all mere fallacy; it is the calm and quiet extension of the Divine intellect only, that fills the infinite vacuity of his own spirit, and naught beside.
51. As the ærial castle of our imagination, has no building nor reality in it; so is this world but a calm and quiet vacuity, and unfailing vacant ideality.
52. It is a boundless space full with the essence of the Supreme spirit, it is without its beginning and end, wholly inscrutable in its nature, and quite calm and quiet in its aspect.
53. I have known my own state also, to be without its birth and death, and as calm and quiet, as that of the unborn and immortal Brahma himself; and I have come to know myself (i.e. my soul) also, to be as formless and undefinable, as the Supreme soul or spirit.
54. I have now given expression, to all that I find to be impressed in my consciousness; just as whatever is contained in the seed, the same comes to sprout forth out of it.
55. I know only the knowledge that I bear in my consciousness, and nothing about the unity or duality (of the creation and creator); because the question of unity and duality rises only from imagination (of the one or other).
56. All these knowing and living liberated men, that have been liberated from the burthen of life by their knowledge of truth; are sitting silent here, and devoid of all their earthly cares, like the empty air in the infinite vacuity.
57. All their efforts of mixing with the busy bustle of the world, are here at an end; and they are sitting here as quiet and silent as yon mute and motionless picture on the wall, medalling on the bright regions in their minds.
58. They are as still as the statues engraven in a rock, or as people described in fancy tales, to dwell in the ærial city built by Sambara in air (i.e. as the inhabitants dwelling in the Elysian of Plato, or in the utopia of Sir Thomas Moore); or as the airy figures in our dream.
59. This world is verily a phantom appearing in our dream of the creation; it is a structure without its base, and a figure intangible to our touch. Where then is its reality? (Its tangibleness is a deception of our sense).
60. The world appears as a positive reality to the blinded ignorant, but it ＜is＞ found to be a negative nullity by the keen-sighted sage; who sees it in the light of Brahma and a manifestation of himself, and as still as the calm air, reposing in the quiet vacuity of that transcendent spirit.
61. All these existences, with their moving and unmoving beings, and ourselves also, are mere void and vacant nullities, in the knowledge of the discerning and philosophic mind.
62. I am void and so are you too, and the world beside but mere blanks; the intellect is a void also, and by having all several voids in itself, it forms the immense intellectual vacuum, which is the sole object of our adoration (being as infinite and eternal, as well as all pervading and containing all as the supreme spirit).
63. Being thus seated with my knowledge of the infinite vacuity of Brahma, I take thee also, O thou best of biped beings, as indistinct from the knowable One, who is one and same with the all comprehending vacuum, and so make my obeisance to thee.
64. It is from the all comprehensiveness (i.e. omniscience) of the vacuous intellect, that this world rises and sets in it by turns; it is as clear as the transparent air, and has no other cause of it but the undulation of the same.
65. This hypostasis of Brahma is beyond all other existences, and above the reach of all sástras, it is by attaining to this state of transcendentalism, that one becomes as pure and superfine as empty air.
66. There is nothing as myself, my feet and hands, or this pot or aught else that I bear, as any material existence; all is air and empty and inane as air, and knowing this, let us turn ourselves to our airy intellects only. (i.e. I think ourselves as intellectual and spiritual beings only, in utter disregard of our bodies and earthly things).
67. You have shewn me sir, the nullity of the world and the vanity of all worldly things; and the truth of this doctrine is evident in the light of our spiritual knowledge, in defiance of the sophistry of our opponents.
68. The sophist that discomfits the silent sage with his sophistry, can never expect to see the light of spiritual knowledge to gleam upon him (spirituality is got by silent meditation and not by wrangling).
69. The Being that is beyond our perception and conception, and without any designation or indication; can be only known in our consciousness of him, and not by any kind of reasoning or argumentation.
70. The Being that is without any attribute, or sight or symbol of his nature, is purely vacuous and entirely inconceivable by us, save by means of our spiritual light of him.