May 23, 2026
vāsanaiveha puruṣaḥ prekṣitā sā na vidyate
tāṁ ca na prekṣate kaścittataḥ saṁsāra āgataḥ (13)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
The infinite consciousness reflects itself as the infinite and unconditioned consciousness in all and that alone is truly experienced in all. But when the notion of an object arises and when that notion is confirmed by repetition, this consciousness manifests as the object, like the dream-objects which, though within oneself, appear in that dream to be objects. When a dream-object perishes, nothing is lost: when “the world” or “the I” is lost, nothing is lost. There is no sense even in condemning this world and the egosense. Who will extol or condemn an hallucination? Investigation alone is appropriate here. What remains is the truth. Remain firmly established in it.
This world-appearance is but a notion and it is utterly dispelled by enquiry. What remains then is Brahman. To accept the reality of this world-appearance is like trusting the words of the barren woman’s son. The individual personality is vāsanā or mental conditioning which disappears on investigation. However, in a state of ignorance when one fails to observe it, this world-appearance arises.
The body is the result of the permutation and combination of the five elements and is inert. Even the mind, the intellect and the egosense are also of the same elements. When one is able to abandon the inert materiality of the mind, the intellect and the egosense, one attains the pure unconditioned being. This is liberation.
The “object” arises in the “subject” but has no independent existence. Hence, even “the conditioned state or being” is but a notion: it is not real. Therefore, it vanishes when enquired into. It is best to reject the notion and stop it from arising again by never thinking of it again. There is neither the subject (seer) nor an experiencer, neither the real nor the unreal. There is the supreme peace alone. One who is established in this peace is free from likes and dislikes though engaged in activity. Or he may not engage himself in activity. When the mind is freed of all notions that limit the unconditioned consciousness, how does the sage act in a dualistic way? Free from love, hate and fear, he exists as the immutable self firmly established in the supreme peace.
The notion of “object” which arises in the “subject” is then experienced by the latter as different from it. In fact, the two (like the dreamer and the wakeful person) are indistinguishably one, like milk that is kept in two cups. The supreme self is free from all notions. Notions give rise to objects and when the notions are abandoned the objects cease to be.