November 8, 2026
cinnidrāyāḥ svapnamayo bhāgaścittamudāhṛtaṁ
tadeva mucyate bhūtaṁ jīvo devāsurādidṛk (28)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
In the very beginning of creation, whatever dream-like appearance arose in the infinite consciousness has remained as this creation till now. However, consciousness is indivisible and extremely subtle and therefore in it there is no diversity even now. Creation, existence and dissolution are non-existent in the vision of the enlightened ones like us. Though the infinite consciousness is indivisible, it experiences within itself the two states of bondage and liberation: the dream-like experience of diversity is known as bondage and the sleep-like state is liberation. It is the infinite consciousness alone which sees “This is creation”, “This is dissolution”, “This is waking” and “This is dreaming”. If the infinite consciousness is compared to the homogeneous deep sleep state, that part of it which is comparable to a dream is known as the mind. It is this mind that as the jīva sees itself as god, demon, etc., and also liberates all beings from such diversity. When this is realised the homogeneity of dreamless sleep state is reached: that is considered liberation by those who aspire for liberation.
The mind alone is all this: man, god, demon, trees and mountains, goblins, birds and worms. It alone becomes the infinite diversity that is seen here – from Brahmā the creator to the pillar. It is the mind that sees the space above. The mind is the dynamic and aggressive form of the infinite consciousness. Thus, when the notion of the universe arises in the infinite consciousness we think that it is the mind that brought about all this. The mind alone is jīva. It is without beginning and without end. It is like space which seems to occupy pots and jars without being limited by them. It takes on and abandons bodies. But when it realises its own true nature, the deluded notion of physical embodiment ceases.
The mind is like the smallest particle of an atom. The mind is the personality or the jīva. Hence, the world or this creation exists in the person or the jīva. Whatever objects are perceived in this world are the mind only, even as the dream-objects are the mind only; again the person or the jīva is also nothing other than the mind. Therefore, it is clear that the world-appearance and the self are non-different.
All these substances that are seen in this universe are in fact pure consciousness: apart from consciousness what is seen is like a dream – just a notion or an idea, like the braceletness of gold.
Such a notion of creation when it arises in the infinite consciousness is known as the universe. This phenomenon has been variously described as saṅkalpa (thought or idea), etc.