Here, in the heart of all things, lies the essence—a gathering together of every possible essence, the very core of one’s true nature. Yet, the play of the senses among objects is, in truth, unreal. O mind, when all is equal and undivided, why do you grieve? The scriptures, in many voices, declare that this world—beginning with space itself—is nothing but a mirage. If all is truly one, seamless and equal, what cause is there for sorrow, O mind, when all is the same? He attains, he attains—not at all, not at all—where there is no mark, no sign, no trace. Immersed in the taste of sameness, purified by deep contemplation, the supreme Avadhuta speaks only truth. Thus ends the fifth chapter. Again, the scriptures proclaim in countless ways that both we and this world, from space onward, are like a mirage. If all is one, unbroken, supremely auspicious, beyond compare, how can there be any comparison at all? When the Supreme is beyond distinction and non-distinction, beyond action and inaction, and all is one, seamless and most auspicious, how could there be worship or austerity? The mind itself is uninterrupted, all-pervading, beyond all boundaries of limitation and vastness. The mind is pure, auspicious, and unbroken—how could it ever be grasped by mind or speech? When the differences between day and night dissolve, when what has arisen and what has not both dissolve, and all is one, supremely auspicious, how can there be sun, moon, or fire? When desire and the absence of desire dissolve, when action and inaction are both gone, and all is one, how can there be any inner or outer difference in the mind? Where there is no essence or non-essence, no emptiness or non-emptiness, and all is one, how can there be a first or a last? When the distinctions of difference and non-difference, of knower and known, are dissolved, and all is one, how can there be a third or a fourth state? What is spoken or unspoken is not the truth; what is known or unknown is not the truth. When all is one, how can there be objects, senses, intellect, or mind? Sky and wind, earth and fire—none are true; when all is one, how can there be cloud or water? If the imagined world and imagined gods dissolve, and all is one, how can there be judgment of qualities or faults in the mind? Death and birth are truly negated, as are action and inaction. If there is only the one, uninterrupted, all-pervading Shiva, how can we speak of coming and going? Prakriti and Purusha are not truly separate, nor is there any real distinction of cause and effect. If only the one Shiva pervades all, how can there be Purusha and non-Purusha? There is no third thing that brings suffering, nor does a second arise from qualities. If all is one Shiva, how can there be old age, youth, or childhood? This reality is beyond ashrama and caste, beyond cause and doer. If there is only the one Shiva, how can there be thoughts of destruction or indestructibility? The notions of eater and uneaten, born and unborn, are false. If only Shiva exists, how can there be perishable and imperishable? The ideas of man and non-man, woman and non-woman perishing are false. If only Shiva is, how can there be pleasure or the absence of pleasure? If it is beyond delusion and sorrow, doubt and grief, and only Shiva is, how can there be the notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’? The destruction of dharma and adharma is spoken of, as is the destruction of bondage and liberation. If only Shiva exists, how can there be thoughts of pain or its absence? There is no true distinction between the sacrificer and the sacrifice, nor between the fire and the offering. If only Shiva is, how can there be results of action? This is truly said to be free from sorrow and absence of sorrow, pride and absence of pride. If only Shiva is, how can there be thoughts of attachment or detachment? There is no transformation of delusion or non-delusion, greed or absence of greed. If only Shiva is, how can there be discrimination or non-discrimination? You and I—never is there truly a killer; the consideration of family or birth is unreal. If I alone am Shiva, the highest reality, how can there be any greeting or salutation here? The distinctions of teacher and disciple, of instruction, are dissolved. If I alone am Shiva, how can there be any greeting or salutation? There is no imagined division of bodies or worlds. If I alone am Shiva, how can there be any greeting or salutation? There is never any with or without passion; it is pure, unmoving, spotless. If I alone am Shiva, how can there be any greeting or salutation? There is no distinction of body and bodilessness; conduct is untrue, not real. If I alone am Shiva, how can there be any greeting or salutation? He attains, he attains—yet truly, there is no sign of the outcaste there. Immersed in sameness, purified by contemplation, the supreme Avadhuta speaks the truth. Thus ends the sixth chapter. Clad in a cloak of rags found on the street, walking a path beyond virtue and vice, he dwells naked in an empty house, immersed in pure, stainless, undifferentiated absorption. He is aimless, free from both aim and non-aim, skillful yet beyond right and wrong action, purified by the sole essence, unstained—how could debate or disputation touch such an Avadhuta? Freed from hope and attachment, established beyond prescribed conduct and purity, he is peaceful and devoid of all distinctions, possessing the pure, stainless essence. How, in this state, can there be inquiry into body or bodilessness, into attachment or detachment? The essence itself is pure, unmoving, sky-like, naturally manifest. How can one find the essence where both form and formlessness are absent? Where the supreme is sky-like, how can there be any engagement with objects? The essence is an uninterrupted swan, sky-like, pure, stainless; how then can there be division or difference, separation or transformation? All is the uninterrupted, sole essence—how then can there be pride in union or separation? When all is supremely uninterrupted, how can there be essence or non-essence? All is the sole, stainless essence, sky-like and uninterruptedly pure; so how can there be association or disassociation, truth or untruth?