When a seeker encounters the illumination filled with the means to liberation, he no longer falls back into blindness or the darkness of delusion. The lotus of human life, so long contracted and darkened by craving, only opens when the pure radiance of discernment, like the sun, arises within. To be released from the suffering of worldly existence, one must, with companions who share this quest, seek to know the true nature of the self, guided by the authority of the teacher and the scriptures. Those who have attained liberation in this very life move freely in the world, just as Hari, Hara, and other great sages do. So too, Raghava, should you live in this way. Here, in this world, suffering is endless and happiness is as fleeting as a moment; thus, one should not fix their gaze upon pleasures, for they are bound to suffering. There exists a state that is endless and effortless, the very essence of perfection, and it is to be pursued diligently by those who understand. The supreme among men are those who are vessels of human purpose, whose minds, free from affliction, are anchored in this unsurpassed state. In contrast, those who are satisfied only by pleasures—eating, enjoyment, sovereignty—and whose minds are corrupt, are like the blind and as hollow as empty drums. Those devoted solely to pleasure, who are cunning, malicious, intent on wicked deeds, and who appear as friends while harboring enmity, are deluded. Their minds, sluggish with ignorance, wander from one hardship to another, one sorrow to the next, one fear to the next, and from one hell to another. O Rama, for those eager for each other's destruction, there is never any true good; their moments of happiness and sorrow are as brief as flashes of lightning. But those great souls who are detached, who dwell in solitude, and are like you, Rama, are worthy of reverence; they alone partake in both enjoyment and liberation. By relying on supreme discernment and the practice of dispassion, one should cross this dreadful river of worldly existence and its dangers. One who knows should not be heedless in this world of illusion, which brings confusion like poison, but should remain ever discerning. To be indifferent, having encountered this samsara, is like sleeping in a burning house or lying in the path of a rushing flood. There is, without doubt, a state which, once attained, there is no return from, and having reached it, there is no cause for sorrow; it is attainable by the wise. If, upon examination, it is found not to be present, then there is nothing lost; but if it is, then one will surely cross over the ocean of existence. When a person swiftly turns to inquire into the means of liberation, he is said to attain liberation. Unshakable composure, free from confusion, does not exist in the three worlds except through the state of aloneness. In attaining that supreme state, hardship is of no use; neither friends, nor wealth, nor relatives can help. Neither movement of hands and feet, nor journeying to other places, nor excessive austerity, nor resorting to holy sites is required. That state is attained solely by conquering the mind, through action directed to a single aim—the true purpose of human life. It is achieved only by discernment and firm resolve through inquiry; when one abandons the nets of sorrow, he attains it. Seated comfortably, reflecting by oneself, one attains that state, and, having reached it, is not to be grieved nor born again. The noble ones recognize this as the ultimate boundary of all happiness; they call that supreme, incomparable flow the true elixir. Because all states in heaven and among humans are perishable, there is truly no lasting happiness in either—just as there is no water in a mirage. Therefore, mastery over the mind should be contemplated, which is attained through tranquility and contentment; from the enjoyment of endless peace, true bliss is found. Whether living, moving, wandering, or even falling—be it demon, celestial, god, or human—upon attaining that supreme happiness born of the pacification of the mind, one gains the fruit of the highest discernment, like the blossom of the flower of tranquility fully opened. Even one engaged in worldly affairs, not seeking out a multitude of actions, is neither abandoned nor desired, like the sun stationed in the sky. The mind, utterly peaceful, crystal-clear, rested, free from confusion, without desire or longing—neither craves nor rejects anything. At the gateway to liberation, listen to the gatekeepers in order; by attachment to any one of them, entry to the door of liberation is gained. The long desert of worldly existence, filled with suffering and faults, becomes cool for a living being through the refreshing water of tranquility. Through tranquility, the highest good is attained; for tranquility is the supreme state—tranquility is auspiciousness, tranquility is peace, tranquility dispels delusion. For one satisfied by tranquility, whose nature is pure and cool, whose mind delights in tranquility—even an enemy becomes a friend. For those whose intentions are adorned by the moon of tranquility, supreme purity arises, just as it does from the ocean of milk. Those whose hearts are lotus-like, with tranquility blossoming within, are truly the two lotus hearts of Hari, fully opened among the virtuous. For those whose faces shine without blemish, graced by the beauty of tranquility, they are the lords of their lineage, worthy of veneration, surpassing even the moon in beauty. The glories of tranquility, dwelling within the heart of the three worlds, are not for enjoyment like riches; they are like the wealth of sovereignty itself. All sufferings, all cravings, all unbearable hardships—these are destroyed in those of peaceful mind, just as darkness vanishes before the sun.