In the assembly of seekers, the chief sage Vasiṣṭha spoke of the profound nature of liberation and mind. He explained that pure liberation is the highest awareness, and this alone is the essence of mind—it remains as mind and does not transform into earth or any other element. For all beings possessing mind and engaged in worldly affairs, this first reflection, the body of mind, arises from itself. From this prior reflection, which is not separate from its own nature, the entire creation has spread forth, much like the movement of wind is perceived. This form of pure intelligence, holding only the shape of intelligence, gives rise to creation, which shines forth as a true experience. Vasiṣṭha illustrated this with the example of a city seen in a dream and the enjoyment with a dream-woman. Though unreal, the richness of experience makes them shine with the light of genuine perception. He described the self-born being, who is not made of earth or other elements, whose form is like space, without a physical body. Yet, like the lord of embodied beings, he stands as a person, self-generated. Because his nature is consciousness and will, he arises and subsides; but since his essence is self-dependent, he neither truly arises nor subsides. Brahma himself is free from will, devoid of earth and other elements; his essence is pure consciousness alone, the cause of the existence of the three worlds. This will moves about as its own nature, just as a name arises from itself; this one, whose essence is space, appears like a mountain shaped by your own will. Through firm and exclusive forgetfulness of the ethereal state, and by knowledge of the physical world, it appears falsely, like a ghost. Yet, this forgetfulness does not arise in the great consciousness awakened at the very beginning of effort, because of its pure awareness. Therefore, in that state, the ghostly condition of physicality does not arise; being unreal, like a mirage, it is false and gives rise to the delusion of dullness. When Brahman is only mind, not composed of earth and other elements, then the universe is only mind; whatever arises from it is indeed that alone. There are no auxiliary causes for the unborn; likewise, for what is born, those causes do not truly exist, except for a few. The diversity of effects arises from causes; thus, nothing exists here apart from this. As the cause is pure, so the effect is established here. Here, the relation of cause and effect does not apply at all. Just as the supreme Brahman is, so too is the threefold world. The world is projected by Brahman, as if through the power of mind, just as fluidity is projected from pure water, not from anything else. Everything is projected by the mind; all this is unreal and spread out, like a city imagined in thought or like a city of the Gandharvas. There is no physicality here, just as there is no snake in a rope; how could awakened ones like Brahma and others remain there? Only the subtle body exists, not for one whose mind is awakened; so, what discussion is there here about the physical body, and how? The realm of the mind, which bears the name 'man', takes on various forms; the world, as the kingdom of the mind, appears as if it were reality. Know that the mind itself is the creator, composed of imagination; having expanded its own form, the mind projects this world. The creator is a form of the mind, and the mind is the body of the creator; earth and the rest do not exist here, thus earth and the rest are imagined. Just as a lotus resides within the eye of a lotus, so within the heart of the mind is the visible; the seer and the seen of the mind are never truly separate. Likewise, in this context, the sovereignty of the mind is like the dreaming and imagining of the wise; this is evident through one's own experience, therefore the visible exists in the heart. Thus, just as a demon dwelling in the mind's confusion kills a child, so this inner faculty, which takes the form of the seen, destroys the seer. Just as a sprout within a seed produces a radiant body according to place and time, so does the faculty of perception generate the visible. If the suffering of the seen never ceases, then it does not cease in the seen, nor does pure awareness arise in the knower; when the seen does not exist in the knower, the state of the knower ceases—even if the seen remains, this is called liberation. As Vasiṣṭha spoke these extraordinary words, the gathered people, unified in their desire to listen, sat silently attentive. The tinkling of ornaments ceased, and no one moved; even the parrots in their cages stopped their playful activities. The women, usually lively and playful, stood still, as if all were painted upon a mural in the royal palace. A short time remained of the day, with gentle sunlight. Daily activities, together with the sun's rays, gradually diminished. The winds, fragrant and heavy with blooming lotuses, blew softly, as if they too had come to listen. The sun, as if contemplating what had been heard, abandoned its usual course and moved toward the empty slope of the western mountain. A dusky darkness rose upon the forest grounds, as if inner coolness and tranquility had arisen from hearing wisdom. People moved little in all ten directions, as if, out of careful attention to listening, they had abandoned all activity. Their shadows grew long, as if their necks were extended, eager to hear Vasiṣṭha's detailed exposition of all matters. Then the chamberlain, bowing before the king, said, "O Lord, the time for bathing and worshipping the twice-born has long passed." Thereupon, the venerable Vasiṣṭha, withdrawing his sweet speech, said, "Great King, let this much be heard by you all for today." He added, "Tomorrow morning I shall speak further," and became silent. The king, having heard this, replied, "So be it," for the increase of prosperity.