Behold the wondrous mystery of existence, O Rama. That which is the source of all, taking on countless forms, manifests as the sun that shines in the heavens, illuminating all. As Vishnu, it protects the three worlds; as Rudra, it brings about dissolution; and as Padmabhū, Brahma himself, it creates the universe. Adopting the form of space, it upholds the ceaseless movement of the winds, the stars, the gods, and the demons alike. When it becomes the mighty mountain ranges, it provides sanctuaries for the guardians of the cosmos. As earth, it supports the uninterrupted being of all worlds; as grass, shrubs, and creepers, it brings forth endless fruits in succession. It is present as both water and fire, at once blazing and melting, flowing and shining. In the form of the moon, it bestows nectar; as death, it gives rise to poison and calamity. Light, as its aspect, brings hope; darkness, another aspect, spreads blindness. As void, it is the very nature of space; as a mountain, it presents abundant obstacles. It becomes the mind in all that moves, and is the unmoving in all that is still. As the ocean, it encircles the earth, just as a bracelet encircles a woman's arm. Taking the supreme form of the sun, it radiates light within, remaining tranquil even as the flood of worldly fears surges around it. Whatever is seen now, whatever will be seen, and whatever has been seen in all the three times—past, present, and future—all of it is but that one alone. Rama, perplexed, asks: “O Brahman, how does it become so? My mind is troubled, for this vision is difficult to attain and hard to grasp. Surely, this is certain.” The answer comes: “This is called liberation, O Rama; this is what is declared to be Brahman, and is also described as nirvana. Listen now to how it is attained. Whatever is experienced as an object, possessed with the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ is realized by the discerning intellect as never truly arising, even though it seems to exist. When the disembodied liberated ones attain the three worlds, O wise Rama, know that they have reached the very state of creation itself. If the three worlds exist, let them continue in their own reality; but where even the concept of ‘three worlds’ does not arise— There, where the state of ‘three worlds’ is reached, how can the notion of ‘Brahman’ even arise? Thus, no other conception of the world is possible there. For the one who truly knows reality, it is clear: the world is nothing but Brahman alone—undivided, peaceful, a mere appearance, pure as the sky. Just as, when examining a golden bracelet, one never perceives anything called ‘bracelet-ness’ apart from the pure gold itself, so too, apart from water, nothing is seen in a wave; what is called ‘wave-ness’ is seen by ordinary people, but in truth, it does not exist there. Likewise, apart from air, there is never any such thing as ‘movement’ anywhere; air is always just movement, and therefore, the world as a separate entity does not exist. As emptiness is the nature of space, heat is the nature of a desert, and light is the nature of fire—so too, Brahman is the very nature of the three worlds. Rama then asks, “O sage, by what reasoning does the utter absence of the perceived world bring about liberation? Please instruct me in that supreme method.” The reply comes: “When, through mutual dissolution, both the seer and the seen are resolved, and all duality ceases, what remains is nirvana. Therefore, listen as I explain how the world, as the seen, never truly arises, and how Brahman abides in its own nature. By what means is this known through reasoning, and how does this become established? When this is realized, nothing else remains to be accomplished. For a long time, the epidemic of false knowledge has taken root; but by the mantra of inquiry, it is completely uprooted and pacified. Yet, it cannot be instantly and completely cut off in a moment; just as, with equal effort, one ascends and descends a mountain. Therefore, by the discipline of practice, by reasoning, and by logical analysis, the delusion regarding the world is pacified. Listen as I explain how this is so. I will tell you a story, O Rama, for the sake of awakening knowledge. If you listen to it, O noble one, you will indeed be liberated and wise. Now, I shall explain to you the section on origination. Whatever arises, O Rama, is transcended by one who is liberated. Thus, this world-delusion appears as if it has arisen, though its nature is truly unborn; this will now be explained in the section on origination. Whatever is seen here—this world, whether moving or unmoving, in every form, with gods, demons, and kinnaras—when the great dissolution arrives, transforming through Rudra and others, it becomes non-existent and invisible, and disappears somewhere. Then, what remains is still and profound; neither light nor darkness pervades it. There is something unnamable and unmanifest, and that alone is left. It is not emptiness, nor space, nor the seen, nor the seeing; nor is it a multitude of elements and objects abiding in infinity. It is something whose nature cannot be described, whose form is fuller than full; neither existence nor non-existence, neither both nor absence, nor is it a dwelling. It is pure consciousness, free from objects, infinite, ageless, auspicious; without beginning, middle, or end, without dependence, and free from affliction. In it, the world shines forth, like a pearl and a swan appearing in vision; it is this, and yet not this—the divine, whose nature is both existence and non-existence. He has no ears, tongue, nose, skin, or eyes, yet everywhere and always, he hears, tastes, smells, touches, and sees. He alone, whose light reveals all forms of existence and non-existence, perceives the endless, beginningless creation, which is harsh and devoid of coloring. He who, with half-opened eyes, perceives his own true nature as the ever-shining Self—like the star in the middle of the brow—sees the world as a mere appearance. For him, there is no other cause of the all-pervading Lord, just as the horn of a hare does not exist; and for him, this world is merely an effect, like a mass of waves upon water. Thus, O Rama, is the profound truth of all existence.