Just as a barren tree, upon receiving the delight of sweetness, becomes radiant—bursting forth with fruit, flowers, and leaves, yet never losing its essential nature—so too does the living being, by the delight of consciousness, become embodied. Even while taking on form, the being never abandons its pure consciousness, for its very existence is woven from the vision of awareness. The sense of “I” arises within, much like the taste of the earth emerges from countless, unique clusters of roots. From various delusions within one's own consciousness, the sense of individuality takes shape. The trees of consciousness, luminous with the sap of awareness, spread out with hundreds of visible branches, yet their true extent within the self cannot be discerned here. Just as each root individually savors the delight of taste within itself, so does consciousness separately experience the cycles of existence. Whatever form of individual existence arises, in whatever way, from the power of life, that very state is assumed by consciousness within itself, thus establishing the existence of worlds and beings. Some cycles of individual existence dissolve into one another; after wandering through the world in their own ways, they eventually come to rest, though only after a long while. With this subtle, supreme vision, one may see not only one's own self but also thousands of networks of worlds, even within the smallest atoms. Just as oil is present in every sesame seed, so too do the marks of worldly existence dwell in all things—in a wall, in the sky, in stone, in flame, in wind, and in water. When the mind attains purity, the individual becomes pure consciousness; and since consciousness is all-pervading, there is mutual merging and unity. The immense dream of the world, which fills the existence of all beings—from the lotus-born Brahma onward—with the illusion of their own being, arises spontaneously within consciousness. Some sequences of beings pass from one dream into another; thus, their perceptions become firmly established in things like walls and so forth. Whatever consciousness imagines anywhere, that indeed quickly becomes so there; whatever is seen in a dream at that time is truly real for that moment. Within the subtle atom of consciousness dwell all the minute experiences, just as within a tiny seed lie the forms of leaf, vine, flower, and fruit. The supreme atom of consciousness holds the universe within itself, just as space is contained within space. One is urged to abandon the illusion of both duality and unity. Consciousness, by its own subtle particles, experiences within itself the distinctions called space, time, action, and so on, for one atom cannot experience another. The cluster of conscious atoms, all-pervading and clear, is experienced as the body by all beings—from Brahma down to the smallest insect—according to their own perception. Here, only a little seems to be formed, but in reality, nothing at all; the supreme atoms of consciousness simply taste their own nature, and duality. The radiant body of consciousness, composed of subtle atoms, shines forth by itself, pouring out the delight of awareness through the gates of the senses such as the eyes and others. Some perceive other forms externally as dense masses of consciousness, since consciousness is all-pervading, indestructible, and the very seed of all that is seen. Others see the entire world within, without any division; in that inner realm, through the calculation of time, one rises and sinks. There, repeatedly, one dream follows another, and beings are tossed about in illusory realms, like a stone fallen from a mountain peak. Some are closed off, some remain confused within themselves; yet, immersed in their own awareness, clusters of embodied beings shine forth. Among those who perceive inwardly the commotion of the world and living beings, for some, that is seen as unreal, like a dream. Because the nature of all is universal, what is seen is true within oneself; wherever the all-pervading exists, there everything arises. Within the living being, in the midst of the appearance of creation, the cluster of living beings rises up strongly, and within it, another also arises. Within a living being, another living being arises; within that, yet another lives. Everywhere, like the layers of a plantain leaf, the seed of life continues to sprout. The growth and decline of perceptual understanding occur together, endlessly; just as gold takes the form of ornaments, so too, through mere conceptualization, understanding ceases. For one in whom inquiry does not arise—“Who am I? What is this?”—the long delusion of the fever of life, unbounded by beginning or end, persists. But for one whose discernment has matured and whose understanding is established, the craving for enjoyment diminishes day by day. Just as medicine, when properly used for the body, produces health, so discernment, when applied to mastery of the senses, yields its fruit. Discernment exists only in speech, shining like a bright fire; for one who abandons it, discernment brings only suffering. Just as wind is known by touch and not by words, so discernment is recognized by the lessening of desire. Know that the nectar in a painting is not real nectar; the fire in a painting is not real fire. In a painted woman, there is truly no woman. By words alone, discernment is merely non-discernment. First, by discernment, attachment and enmity are weakened at their root; later, they are completely eliminated. Where this purification occurs, there true discrimination exists. Now, after the section on origination, listen to this: the section on sustenance, which, when known, leads to liberation. Because the essence of consciousness is one solid mass, the various types of living beings exist within it, like layers in a plantain stem or insects within a man's body. Just as, in the summer, worms arise from sweat and filth, so too, from the mind, beings spontaneously take on various forms and names. As these living beings strive for realization of their own true nature, so, in accordance with their diverse practices, they quickly attain various results. Those who worship the gods become gods; those who worship yakshas become yakshas; those who worship Brahman attain Brahman. Indeed, one attains that which is not trivial, but which one truly seeks.