यद् ब्रह्मात्मा विभुर् यश् च याविद्या प्रकृतिश् च या । तद् अभिन्नं सदैकात्म यथा कुम्भशतेषु मृत्
That which is Brahman, the Self, the all-pervading, as well as what is called ignorance and nature—these are always non-different, of one essence, just as clay is in a hundred pots.
नात्मनः प्रकृतिर् भिन्ना घटान् मृण्मयता यथा । स्पन्दमात्रं यथा वायुर् आत्मैव प्रकृतिस् तथा
Nature is not separate from the Self, just as the clayness is not separate from pots; just as motion is only air, so too is nature nothing but the Self.
आवर्तस् सलिलस्येव यस् स्पन्दस् स्वयम् आत्मनः । प्रोक्तः प्रकृतिशब्देन तेनैवेह स एव हि
Just as a whirlpool is only water, so too is the vibration of the Self itself called by the word 'nature'; thus, here, it is truly only that.
यथैकं स्पन्दपवनौ नाम्ना भिन्नौ न सत्तया । तथैकम् आत्मप्रकृती नाम्ना भिन्ने न सत्तया
Just as motion and wind are different in name but not in substance, so too the Self and nature are different in name but not in reality.
अबोधाद् एतयोर् भेदो बोधेनैव विलीयते । अबोधो ऽसन्मयो भ्रान्ती रज्ज्वां सर्पभ्रमो यथा
The distinction between these two arises from ignorance and is dissolved by knowledge; ignorance is made of non-being, a delusion like the illusion of a snake in a rope.
चिद्भूमौ कलनाबीजं यद् एतत् पतति स्फुरत् । चित्ताङ्कुर उदेत्य् अस्माद् भाविसंसारषण्डकः
When the seed of conceptualization falls upon the ground of consciousness and flashes forth, from that arises the sprout of mind, from which the forest of future world-appearance grows.
एतद् एवात्मविज्ञानदग्धं सद्वासनाजलैः । संसिक्तम् अपि यत्नेन न भवत्य् अङ्कुरक्षमम्
Even if it is thoroughly watered with the streams of noble tendencies, that which has been burned by the fire of self-knowledge does not become fit to sprout again.
नो चेत् पतति चित्क्षेत्रे कलनाबीजकं ततः । चित्ताङ्कुरा न जायन्ते सुखदुःखफलद्रुमाः
If, however, the seed of conceptualization does not fall into the field of consciousness, then the sprouts of mind do not arise, nor the trees of pleasure and pain as their fruit.
द्वित्वं जगत्य् असदुपात्तम् अबोधजातं बोधक्षयं जहिहि बोधम् उपागतो ऽसि । आत्मैकभावविभवेन भवाभयात्मा नास्त्य् एव दुःखम् इति नः परमार्थसारः
Duality in the world is falsely assumed and born of ignorance; abandon this ignorance, for you have attained knowledge. By the power of the one Self alone, which is the essence of fearlessness in existence, there is truly no suffering—this is our highest teaching.
ज्ञातं ज्ञातव्यम् अखिलं दृष्टं द्रष्टव्यम् अक्षतम् । परेण परिपूर्णास् स्मो ब्रह्मञ् ज्ञानामृतेन ते
All that is to be known has been known, all that is to be seen has been seen without harm; by your nectar of knowledge, O Brahman, we are completely fulfilled.
पूर्णात्मकम् इदं पूर्णं पूर्णात् पूर्णं प्रपूर्यते । पूर्णेन पूरितं पूर्णं स्थिता पूर्णैव पूर्णता
This fullness is of the nature of fullness; from fullness, fullness is filled; fullness, filled by fullness, remains ever full—such is the nature of fullness.
लीलयेदं तु पृच्छामि भूयो बोधाभिवृद्धये । बालस्येव पिता ब्रह्मन् न रोषं कर्तुम् अर्हसि
Yet, I ask this again in play, for the further growth of understanding; just as a father does for a child, O Brahman, you ought not to be angry.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुस् स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणम् एव च । विद्यमानम् अपि ब्रह्मन् दृश्यमानम् अपि स्फुटम्
Hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell—even though they exist, O Brahman, and are clearly perceived—
कथं मृतस्यैव जन्तोर् विषयं स्वं न पश्यति । जीवतश् च कथं सर्वं विषयं स्वं प्रपश्यति
How is it that a creature, when dead, does not perceive its own objects, and yet, when alive, perceives all its own objects?
कथं घटादि बाह्यस्थम् इन्द्रियाणि जडान्य् अपि । शरीरे ऽनुभवन्त्य् अन्तः पुनर् नानुभवन्त्य् अपि
How do the senses, though inert and situated externally like a pot and similar objects, experience within the body, yet do not experience externally?
अयश्शलाकोपमयोर् घटादीन्द्रिययोः किल । अश्लिष्टयोर् नीरसयोः कथं सत्तोदिता मिथः
Just as two rods of iron, like a pot and the senses, when joined together and devoid of essence, how does the arising of existence occur mutually between them?
जानन्न् अपि यद् एतत् त्वां विशेषाशङ्कया पुनः । पृच्छामि तद् अशेषेण कथयाश्व् अनुकम्पया
Even though I know this, I ask you again out of particular doubt; please explain it fully, out of compassion.
इन्द्रियाण्य् अपि चित्तादि घटाद्य् अपि न किञ्चन । पृथक् सम्भवतीहाङ्ग निर्मलाच् चेतनाद् ऋते
The senses, mind, and so forth, as well as pots and similar objects, are nothing by themselves; they arise separately here, O friend, except from pure consciousness.
गगनाद् अपि याच्छा चित् तया रूपं स्वम् आत्मना । चित्त्वात् पुर्यष्टकत्वेन भाववृत्त्यैव भावितम्
Consciousness, even from space, draws its own form by itself; due to its nature as mind, as the subtle body, it is shaped only by the activity of thought.
तद् एवेदं प्रकृतितां गतं जगद् अवस्थितम् । तस्यावयवजातं तद् इन्द्रियादि घटादि च
This world, having attained its own nature, is established; its components are those born from it, such as the senses and pots and so forth.
पुर्यष्टकत्वम् आयातं यच् चित्तत्त्वं स्वभावतः । स्व एवावयवस् तस्मिन् घटादि प्रतिबिम्बति
That which is the essence of mind, by its own nature, has become the subtle body; its own parts are reflected as pots and similar objects within it.
जगत्सहस्रनिर्माणमहिम्नां दर्पणस्य मे । पुर्यष्टकस्य भगवन् रूपं कथय कीदृशम्
O revered one, describe to me the form of the subtle body, which, like a mirror, possesses the power to create thousands of worlds.
अनाद्यन्तजगद्बीजं यद् ब्रह्मास्ति निरामयम् । भारूपं शुद्धचिन्मात्रं कलाकलनवर्जितम्
That Brahman, which is the seed of the universe without beginning or end, is free from affliction, substantial, pure consciousness alone, devoid of all divisions and modifications.
कलनोन्मुखतां यातं सत् तज् जीव इति स्मृतः । स जीवः खलु देहे ऽस्मिंश् चिनोति स्पन्दते स्फुटम्
When that reality becomes inclined toward differentiation, it is called the jīva; this jīva, indeed, in this body, perceives and distinctly vibrates.
अहम्भावाद् अहङ्कारो मननान् मन उच्यते । बोधनिश्चयतो बुद्धिर् इन्द्रदृष्टेस् तथेन्द्रियम्
From the sense of 'I', arises ego; from thinking, arises mind; from discernment and determination, arises intellect; and from perception by the senses, arises the sense organs.
देहभावनया देहो घटभावनया घटः । एष एवंस्वभावात्मा जीवः पुर्यष्टकं स्मृतम्
Through the conception of the body, the body arises; through the conception of a pot, the pot arises; thus, this jīva, whose nature is as described, is known as the puryaṣṭaka.
ज्ञत्वकर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वसाक्षित्वाद्यभिमानिनी । या संविज् जीव इत्य् उक्ता तद् धि पुर्यष्टकं विदुः
That consciousness which identifies itself as knower, doer, enjoyer, witness, and so forth, is called the jīva; this, indeed, is what the wise call the puryaṣṭaka.
काले काले स्वतो जीवस् त्व् अन्यो ऽन्यो भवति स्वतः । भाविताकारितानन्तवासनाकणिकोदयात्
At different times, the jīva becomes distinct from itself, due to the arising of countless impressions formed by past thoughts and actions.
पुर्यष्टकस्वभावेन कालेनाकारम् ऋच्छति । वासनावशतस् सेकाद् बीजं पल्लवताम् इव
By the nature of the puryaṣṭaka, over time, it acquires form; compelled by impressions, it develops, just as a seed sprouts.
आकारो ऽहं शरीरादि स्थावरादि सुरादि वा । नाहम् आद्यश् चिदात्मेति मिथ्याज्ञाने निमज्जति
Form is 'I', whether as body, or as immobile beings, or as gods; but 'I am the original consciousness-self'—this false knowledge is submerged.