मोक्षोपायाभिधानेयं संहिता सारसम्मिता । त्रिंशद् द्वे च सहस्राणि ज्ञाता निर्वाणदायिनी
This scripture, called the means to liberation, is esteemed as the essence; thirty-two thousand verses are known to grant nirvana.
दीपे यथा विनिद्रस्य ज्वलिते सम्प्रवर्तते । आलोको ऽनिच्छतो ऽप्य् एवं निर्वाणम् अनया भवेत्
Just as light spreads from a lamp that burns without sleep, even without desire, so liberation arises from this.
स्वयं ज्ञाता श्रुता वापि भ्रान्तिशान्त्यैव सौख्यदा । आप्तोक्तिवर्णिता सद्यो यथामृततरङ्गिणी
Whether known by oneself or heard, it brings happiness by pacifying confusion; when described by the words of the wise, it is immediate, like the flow of nectar.
यथा रज्ज्वाम् अहिभ्रान्तिर् विनश्यत्य् अवलोकनात् । तथैतत्प्रेक्षणाच् छान्तिम् एति संसारदुःखिता
Just as the illusion of a snake in a rope vanishes upon seeing it, so by perceiving this, one suffering in the world attains peace.
युक्तियुक्तार्थवाक्यानि कल्पितानि पृथक् पृथक् । दृष्टान्तसारसूक्तानि चास्यां प्रकरणानि षट्
In this work, there are six sections, each composed of statements grounded in reasoning, separately constructed, and containing apt illustrations and meaningful sayings.
वैराग्याख्यं प्रकरणं प्रथमं परिकीर्तितम् । वैराग्यं वर्धते येन सेकेनेव मरौ तरुः
The first section is called 'Dispassion'; by which, as by watering a tree in the desert, dispassion is increased.
सार्धं सहस्रं ग्रन्थस्य यस्मिन् हृदि विचारिते । प्रकाशा शुद्धतोदेति मणाव् इव विमार्जिते
When the thousand verses of this section are reflected upon in the heart, pure illumination arises, just as a jewel shines when polished.
मुमुक्षुव्यवहाराख्यं ततः प्रकरणं कृतम् । सहस्रमात्रं ग्रन्थस्य सूक्तिग्रन्थेन सुन्दरम्
Next is the section called 'The Conduct of the Seeker of Liberation', beautiful with a thousand verses composed of meaningful sayings.
स्वभावो हि मुमुक्षूणां नराणां यत्र वर्ण्यते । एवंस्वभावो मोक्षस्य योग्य इत्य् अवगम्यते
Here, the nature of those who seek liberation among men is described, so that it may be understood who is fit for liberation by such a nature.
अथोत्पत्तिप्रकरणं दृष्टान्ताख्यायिकामयम् । पञ्चग्रन्थसहस्राणि विज्ञानप्रतिपादनम्
Then comes the section on 'Origination', filled with illustrative stories; it consists of five thousand verses and teaches the understanding of knowledge.
जागती द्रष्टृदृश्यश्रीर् अहं त्वम् इतिरूपिणी । अनुत्थितैवोत्थितेव यत्रेति परिवर्ण्यते
In this section, the glory of the world as seer and seen, as 'I' and 'you', is described as if it has not arisen, yet as if it has arisen.
यस्मिञ् श्रुते जगद् इदं श्रोत्रान्तर् बुध्यते ऽखिलम् । सास्मद्युष्मत् सविस्तारं सलोकाकाशपर्वतम्
Upon hearing this, one understands the entire world within the listener, in all its detail, together with 'I' and 'you', and with its worlds, space, and mountains.
पिण्डग्रहविनिर्मुक्तं निर्भित्तिकम् अपर्वतम् । पृथ्व्यादिभूतरहितं सङ्कल्प इव पत्तनम्
Free from the grasp of bodily form, without fissures, without mountains; devoid of the elements earth and so on, like a city created by imagination.
स्वप्नोपलब्धभावाभं मनोराज्यवद् आततम् । गन्धर्वनगरप्रख्यम् अर्थशून्योपलम्भनम्
Spread out like the semblance of something perceived in a dream, like a kingdom of the mind; resembling a city of the Gandharvas, an experience empty of substance.
द्विचन्द्रविभ्रमाभासं मृगतृष्णाम्बुवत् ततम् । नौयानलोलशैलाभं सत्यलाभविवर्जितम्
Appearing as the illusion of two moons, extended like the mirage-water of a desert; like a mountain swayed by a boat or wind, lacking any attainment of reality.
चित्तभ्रमपिशाचाभं निर्बीजम् अपि भास्वरम् । कथार्थप्रतिभानाभं व्योममुक्तावलीनिभम्
Like a ghost of mental confusion, radiant even though without seed; resembling the brilliance of a story's meaning, like a string of pearls in the sky.
कटकत्वं यथा हेम्नि तरङ्गत्वं यथाम्भसि । यथा नभसि नीलत्वम् असद् एवोत्थितं तथा
Just as gold takes on the form of an ornament, just as water takes on the form of a wave, just as the sky appears blue—so too, this arises as something unreal.
अभित्ति रङ्गरहितम् उपलब्धिमनोहरम् । स्वप्ने वा व्योम्नि वा चित्रम् अकर्म चिरभासुरम्
A wall without color, delightful to perceive; an image in dream or in the sky, inactive yet shining for a long time.
अवह्निर् एव वह्नित्वं धत्ते चित्रानलो यथा । तथा दधज् जगच्छब्दरूपार्थम् असदात्मकम्
Just as a painted fire assumes the appearance of fire without being fire, so too the word 'world' bears the meaning of form and sound, though its nature is unreal.
तरङ्गोत्पलमालाढ्यदृषत्पत्त्रम् इवोत्थितम् । चक्रशूत्कारचूर्णस्य मलराशिम् इवोदितम्
Arising like a cluster of lotus garlands made of waves, like a heap of dust from the grinding of a wheel, like a mass of impurity appearing suddenly.
शीर्णपत्त्रं भ्रष्टनष्टं ग्रीष्मे वनम् इवारसम् । मरणव्यग्रनृत्ताभं शिलास्त्रीहास्यहासदम्
Like a forest in summer, stripped of leaves, fallen and lost, devoid of flavor; like a dance of death, eager for its end; like the laughter of a stone woman, hollow and empty.
अन्धकारगृहैकैकनृत्तम् उन्मत्तचेष्टितम् । प्रशान्ताज्ञाननीहारं विज्ञानशरदम्बरम्
Like a solitary dance in a house of darkness, the gestures of a madman; the mist of ignorance calmed, the sky of knowledge clear as autumn.
समुत्कीर्णम् इव स्तम्भे चित्रभित्ताव् इवेहितम् । पङ्काद् इवाभिरचितं सचेतनम् अचेतनम्
As if carved upon a pillar, or painted upon a decorated wall; as if shaped from mud, the insentient appears as if sentient.
ततस् स्थितिप्रकरणं चतुर्थं परिकल्पितम् । त्रीणि ग्रन्थसहस्राणि स्वाख्यानाख्यायिकामयम्
Then, the fourth section, concerning stability, is composed; it contains three thousand verses, filled with explanations and stories.
इत्थं जगद् अहम्भावरूपं स्थितिम् उपागतम् । द्रष्टृदृश्यक्रमप्रौढम् इत्य् अत्र परिवर्णितम्
Thus, the world, having assumed the form of 'I'-ness, has come into existence; its maturity in the sequence of seer and seen is described here.
दशदिङ्मण्डलाभोगभासुरो ऽयं जगद्भ्रमः । इत्थम् अभ्यागतो वृद्धिम् इति तत्रोच्यते चिरम्
This delusion of the world, shining in the expanse of the ten directions, has thus grown; this is stated here at length.
उपशान्तिप्रकरणं ततः पञ्चसहस्रिकम् । पञ्चमं पावनं प्रोक्तं मुनिसन्ततिसुन्दरम्
Next, the section on quiescence, consisting of five thousand verses, is declared as the fifth, pure and beautiful among the lineages of sages.
इदं जगद् अहं त्वं च स इति भ्रान्तिर् उत्थिता । इत्य् असौ शाम्यतीत्य् अस्मिन् कथ्यते श्लोकसङ्ग्रहे
This delusion has arisen: 'This world, I, you, and he'; its cessation is explained in this collection of verses.
उपशान्तिप्रकरणे श्रुते शाम्यति संसृतिः । प्रस्पष्टा विभ्रमेणैव किञ्चिल्लभ्योपलम्भना
When the section on tranquility is heard, the cycle of worldly existence subsides; it becomes clear, through the very dissolution of delusion, that only a trace of perception remains.
शतांशशिष्टा भवति संशान्तभ्रान्तिरूपिणी । अन्यसङ्कल्पचित्तस्था नगरश्रीर् इवासती
What remains is but a hundredth part, taking the form of a pacified illusion; it abides in the mind of another's imagination, like the splendor of a city that does not truly exist.