बाह्यताभावनाद् बाह्यम् आत्मैवात्मत्वभावनात् । भवतीदं परे तत्त्वे भावनं तत् तद् एव हि
Through the contemplation of externality, the external appears; through the contemplation of selfhood, only the Self appears. In the ultimate reality, whatever is contemplated, that alone becomes manifest.
यान्तस्स्वप्नादिविभ्रान्तिस् सैवेयं बाह्यतोदिता । मनाग् अप्य् अन्यता नात्र द्विभाण्डपयसोर् इव
The illusion that arises within, as in dream and so forth, is the very same that appears as external; there is not the slightest difference here, just as there is none between two pots of water.
स्थैर्यास्थैर्ये तथैवात्र भ्रान्तिमात्रमये तते । आधाराधेयते ते द्वे यथा जलतरङ्गते
In this realm of mere illusion, stability and instability are likewise just appearances; their relationship as support and supported is like that of water and its wave.
स्वप्नादाव् आत्मनो ऽन्यत्वज्ञानाद् अन्यत्ववेदनम् । अनन्यभावबोधे तु तद् अनन्यन् न चोदयि
In dream and similar states, the knowledge of otherness gives rise to the perception of difference from oneself; but when there is the realization of non-otherness, that difference does not arise.
कलनारहितं शान्तं यद् रूपं परमात्मनः । भवत्य् असौ तत् तद्भावाद् अतद्भावान् न तद् भवेत्
That form of the supreme Self which is free from conceptualization and is peaceful, comes into being through identification with it; through non-identification, it does not manifest.
स्वप्नादिज्ञानसंशान्तौ यद् रूपं शुद्धम् ऐश्वरम् । न तद् अस्ति न तन् नास्ति न वाग्गोचरम् एति तत्
When knowledge such as dream subsides, that pure, sovereign form remains; it neither exists nor does not exist, nor does it come within the range of speech.
आत्यन्तिके भ्रान्तिलये मुक्त एवावगच्छति । स्वरूपं नोपदेशस्य विषयो विदुषो ऽपि तत्
When illusion is utterly dissolved, one is liberated and realizes one's own nature; this is not a matter for instruction, not even for the wise.
शान्तं निरस्तभयमानविषादलोभमोहात्म देहमननेन्द्रियचित्तजाड्यम् । त्यक्त्वाहम् अक्षयम् अपास्तसमस्तभेदं निर्वाणम् एकम् अजम् आसितम् एव युक्तम्
Having abandoned the body, mind, senses, and intellect—whose nature is peace, free from fear, pride, sorrow, greed, and delusion—I remain established in the undivided, unborn, single, imperishable nirvana, which is ever appropriate.
यदा चितिḫ प्रसरति तदाहन्ताजगद्भ्रमः । असद् एवाभ्युदेतीव स्पन्दाद् अप्स्व् इव दामता
When consciousness expands, then the illusion of 'I' and the world arises; though unreal, it seems to emerge, like the appearance of waves on water.
उदितो ऽपि न खेदाय ब्रह्मरूपत्ववेदनात् । परमाय त्व् अनर्थाय जगच्छब्दार्थभावनात्
Even when it arises, it does not cause distress, because of the awareness of its Brahman-nature; but it leads to great confusion when one contemplates the world as real.
रूपानुभवम् आदत्ते चक्षुḫ प्रसरणाद् यथा । चितिḫ प्रसरणात् तद्वज् जाग्रद्विभ्रमम् आस्थिता
Just as the eye perceives forms when it is active, so too, when consciousness is active, it assumes the waking illusion.
मासौ प्रसरतु व्यर्थं चेत्याभावान् न सा सती । असत् कथं प्रसरति वन्ध्यापुत्रẖ क्व नृत्यति
Let it expand in vain for months—since there are no objects of cognition, it does not truly exist; how can the unreal expand, or where can the son of a barren woman dance?
अयं त्व् अनुभवाद् एव मुधैवानुभवस् स्थितः । असद् एवाननुभवात् स्वयम् अर्भकयक्षवत्
This experience persists only through perception, but in reality it is baseless; what is unreal is not experienced, just as a child sees a yaksha only in imagination.
अयं भवामि दुẖखार्थम् अहम् इत्य् एव वेदनात् । अवेदनान् नाहम् अतस् स्वायत्ते बन्धमुक्तते
This sense of 'I am' exists only for the sake of suffering, because of the feeling 'I am'; without that feeling, there is no 'I', and thus bondage and liberation are in your own hands.
तद् ध्यानं स समाधिर् वो यद् अवेदनम् आसितम् । अजडाणां जडम् इव समं शान्तम् अनामयम्
That meditation, that samadhi for you, is to abide in non-perception—like the stillness of the inert in the wise, equal, peaceful, and free from affliction.
द्वैताद्वैतसमुद्भेदैर् वाक्यसन्दर्भविभ्रमैः । मा विषीदत दुẖखाय विबुधा अबुधा इव
Do not grieve over the confusions of duality and nonduality, or the perplexities of words and contexts; the wise should not suffer like the ignorant.
असद् आश्रयते दुẖखं स्वप्नवद् घनवासनः । रूपालोकमनस्कारान् सङ्कल्परचितान् इव
Dense impressions give rise to suffering, resting upon what is unreal, like a dream; through the perception of forms and mental attention, as if constructed by imagination.
दुẖखं सद् एव नाश्नाति सुप्तवत् तनुवासनः । रूपालोकमनस्कारान् सङ्कल्परहितान् इव
Only what is real does not experience suffering, like one asleep with subtle impressions; through the perception of forms and mental attention, as if devoid of imagination.
अत्यन्ततनुतां याता वासनैवैति मुक्तताम् । देशकालक्रियायोगात् पदार्थो ऽभावताम् इव
When impressions become extremely subtle, they alone attain liberation; just as, through the conjunction of place, time, and action, an object comes to nonexistence.
अत्यन्ततनुतां याता वासनैवैति मुक्तताम् । पराणुपरिमाणेन खतां खे ऽभ्रादिता यथा
When impressions become extremely subtle, they alone attain liberation; as, by the measure of the finest atom, space becomes sky, free from clouds.
अभावं भावना याति बोधेन घनतानवा । विपश्चित्सङ्गमाभ्यासात् पाण्डित्यम् इव मूढता
Imagination reaches nonexistence through knowledge, when density is thinned; by repeated association with the wise, ignorance becomes erudition.
नाहम् अस्मीति सद्युक्त्या निश्चयो ऽन्तश् शमात्मकः । जीवतो ऽजीवतश् चातिरूढो बोध इति स्मृतः
The conviction, 'I am not this,' established by true reasoning, is inwardly composed of tranquility; this is called 'awakening,' firmly established in both the living and the non-living.
वायौ स्पन्द इवात्रेदं जगदाद्य् अवभासते । को ऽहं कथम् इदं चेति विचारेणैव शाम्यति
Just as vibration appears in the wind, so this world first manifests here; by inquiry into 'Who am I? How is this?' it comes to rest.
नाहम् इत्य् एव निर्वाणं किम् एतावति मूढता । सत्सङ्गमविचाराभ्याम् एतद् आश्व् अवगम्यते
The realization 'I am not this' is nirvana; what ignorance remains in that? Through association with the wise and inquiry, this is quickly understood.
क्षीयते तत्त्ववित्सङ्गाद् अहम् इत्य् एव बन्धनम् । आलोकेनेव तिमिरं दिवसेनेव यामिनी
The bondage of 'I am' is dissolved by the company of one who knows the truth, just as darkness is dispelled by light, or night by the day.
को ऽहं कथम् इदं दृश्यं को जीवः किं च जीवनम् । इति तत्त्वज्ञसंयोगाद् यावज्जीवं विचारयेत्
By association with a knower of reality, one should continually inquire throughout life: 'Who am I? What is this world I perceive? Who is the individual soul? What is living?'
जीवितं भुवनं भाति तमो ऽहम् इति नश्यति । तत्त्वालोकेन तज्ज्ञार्कसेवनात् स निषेव्यताम्
Life and the world appear, but the darkness of 'I am' is destroyed by the light of truth, through the service of those who know that truth; therefore, serve them.
यो यो बोधातिशयवांस् तं तं पृथग् उपास्स्व भोः । सङ्गसङ्कथयोदेति तेषां वादपिशाचिका
Approach each person who possesses exceptional understanding individually, for in their company, the ghost of argument arises through discussions about association.
विवादयक्षे ऽभ्युदिते बालस्येव विपश्चितः । मुक्तिम् उक्ताम् अलं मुख्यम् उदेत्य् अहम् इति भ्रमः
When the dice of debate are cast, even the wise become like children; the delusion of 'I am' arises, and the liberation that was spoken of is lost.
अतḫ प्रत्येकम् एकान्ते प्राज्ञस् सेवेत पण्डितम् । एकीकृत्य तदुक्तांस् तान् अर्थान् बुद्ध्या विचारयेत्
Therefore, the wise should privately serve a learned person, and, having gathered the meanings of their words, reflect upon them with understanding.