काश्चित् संसृतयो दीर्घस्वप्नजाग्रत्तया स्थिताः । काश्चित् पुनःपुनस् स्वप्ना जाग्रत्स्वप्नास् तथेतराः
Some cycles of existence persist as long dreams or waking states; others, again and again, as dreams, or as waking and dreaming, or otherwise.
अज्ञानभूमिर् इति सप्तपदा मयोक्ता नानाविकारदपदान्तरभेदभिन्ना । अस्यास् समुत्तरसि चारुविचारणाभिर् दृष्टे प्रबोधविमले स्वयम् आत्मनीति
This ground of ignorance, called the sevenfold path, I have described as divided by various inner distinctions of transformation; when you cross beyond this by beautiful inquiry, and see the pure awakening, you know yourself as the Self.
इमां सप्तपदां ज्ञानभूमिम् आकर्णयानघ । न यया ज्ञातया मोहपङ्के भूयो निमज्जसि
Hear about this sevenfold ground of knowledge, O sinless one; by knowing it, you will not again sink into the mire of delusion.
वदन्ति बहुभेदेन वादिनो योगभूमिकाः । मम त्व् अभिमता नूनम् इमा एव शुभप्रदाः
The disputants speak of the stages of yoga in many ways; but these alone, I truly consider, are auspicious and worthy.
अवबोधं विदुर् ज्ञानं तद् इदं साप्तभूमिकम् । मुक्तिस् तज् ज्ञेयम् इत्य् उक्ता भूमिका सप्तकात् परम्
They call knowledge 'awakening'; this is the sevenfold ground; liberation is to be known as that which is beyond the seventh stage.
सत्यावबोधो मोक्षश् चैवेति पर्यायनामनी । सत्यबोधेन जीवो ऽयं नेह भूयः प्ररोहति
True understanding and liberation are synonymous; through true understanding, this living being does not sprout again here.
ज्ञानभूमिश् शुभेच्छाख्या प्रथमा समुदाहृता । विचारणा द्वितीयात्र तृतीया तनुमानसा
The first stage, called 'pure desire,' is declared; the second is 'inquiry,' and the third is 'attenuation of mind.'
सत्त्वापत्तिश् चतुर्थी स्यात् ततो ऽसंसक्तिनामिका । पदार्थाभावनी षष्ठी सप्तमी तुर्यगा स्मृता
The fourth is 'establishment in purity,' then comes the stage named 'non-attachment'; the sixth is 'absence of conceptualization,' and the seventh is known as 'transcending the fourth.'
आसाम् अन्ते स्थिता मुक्तिस् तस्यां भूयो न शोचते । एतासां भूमिकानां त्वम् इदं निर्वचनं शृणु
Liberation stands at the end of these stages; in that, one does not grieve again. Now listen to the explanation of these stages.
स्थितः किं मूढ एवास्मि प्रेक्षे ऽहं शास्त्रसज्जनम् । वैराग्यपूर्वम् इच्छेति शुभेच्छेत्य् उच्यते बुधैः
One who thinks, 'Am I merely dull, or am I observing the scriptures and the wise? I desire, preceded by dispassion,'—this is called 'pure desire' by the wise.
शास्त्रसज्जनसम्पर्कवैराग्याभ्यासपूर्वकम् । सदाचारप्रवृत्तिर् या प्रोच्यते सा विचारणा
The conduct that arises from association with scriptures and the wise, preceded by dispassion and practice, is called 'inquiry.'
विचारणाशुभेच्छाभ्याम् इन्द्रियार्थेष्व् अरक्तता । यत्राशातनुताभावात् प्रोच्यते तनुमानसा
Where, through inquiry and pure desire, there is lack of passion for sense objects, and due to absence of longing, it is called 'attenuation of mind.'
भूमिकात्रितयाभ्यासाच् चित्ते ऽर्थविरतेर् वशात् । सत्त्वात्मनि स्थिते शुद्धे सत्त्वापत्तिर् उदाहृता
Through practice of these three stages, and by the power of detachment from objects in the mind, when one abides in the pure essence of being, it is called 'establishment in purity.'
दशाचतुष्टयाभ्यासाद् असंसङ्गफलेन वै । रूढसत्त्वचमत्कारा प्रोक्तासंसक्तिनामिका
Through the practice of the fourteenfold discipline, with the result of non-attachment, arises the wondrous steadfastness of pure being, known as the state of non-attachment.
भूमिकापाञ्चकाभ्यासात् स्वात्मारामतया दृढम् । आभ्यन्तराणां बाह्यानां पदार्थानाम् अभावनात्
By the practice of the five stages, with firm delight in one's own Self, and by not conceiving of inner or outer objects, this is attained.
परप्रयुक्तेन चिरं प्रयत्नेनार्थबोधनात् । पदार्थाभावनानाम्नी षष्ठी सञ्जायते गतिः
And through long and diligent effort, prompted by another, in understanding the meaning of things, the sixth state called 'non-conception of objects' arises.
भूमिषट्कचिराभ्यासाद् भेदस्यानुपलम्भतः । यत् स्वभावैकनिष्ठत्वं सा ज्ञेया तुर्यगा गतिः
By long practice of the sixfold stage, and by not perceiving any division, that establishment in one's own true nature is to be known as the state called 'the fourth'.
एषा हि जीवन्मुक्तेषु तुर्यावस्थेह विद्यते । विदेहमुक्तविषयं तुर्यातीतम् अतः परम्
Indeed, this is the fourth state among those liberated while living; beyond this is the 'beyond the fourth', pertaining to those liberated after the body.
ये हि नाम महाभागास् सप्तमीं भूमिकाम् इताः । आत्मारामा महात्मानस् ते महत् पदम् आगताः
Those truly blessed ones who have reached the seventh stage, delighting in the Self and great of soul, have attained the supreme state.
जीवन्मुक्ता न मज्जन्ति सुखदुःखरसस्थितौ । प्राकृतेनार्यकार्येण किंचित् कुर्वन्ति वा न वा
The liberated while living do not sink into the taste of pleasure or pain; by natural or noble action, they may act or not act at all.
पार्श्वस्था बोधितास् सन्तस् सर्वाचारे क्रमागतम् । आचारम् आचरन्त्य् एव सुप्तबुद्धवद् अक्षताः
Those wise ones, when instructed by those nearby, perform all conduct in due order, remaining unshaken, like one awake in sleep.
आत्मारामतया तांस् तास् सुखयन्ति न काश्चन । जगत्क्रियास् सुसंसुप्तान् रूपालोकश्रियो यथा
Those who delight in the Self do not find any pleasure in worldly activities, just as one who is deeply asleep does not enjoy the splendors of forms and sights.
भूमिकासप्तकं त्व् एतद् धीमताम् एव गोचरम् । न पशुस्थावरादीनां न च म्लेच्छादिचेतसाम्
This sevenfold stage is accessible only to the wise; it is not for animals, immobile beings, or those whose minds are like barbarians.
प्राप्ता ज्ञानदशाम् एतां पशुम्लेच्छादयो ऽपि ये । सदेहा वाप्य् अदेहा वा ते मुक्ता नात्र संशयः
Even those among animals or barbarians who attain this state of knowledge, whether embodied or disembodied, are liberated—there is no doubt about this.
ज्ञप्तिर् हि ग्रन्थिविच्छेदस् तस्मिन् सति विमुक्तता । मृगतृष्णाम्बुबुद्ध्यादिशान्तिमात्रात्मकस् त्व् असौ
For knowledge is the severing of bondage; when that is present, there is liberation, which consists solely in the cessation of illusions like the mirage of water.
ये तु मोहाद् घनात् तीर्णा न प्राप्ताः पावनं पदम् । ते स्थिता भूमिकास्व् आसु स्वात्मलाभपरायणाः
But those who, though freed from dense delusion, have not reached the pure state, remain established in these stages, intent on realizing their own Self.
सर्वभूमिगताः केचित् केचिद् आन्तैकभूमिकाः । भूमित्रयगताः केचित् केचित् पञ्चमभूगताः
Some dwell in all the stages, some in only the innermost stage; some abide in three stages, and some in the fifth stage.
भूमिषट्कगताः केचित् केचित् सार्धैकभूमिकाः । भूचतुष्टयगाः केचित् केचिद् भूमिद्वये स्थिताः
Some are established in six stages, some in one and a half stages; some dwell in four stages, and some remain in two stages.
भूम्यंशभाजनाः केचित् केचित् सार्धत्रिभूमिकाः । केचित् सार्धचतुर्भूकास् सार्धषड्भूमिकाः परे
Some are partakers of portions of stages, some in three and a half stages; some in four and a half stages, and others in six and a half stages.
विवेकिनो नरा लोके चरन्त इति भूमिषु । गृहायतनतापस्य दशावेशेषु संस्थिताः
Discerning people in this world move about established in various states—of householder, hermit, or ascetic.