One who enjoys the company of enlightened men does not suffer in this world, even as one who holds candle in his hand does not see darkness anywhere.
By merely listening to my words you will be enlightened, there is no doubt in this. Know that the universe has arisen from Brahman and it is Brahman alone. In the scriptures words have been used in order to facilitate the imparting of instruction. Cause and effect, difference and non-difference , knowledge and ignorance, pain and pleasure — all these pairs have been invented for the instructions of the ignorant. They are not real in themselves. As long as words are used to donate a truth, duality is inevitable; however, such duality is not the truth. All divisions are illusory.
Once I asked creator Brahma to tell me how this universe was created. And he gave me the following reply.
BRAHMA said: My child, it is only mind that appears as all this. In my mind I saw several seemingly independent universes. In them all I also saw my own counterparts — creators. In those universes I saw different kind of beings. Looking at all this I was puzzled: ‘How is it that I am seeing all these with my mind?’ I thought of the suns in one of the solar systems and asked him the question.
The SUN said: You have no wishes, nor any motives of your own. Naturally there is no need for you to do anything. What benefits do you derive from creating the universe? Creation of the universe is surely a motiveless pastime to you!
Creation emerges from you who are free from the least desire or motive just as the sun, without intending to shine, is reflected in a pool of water without the water intending to so reflect it.
As the all-pervading sky is not to be seen owing to its extreme tenuity; so the undivided nature of the all-pervasive intellect, is not to be perceived on account of its rarity. As the light residing in the waters of the sea or a pot of water, is not connected either with the water or pot, nor is it felt by us but by its reflexion; so the intangible soul abides unconnected in its receptacle of the body, and reflects itself to our knowledge only. It is clearer than the translucent air, and finer than it by a
hundred times; it is known as an undivided whole by the learned; who view it as identic with the whole undivided world, which it comprehends within itself. It neither rises nor sets, nor gets up nor sits; it neither proceeds nor recedes to or fro, it is not here nor is it no where. It is led by its own error and of its own accord, to forget and forsake its state of infinitude; and then by assuming its individual personality of egoism (that I am), it is converted to an ignoramus. (So men of contracted views turn to be dunces). It gives fragrance to flowers, and grows by degrees their filaments and pistils; and it makes the moisture of the porous ground, to grow vegetables on earth.
The Mind sometimes wishes to destroy its former frame and remove to another, and effects its purpose at will. Know the gods as offspring of the willful Mind; as the branches are the offshoots of the main tree, and the summits are projections of the principal mountain. The willful mind takes at its will its good, bad and moderate or sober forms; known under the names of satva, rajas and tamas. As the mind conceives a thing to be, so it perceives the same in actuality; therefore have no conception of anything, if you want to know the truth of it.
It is by mere chance, that we come to meet with the objects of our desire; as it is by an act of unavoidable chance also, that we are liable to lose them. They appear before us as secondary luminaries in the sky, and then fly away as the mirage vanishes from view. Try to relinquish your desire, and you will evade all difficulties; and cease to think of anything, and your desire for it will disappear of itself. The removal of reliance upon the world, removes our attachment to it; and consequently prevents our joy or sorrow at the gain or loss of any thing. Our desire like fire, is kindled by every straw; and it burns and blows out in its invisible form within the mind. He who has not been able to master over his vain desires, and hobby whims in this world, will find them vanish of themselves in course of time, as nothing false can last for ever.
If you know it to be a temporary existence, why then should you take any interest in what is so frail and unstable, rather than care for your immortal soul?
The quality of the inner soul or mind, manifests itself in the outer body, as the quality of the seed appears in the form and taste of its fruit. The mind then dwells upon the thoughts of its actions, which have their display in the several organs, and members of the bodily actions, which are produced by the motions of the inner thoughts and acts, as the leaves and branches of trees are projected by the inner process and operations of the seed. The body is the nest of the bird of the mind, and it is hole of the snake of lust; it is the cave of the goblin of greediness, and the den of the lion of life.