Digital Blackboard – February 16, 2008
From Dasbodh Chapter: 8, Sub-Chapter 8; The Perception of Self
40. Understand that Illusion is not real even though it has an appearance. Similarly, even though one has a body, one is already beyond the body. Recognize this and know the content that comes with this understanding.
41. When a kingdom falls into your hands, the administration of the kingdom continues to function just fine as you see everything going on. The kingdom does not become lost because the administrators are seen to be functioning.
42. Similarly, upon gaining Self-Knowledge, the awareness of the body does not disappear. Seeing the body function does not take away one's contentment.
43. If a long root is mistaken for a snake, one becomes very frightened, but when giving some thought as to the truth of its nature, there is no need to kill the root.
44. Similarly, Illusion is scary, yet when one enquires into its true nature, there is no reason why one should hold on to any fear about it.
45. When seeing a mirage, it looks like a flood and one asks about how to get across the water. However, when the truth is known, there is no worry.
46. When seeing a terrible dream, one feels very scared in the dream. However, when wakes up, there is no reason why one should be doubtful about the events in the dream.
47. Illusion occurs in concepts while the Self is beyond all concepts. How can there be any despair when there are no concepts?
48. It is said that whatever mental state that one has at the time of the end of the body determines what comes after death. It is told like this in all of the scriptures. Therefore, naturally you will also experience according to your own mental state.
49. You are the Self that is different from the four bodies and their birthplace, which is Ignorance and Illusion.
50. One whose state of mind is like this, is knowledgeable, and is on the path of the Self. For such a one, elevation and downfall do not apply.
51. Where even the intellect of the Vedas became incapable of further explanation about the Self, how can there by any question about upliftment or downfall? The verification of oneness comes from oneself, the scriptures, and the teaching of the guru.
52. When the delusion of being an individual is discarded, Reality is realized in one's Self-experience. It is by the teachings of the Sadguru that living beings land on the best path to liberation.
53. When one receives knowledge from the Sadguru, he comes to the end of the four bodies, which give rise to constant contemplation of one's True Nature.
54. With that constant contemplation the living being becomes rich in the liberation of identification with Reality.
55. When the visible objects disappear, what remains is only the Self. With careful enquiry, one can see that visible appearances do not really exist.
56. The false is seen to be false, and experienced as unreal. The listeners should listen carefully to this principle which is called liberation.
57. One who holds the teaching of the Sadguru in the heart, is entitled to liberation. Such a one listens and reflects upon what has been heard again and again, with great respect.
58. Where both the primary premise and the final statement of the Vedas disappear, and where there is neither seeker nor goal, understand that this is the state of the Self which is liberation.
59. Where meditation and concentration end, and concepts disappear in that which is without any concepts, there remains only Knowledge which is the most subtle Brahman.
60. When the mirage of worldly life dries up, one is released from the false bondage, and that which has no birth is freed from the sorrows of birth.
61. The illness of attachment which has afflicted the one who is innately detached, the body consciousness which has affected the one that is beyond the body, and the identification as being a limited being in the world, are all destroyed by the power of discrimination.
62. The sense of duality in the non–dual is broken, solitude is given to the one who is alone, and the endless is granted the realization of endlessness.
63. The wakefulness is itself awakened, the awakened is made alert, and that which is knowledgeable is given Self-Knowledge.
64. The immortal nectar is made immortal, liberation is given to the house of liberation, and the individual self and the Supreme Self are forever merged.
65. The attributeless has become attributeless, the meaningful has become meaningful, and one has met oneself after a long time.
66. The partition curtain of duality is snapped, non–distinction has broken distinctions, and the afflictions of the Five Elements are removed.
67. Spiritual practice has born fruit, the unmoving remains immovable, and by the power of discrimination, that which is stainless and untainted by any appearances remains pure.
68. That which was very near was missed, and was acquired by the one to whom it belonged. Upon seeing oneself, the miseries of birth are removed.
69. A Brahmin priest became horrified when he saw himself born into a lower caste in a dream, but upon awakening, he realized his real identity.
It is similar to this for one with Self-Knowledge.
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