Mysticism -- Hinduism; Religion; Sanskrit literature -- Translations into English
Thus the disciple approached the Master and inquired concerning the cause of
life and human activity. Having a sincere longing for Truth he desired to
know who really sees and hears, who actuates the apparent physical man. He
perceived all about him the phenomenal world, the existence of which he could
prove by his senses; but he sought to know the invisible causal world, of
which he was now only vaguely conscious. Is mind all-pervading and
all-powerful, or is it impelled by some other force, he asked. Who sends
forth the vital energy, without which nothing can exist? The teacher replies:
II
It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the
speech, the life of the life, the eye of the eye. The wise,
freed (from the senses and from mortal desires), after leaving
this world, become immortal.
An ordinary man hears, sees, thinks, but he is satisfied to know only as much
as can be known through the senses; he does not analyze and try to find that
which stands behind the ear or eye or mind. He is completely identified with
his external nature. His conception does not go beyond the little circle of
his bodily life, which concerns the outer man only. He has no consciousness
of that which enables his senses and organs to perform their tasks.
There is a vast difference between the manifested form and That which is
manifested through the form. When we know That, we shall not die with the
body. One who clings to the senses and to things that are ephemeral, must die
many deaths, but that man who knows the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear,
having severed himself from his physical nature, becomes immortal.
Immortality is attained when man transcends his apparent nature and finds that
subtle, eternal and inexhaustible essence which is within him.
III
There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know
That; we do not understand how It can be taught. It is distinct
from the known and also It is beyond the unknown. Thus we have
heard from the ancient (teachers) who told us about It.
These physical eyes are unable to perceive that subtle essence. Nor can it be
expressed by finite language or known by finite intelligence, because it is
infinite. Our conception of knowing finite things is to know their name and
form; but knowledge of God must be distinct from such knowledge. This is why
some declare God to be unknown and unknowable; because He is far more than eye
or mind or speech can perceive, comprehend or express. The Upanishad does not
say that He cannot be known. He is unknowable to man's finite nature. How
can a finite mortal apprehend the Infinite Whole? But He can be known by
man's God-like nature.
IV
That which speech does not illumine, but which illumines speech:
know that alone to be the Brahman (the Supreme Being), not this
which people worship here.
V
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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