The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
35. As one pursuing after darkness sees a lighted torch in his hand,
sees but a blaze of light before, and no shadow of darkness about him;
so the inquirer after truth perceives the light of truth, shining to
his face and no vestige of untruth left behind him.
36. In this manner doth ignorance (Avidyá) fly away and disappear at
the sight of the light of reason; and although an unreal nothing, she
appears as something real, wherever there is the want of reason. (Hence
all unreasoning men are the most ignorant).
37. As the great mass of thick darkness, disappears into nothing at the
advance of light; it is in the same manner that the substantiality of
gross ignorance, is dissolved into unsubstantiality at the advancement
of knowledge. (so the advancement of inductive science, has put flight
the dogmatic doctrines of old).
38. Unless one condescends to examine in a thing, it is impossible for
him to distinguish it from another (as the shell from silver and rope
for the snake); but upon his due examination of it, he comes to detect
the fallacy of his prejudgment (as those of the silver and snake in the
shell and the rope).
39. He who stoops to consider whether the flesh or blood or bones of
his bodily frame, constitutes his personality, will at once perceive
that he is none of these, and all these are distinct from himself. (The
personality of a man consisting in his soul, and not in any part or
whole of his body).
40. And as nothing belonging to the person makes the persons, but
something beyond it that forms one's personality; so nothing in the
world from its first to last is that spirit, but some thing which has
neither its beginning nor end, is the eternal and infinite spirit. (The
same is the universal soul).
41. Thus ignorance being got over there remains nothing whatever,
except the one eternal soul which is the adorable Brahma and
substantial whole.
42. The unreality of ignorance is evident from the negative term of
negation and ignoring of its essentiality, and requires no other proof
to disprove its essence; as the relish of a thing is best proved by the
tongue and no other organ of sense. (The term Avidyá signifying the
want of _vidyá_--knowledge and existence [Sanskrit: vidyámánatá]).
43. There is no ignorance nor inexistence except the intelligence
and existence of God, who pervade over all visible and invisible
natures, which are attributed with the appellations of existence
and inexistence. (The whole being God (to Pan--the All) there is no
existence or inexistence without Him).
44. So far about Avidyá, which is not the knowledge but ignorance of
Brahma; and it is the dispersion of this ignorance which brings us to
the knowledge of God.
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