47. That One is only existent, which has no sensation and is no other than of the form of an endless vacuum; it is that unintelligible vacuous form and pure intelligence itself, which is the pith and substance of all existence. CHAPTER III. DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PHENOMENALS. Argument:—Admonition for ignoring the visibles, and the means of attaining the insensibility and inactivity of the wise. Ráma said:—Tell me, O Sage, how it may be possible to convert our knowledge to ignorance, since it is impossible to make a nothing of something, as also to make anything out of a nothing. 2. Vasishtha replied:—Verily a nothing or unreality, cannot be something in reality; nor a real something can become an unreal nothing; but in any case where both of these (_viz._; reality as well as unreality of a thing) are possible, there the cognition and incognition of something, are both of them equally palpable of themselves. (This is termed a _Chátushkotika Sunsaya_ or quadruplicate apprehension of something, consisting, of the reality or unreality of a thing, and the certainty or uncertainty of its knowledge). 3. The two senses of the word knowledge (_i.e._ its affirmative and negative senses) are apparent in the instance of “a rope appearing as a snake”: here the knowledge of the rope is certain, but that of the snake is a mistake or error. And so in the case of a mirage presenting the appearance of water. (Here the things snake and water prove to be nothing, and their knowledge as such, is converted to error or want of knowledge). 4. It is better therefore to have no knowledge of these false appearances, whose knowledge tends to our misery only; wherefore know the true reality alone, and never think of the unreal appearance. (Do not think the visibles either as real or unreal, but know the deathless spirit that lies hid under them). 5. The conception of the sense of sensible perceptions, is the cause of woe of all living beings; therefore it is better to root out the sense of the perceptibles from the mind, and rely in the knowledge of the underlying universal soul only. (Taking the particulars in the sense of individual souls, is the cause of misery only). 6. Leaving aside the knowledge of parts, and the sense of your perception of all sensible objects, know the whole as one infinite soul, in which you have your rest and _nirvána_ extinction. 7. Destroy all your acts of merit and demerit, by the force of your discrimination; and your knowledge of the evanescence of your deeds, aided by your knowledge of truth, will cause the consummation of Yoga (Siddhi). 8. By rooting out the reminiscence of your acts, you put a stop to their results and your course in the world; and if you succeed to gain the object of your search (_i.e._ your spiritual knowledge), by means of your reason, you have no more any need of your action.