18. The seasons are its branches (in which they grow and wither away); and the ten sides of the air are its smaller boughs; because they spread themselves in all directions; self-consciousness is the pith and marrow of this tree (and of all sensible creatures), and the wind of the air is the breath of life, that fluctuates in every part of this tree of the world. 19. The sun-shine and moon-beams, are the two flowers of this tree; their rising and setting represent the opening and closing of blossoms; and the daylight and darkness of night, are as butterflies and bumble bees fluttering over them. 20. Know at last, that one all pervading ignorance, extends all over this tree of the world; stretching from its root in the Tartarus, on all sides of the compass and its top in the heavens above. It is all an unreality appearing as real existence, and egoism which is the seed of this fallacy, being burnt up by the fire un-egoism, it will no more vegetate in the form of this arbour of the world; nor put forth itself in future births and continuous transmigrations in this visionary world. CHAPTER VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE OF ILLUSION. Argument:—Destruction of the arbor of the World by the fire of reason, and description of the fabric of the world as the mansion of Delusion—Máyá-mandapa. Bhusunda continued and said:—Now Vidyádhara! You have heard, how the mundane arbor comprises the earth with her mountains and cavern abodes, and stretches to all sides and touches the skies, bearing all living being continually moving and living upon it (_i.e._ its produce). 2. Such is the mundane tree, growing out of the seed of egoism; but this seed being roasted by the fire of reason, ceases to sprout forth anymore (_i.e._ into new life in future births). 3. The visibles are not existent, nor is I or thou (_i.e._ the subjective or objective) ever a positive reality, and this fallacy of their positivity is wholly burnt away by the knowledge of _tajjnána_ or their identity with God (_i.e._ in the extinction of all distinctive knowledge in the entity of the sole unity). 4. As it is the thought of I and thou that begets the idea of egoism and tuism, which becomes the seed of the world; so it is the thought of _non-ego et tu_, that removes the idea of egoism and tuism, and this is the true and best knowledge of God. 5. Think of the inexistence of the world before its creations, and say where was then this knowledge of egoism and tuism, or this delusion of the unity or duality. 6. Those who strive diligently to get rid of their desires altogether, according to the instructions of their preceptors (as given before); verily they become successful in obtaining the supreme state (of the knowledge and presence of God).