29. Say sir, what is the difference between the blessing and curse, which are pronounced on the Bráhman brothers, for their sovereignty over the seven continents on the one hand, and their having no such thing on the other; when they remained thinking themselves as monarchs of the world in their very house. 30. The acts of piety consisting of charities, austerities and obsequious ceremonies, which are productive of unknown rewards in the next world, and are of no benefit to their observers on earth; then what is the good derived from them, if they are not attended with any earthly benefit to the earthly body, but to a future body with which no one here has any concern. (Lit. to which none bears any affection). 31. Should it be said that the soul of the pious observer, reaps the reward in its future state; this also is impossible because the disembodied soul is incapable of enjoyment; and should it have another body to enjoy hereafter, but of what use is that distant body to the person of the present observer (of the pious acts)? 32. Should these acts be accompanied with any reward, either in this life or in the next, they could be known to the actor, but in want of this, their observance appears to be an irreconcilable incongruity. 33. These are my doubts (in the sástras and practices of men), which I beg you will kindly remove by your cool and clear reasoning, as the moon-light disperses the evening twilight. 34. Now sir, deign to dispel my doubts in my inquiry after transcendental truth, that it may conduce to my good in both worlds; because the company of the righteous, is ever fraught with very great blessings to all people. CHAPTER CCVII. REPLIES TO THE AFORESAID QUERIES (OF THE BUDDHIST). Argument:--Desultory replies of the sage to the foregoing questions in the three following chapters. Vasishtha replied:--Hear me prince, and I will clearly expound to you the doctrine, which will root out your doubts all at once. 2. All these entities in the world, are inexistent nullities for ever; though they appear as realities in our consciousness. 3. Whatever appears in any manner in our consciousness, (either as existing or non-existent, or as so and so); the same is thought as real as it seems to be, without our consideration of its true nature of a reality or otherwise. 4. Such is the nature of this consciousness, that it is thought to be one and same with the bodiless soul, by every one who knows what it is (by his acquaintance with the science of psychology). 5. It is this knowledge (or the idea) of a thing in the mind, either in waking or dreaming, that they call to be its body; hence it is this erroneous consciousness of anything, that is believed as its body, and there is nothing else beside this that they call a solid body.