Prose-section 38
In plain words
Backed by the power of veiling, the power of projection ties the ignorant person to this ego, the cause of delusion, and through its qualities tosses him about for nothing, like a man possessed. When the veiling is destroyed, the Self shines by itself, free of doubt and every other obstacle, and projection goes too; or if it stays, it is seen clearly to be false. While the veiling stands, projection cannot go, and the veiling goes only when seer and seen are told apart, as milk is separated from water. Discernment born of clear knowledge sorts the seer, the Self, from the seen, the not-Self, and breaks the bondage of delusion that ignorance produces. So the discerning person sees it this way: ‘The mind that ignorance produced is falsely joined to the Self, which is being, as iron is joined to fire, and it spreads out as the world of knower, knowing and known. What appears is unreal, like what is seen in madness, in daydream or in dream. The ego and everything down to the body are changes of nature, and they and all other seen things change in many ways from moment to moment. The true Self never changes at any time. This one Self within, eternal, without a second, undivided knowledge, other than being and non-being, witness of the mind and the rest, the real meaning of the word “I”, is the supreme Self, solid bliss that never ends.’ Having separated the real Self from the unreal not-Self in this way and made sure of the real Self, he sees with his own knowledge: ‘This very I is undivided knowledge, the supreme Brahman.’ By this seeing of the Self, the veiling, the false knowledge and all the sorrow that projection brought cease, as they cease when the rope is seen, and freed of them he comes of himself to the highest peace. When through samādhi without distinctions he sees the non-dual Self, ignorance and the knot of the Heart it tied are destroyed completely. Once the fire of knowing that the supreme and the individual are one has burnt the forest of ignorance to nothing, what seed of becoming is left for the free one who has become the non-dual Self? None; so there is no more round of birth and death. That is why the discerning must know the truth of the Self to be free from bondage.
Word for word
Through the strength of veiling, the power of projection joins the ignorant person to the ego, the cause of delusion, and through its qualities tosses him about uselessly, like a possessing spirit. When this veiling is destroyed, the Self shines of itself, free of doubts and other obstacles. Projection disappears; or, if it remains, it appears wholly unreal. Without destruction of veiling, projection is not destroyed. Veiling is destroyed only through distinguishing seer and seen, like separating milk and water. Sound discrimination born of clear knowledge separates the seer, the Self, from the seen, the non-Self, and destroys bondage in the form of delusion produced by ignorance. The discriminating person therefore understands: ‘The intellect arising through ignorance becomes falsely identified with the Self whose nature is existence, like iron associated with fire, and expands as the universe of knower, knowing and known. What appears is unreal, as in mental derangement, imagination and dream. These modifications of prakṛti, from ego down to body, and all other perceived objects undergo diverse changes in a moment. The real Self never changes. This one, eternal, non-dual inward Self, indivisible knowledge, distinct from being and non-being, witness of intellect and the rest, and the implied meaning of “I”, is the supreme Self, dense eternal bliss.’ In this way one discriminates the real Self from unreal non-Self, establishes the real Self and directly sees through knowledge: ‘This I is indivisible knowledge, supreme Brahman in nature.’ Through this Self-vision, veiling, false knowledge and all suffering caused by projection cease, as they cease on seeing the rope. Freed from these, one attains supreme peace. When one sees the non-dual Self through undifferentiated samādhi, ignorance and its effect, the knot of the Heart, are destroyed without remainder. After the fire of knowledge of the identity of supreme and individual Self has entirely burnt the forest of ignorance, what further seed of becoming remains for that liberated one established as the non-dual Self? Since none remains, there is no saṃsāra of repeated birth and death. Therefore the discriminating seeker must know the Self’s reality to be released from worldly bondage.