Prose-section 39
In plain words
‘You’, ‘I’, ‘this’ and all such imagined divisions appear in the Self, which is without distinctions and supremely one, only through a fault of the mind, and in samādhi, where Brahman is experienced, they are gone. The Self that seemed many through differing conditions shines as one when the conditions are gone, so remain always in samādhi, that these dividing conditions may dissolve. A worm that drops everything else and thinks only of the wasp becomes a wasp; in the same way the one devoted to Brahman, who holds it in thought steadily and always, becomes the very nature of the supreme Self. Gold put in the fire loses its dross and comes back to its own nature; by unbroken practice of Brahman the mind likewise gives up the dirt of sattva, rajas and tamas and comes to its own pure nature. When the mind, ripened in this way, sinks into Brahman and becomes one with it, like salt dissolving in water, samādhi without distinctions is reached, and in it the bliss of non-duality is tasted. In that samādhi every knot of tendency and every karma is destroyed, and without any effort of one’s own, within and without, everywhere and always, the light of one’s own nature is directly known. Brahman is exceedingly subtle. Through an exceedingly subtle movement of mind in samādhi, those whose minds are exceedingly subtle know it by experience; no one can know it with a gross outlook. The renunciant who has calm, self-control, withdrawal and forbearance, and abides always in samādhi, comes to know the Self as all, clears away every division that the darkness of ignorance produced, and lives always in happiness as Brahman, actionless and without distinctions. Those who dissolve outer objects such as sound, the senses such as hearing, and the mind into the Self of knowledge that they are, and so reach samādhi without distinctions, are the ones set free from the chains of saṃsāra; those who only talk of knowledge at second hand are never set free. Through this samādhi alone Brahman is known clearly and for certain, with nothing in the way; without it the mind keeps wavering and runs after other thoughts. So restrain the senses and mind, abide without a break in your own Self, destroy completely the darkness of ignorance and all its effects by seeing the one Self, and always remain as that Self. Reflection is a hundred times more fruitful than hearing, and deep contemplation a hundred thousand times more than reflection; the fruit of samādhi without distinctions has no measure at all.
Word for word
All imagined distinctions such as ‘you’, ‘I’ and ‘this’, appearing in this undifferentiated, supremely non-dual Self solely through a defect of intellect, become absent through realisation of Brahman in samādhi. The Self itself, appearing divided through different adjuncts, shines as one when adjuncts are absent. Therefore one should always remain established in samādhi so that this adjunct of differentiation subsides. Through this single-pointed abidance, the person devoted to Brahman, always contemplating it without movement, becomes that supreme Self in nature—like a worm that abandons all other activities, constantly contemplates a wasp and becomes a wasp. Through uninterrupted practice of Brahman, the mind relinquishes the impurities of sattva, rajas and tamas and attains its pure nature, like gold freed of impurity by firing and regaining its natural quality. When the mind, thus matured, is absorbed in Brahman—dissolving in it like salt in water—undifferentiated samādhi, which brings the experience of non-dual bliss, is attained. Through this samādhi all knots of disposition and all karmas are destroyed. Without one’s effort, inwardly and outwardly, everywhere and always, the shining of one’s own nature is directly experienced of itself. Through an exceedingly subtle modification in samādhi, those of exceedingly subtle intellect directly know that exceedingly subtle Brahman. No one can know it through a gross outlook. The renunciant endowed with tranquillity, restraint, withdrawal and endurance, through constant samādhi, recognises the Self as all, removes every distinction born of the darkness of ignorance and, actionless and undifferentiated, always rests happily as Brahman. Those who resolve external objects such as sound, senses such as hearing and mind into their own consciousness-Self and attain undifferentiated samādhi are freed from saṃsāra’s fetters. Others who merely speak of indirect knowledge are never thereby liberated. Through this undifferentiated samādhi Brahman’s nature is known clearly, certainly and without obstruction. Otherwise the mind’s movement constantly fluctuates and joins other thoughts. Therefore restrain senses and mind, remain constantly established in your Self, destroy ignorance’s darkness together with its effects through vision of the one Self, and always remain as that Self. Reflection has a hundred times the efficacy of hearing; sustained contemplation a hundred thousand times that of reflection. The benefit obtained through undifferentiated samādhi has no measure.