My beloved disciple,
The Self can neither be held, nor given up. It is beyond perception and utterance. It is immeasurable, without beginning or end. This infinity of Brahman is myself, and yours, and that of other individuals. Meditate on the truth of this in your heart continuously, without break, calmly, with reason and keen intellect. Thus, you will attain essential knowledge, free from doubt — as clear as water in the palm of the hand.
Knowledge in the body, with its faculties, is like a king in the midst of his vast army. And that knowledge is The Self and is Brahman. Know this by discrimination. Regard all other separate things as this itself, and remain ever as itself. Thus remaining, you will attain bliss and peace of being.
In the cavity of the intellect is a single truth of Brahman, distinct from being and non-being. One who remains eternally as that truth itself is never drawn back again to birth in the body. Although a person knows this to be true, the feeling of “I am the doer, I am the enjoyer…” arises strongly in them, owing to the bondage of Samsara, caused by the mighty, beginningless Vasanas, which often obstruct them. Curb these tendencies whenever they arise, by your own efforts, by abiding firmly in The Self, by a vision of The Self.
Sages have declared that the withering of the Vasanas is indeed liberation. Realization of The Self does not come through tendencies to worldly or sense activity, or through prolonged study of the scriptures. To those who seek deliverance from the prison or ocean of Samsara, these tendencies are iron fetters — say those who are realized. Therefore attachment to the world, the scriptures and the body must be given up, and it must be fully realized that the body is sustained by the force of past karma. You should therefore courageously renounce these attachments and strive energetically to overcome delusion. You should do this with a firm and calm mind.
Seek by reasoning and direct experience to get rid of the Vasanas, so that you may have firm faith in Brahman and completely root out from the body and senses the feeling of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ — which constantly appears as the result of the superimposition. This is to be done by firm abidance in the one, indivisible Self in the heart — and by meditating on the unceasing experience of knowledge of the unity of Brahman and Self. Thus, I am not the ego — I am the unceasing perfection of Brahman, experienced as ‘I’ — the witness of thought forms. This meditation must be persisted in, until the ego sense is completely rooted out from the body, without a trace, and the world of individuals appears like a dream. The latent tendencies of the mind are removed only to the extent that it abides in The Self. It is by such constant abidance in The Self that the mind of the yogi is destroyed. And by the destruction of the mind, the outer non-Self tendencies of the heart are utterly eradicated.
Then, the experience of the Supreme Self, which was formerly veiled by the magic of the Vasanas, shines forth of its own accord — like the fragrance of uncontaminated sandal paste. In whatever way it may be examined, the ego with all its faculties turns out to be unreal, a momentary limitation… inert, insentient and incapable of realizing that the one Supreme Self is different from both gross and subtle bodies. It is the witness of the ego with its faculties, and exists always, even in deep sleep. It is birthless and deathless. It is immutable and distinct alike from Being and Non-being. The ego can never be the true Self, the true meaning of ‘I.’ Keep aloof from this impure body. Give up the sense of ‘I’ in the gross body, and all attachment due to the mind.
To all attachments to name and form, tribe and family, cast and social order — give up also the attachment to the subtle body, and its nature, and a sense of being the doer… Find the feeling of ‘I’ in The Self, which is truth, knowledge and eternity.
Just as the air in a pot is part of the air outside, so conceive of The Self as that self-effulgent Brahman, which is the substratum of all, in which the world is seen reflected, like a city in a mirror or like shadows cast. Think of yourself as that I Am: without parts, without form, without activity, without duality, unending — Being, Consciousness, Bliss. Know The Self as it really is. Give up this false physical self, just as an actor gives up their role and remains themself.
By knowledge acquired through self-inquiry, discard both microcosm and macrocosm as unreal. And abiding in the unbroken stillness, remain ever at rest, in the perfect bliss as unqualified Brahman. Thus, obtain supreme peace, which is the purpose of life.
Though various obstacles contribute to the bondage of the soul, the primary cause of them all is the arising of the false ego sense. It is through the superimposition of the ego on The Self, that this bondage of birth, death and sorrow has come upon you, who are by nature Being-Consciousness-Bliss, of boundless glory, eternal, single-in-essence, unchanging. By nature you have no such bondage. Just as there can be no sound health so long as the effect of a little poison in the body continues, so there can be no liberation so long as identification with the ego continues.
Knowledge of the identity of The Self with Brahman is clearly revealed as soon as the ego is completely destroyed without residue. Together with the illusion of multiplicity caused by the veiling of delusion. Therefore, by investigation into the nature of the unattached Self, discover the truth of your own Self, complete, perfect, self-effulgent and ever-blissful. One who is freed from the ego shines eternally as The Self, like the full moon, radiant, when delivered from the dragon’s head of eclipse.
Therefore give up the ‘I’ sense in the ego, which appears like Being, and assumes that it is the Doer. Whereas it is only the reflected light of the Self. Turn inwards all the thought-forms that adhere to the ego. Give up all desires in order to realize your state as the Supreme Self.
Enjoy the kingdom of The Self. Be perfect. Be still. In the stillness of the immutable state of Brahman.