English
It is by accident that certain dream series correspond with certain other dream series!. But in reality they are all empty dream con- structions of one manas. It is by the dream desires that physical objects gradually come to be considered as persistent objects existing outside of us. But, though during the continuance of the dreams they appear to be real, they are all the while nothing but mere dream conceptions. The self-alienation by which the pure consciousness constructs the dream conception is such that, though it always remains identical with itself, yet it seems to posit itself as its other, and as diversified by space, time, action and substance (desa-kala-kriya-dravyath). The difference between the ordinary waking state and the dream state consists in this, that the former is considered by us as associated with permanent convictions (sthira-pratyaya), whereas the latter is generally thought to have no permanent basis. Any experience which persists, whether it be dream or not, 1 melanam api svakiya-parakiya-svapnanam daivat kvacit samvddavat svantah- kalpanaimakam eva. Yoga-vasistha-tatparya-prakdsa, iv. 18. 46. XII] The World-Appearance 241 comes to be regarded as permanent, whereas, if even our waking conceptions come to be regarded as changeful, they lose their validity as representing permanent objects, and our faith in them becomes shaken. If the dream experiences persisted in time and the waking experiences were momentary, then the waking state would be considered as a dream and the dream experiences would be considered as ordinary experiences in the dream state. It is only with the coming of the waking state that there is a break of the dream experiences, and it is then that the latter are contra- dicted and therefore regarded as false. But so long as the dream experiences lasted in the dream state, we did not consider them to be false; for during that time those dream experiences appeared somehow to be permanent and therefore real. There is thus no difference between dream states and waking states except this, that the latter are relatively persistent, continuous and per- manent (sthira), while the former are changeful and impermanent (asthira)*. There is within us a principle of pure consciousness, which is also the vital principle (jiva-dhatu), vitality (virya), and body heat (tejas). In the active condition, when the body is associated with manas, action and speech, the vital principle moves through the body, and on account of this all sorts of knowledge arise, and the illusion of world-appearance inherent in it is manifested as coming from outside through the various sense apertures. This being of a steady and fixed character is called the waking state (jagrat). The susupta, or deep sleep state, is that in which the body is not disturbed by the movement of the manas, action or speech. The vital principle remains still in itself, in a potential state without any external manifestation, as the oil remains in the sesamum (taila-samvid yatha tile)*. When the vital principle (jiva-dhatu) is very much disturbed, we have experiences of the dream state. Whenever the manas strongly identifies itself with any of its concepts, it appears to itself as that concept, just as an iron ball in fire becomes itself like fire. It is the manas that is both the perceiver (purusa) and the perceived universe (visva-ripata)*. a jagrat-svapna-dasa-bhedo na sthiradsthirate vina samah sadaiva sarvatra samasto ’nubhavo ’nayoh svapno "pi svapna-samaye sthairyayagrattvam rcchati asthairyat jagrad evaste svapnas tadrsa-bodhatah. IV. 19. II, 12. 2 Iv. 19. 23. Suivi 20.14: DII 16 242 The Philosophy of the Yoga-vasistha [cH. The followers of the Samkhya consider manas to be pure con- sciousness; they have also explained their doctrines in other de- tails, and they think that emancipation cannot be attained by any way other than that which the Samkhya suggests. The followers of the Vedanta also consider that emancipation is attained if one understands that all this world is Brahman and if there is self-control and cessation of desires together with this knowledge, and that this is the only way of salvation. The Vijiianavadins (Idealistic Buddhists) think that, provided there is complete self-control and cessation of all sense desires, one may attain emancipation, if he understands that the world-appearance is nothing but his own illusion. Thus each system of thought thinks too much of its own false methods of salvation (svair eva niyama-bhramazh), springing from the tradi- tional wrong notions. But the truth underlying all these concep- tions is that manas is the root of all creations. There is nothing intrinsically pleasurable or painful, sweet or bitter, cold or hot, and such appearances arise only through the habitual creations of the mind. When one believes and thinks with strong faith in any particular manner, he begins to perceive things in that particular manner during that particular time?. Nature of Agency (Kartrtva) and the Illusion of World Creation. Whenever we ascribe agency (kartrtva) to any person in respect of deeds producing pleasure or pain, or deeds requiring strenuous exercise of will-power, as those of the Yoga discipline, we do it wrongly ; for agency consists in the grasp of will and resolution, and soit is‘an internal determination of the mind, of the nature of domi- nant and instinctive desires and inclinations (vasanabhidhanah)?. The inner movement of feeling in the person towards the enjoyment of experiences takes place in accordance with these fixed desires or inclinations leading him to specific forms of enjoyment. All enjoy- ment is thus a natural consequence of our nature and character as active agents. Since all active agency (kartrtva) consists in the 1 na jneneha padarthesu ripam ekam udiryate drdha-bhavanaya ceto yad yatha bhavayaty alam tat tat-phalam tad-akaram tavat-kalam prapasyati. na tad asti na yat satyam na tad asti na yan mrsd. IV. 21. 56, 57. 2 yohyantara-sthayah manovriter nisayah upadeyata-pratyayo vasanabhidha- natatkartrtva-Sabdenocyate. iV. 38. 2. xu] Nature of Agency and Illusion of World Creation 243 inner effort of will, the enjoyment following such an inner exercise of will is nothing but the feeling modifications of the mind follow- ing the lead of the active exercise of the will. All action or active agency is thus associated with root inclinations (vdsana), and is thus possible only for those who do not know the truth and have their minds full of the root inclinations. But those who have no vasana cannot be said to have the nature of active agents or of enjoying anything. Their minds are no doubt always active and they are active all the time; but, as they have no vasand, they are not attached to fruit, and there is the movement without any attachment. Whatever is done by manas is done, and what is not done by it is not done; so it is the manas that is the active agent, and not the body; the world has appeared from the mind (citta or manas), is of the essence of manas, and is upheld in manas. Every- thing is but a mental creation and has no other existence. Ultimately, everything comes from Brahman; for that is the source of all powers, and therefore all powers (saktayah) are seen in Brahman—existence, non-existence, unity, duality and multi- plicity all proceed from Brahman. The citta, or mind, has evolved out of pure consciousness (cit) or Brahman, as has already been mentioned, and it is through the latter that all power of action (karma), root desires (vasan@), and all mental modifications appear. But, if everything has proceeded from Brahman, how is it that the world-appearance happens to be so different from its source, the Brahman? When anything comes out of any other thing, it is naturally expected to be similar thereto in substance. If, therefore, the world-appearance has sprung forth from Brahman, it ought to be similar in nature thereto; but Brahman is sorrowless, while the world-appearance is full of sorrow; how is this to be explained? To such a question the answer is, that to a person who has a perfect realization of the nature of the world-appearance, as being a mere conceptual creation from the Brahman and having no existence at all, there is no sorrow in this world-appearance nor any such quality which is different from Brahman. Only in the eyes of a person who has not the complete realization does this difference between the world-appearance and Brahman seem to be so great, and the mere notion of the identity of Brahman and the universe, without its complete realization, may lead to all sorts - of mischief. On this account instruction in the identity of the Brahman and the world-appearance should never be given to 16-2 244 The Philosophy of the Yoga-vdsistha [cH. anyone whose mind has not been properly purified by the essential virtues of self-control and disinclination to worldly pleasures’. As in magic (indrajala), non-existent things are produced and existent things are destroyed, a jug becomes a cloth, and a cloth becomes a jug, and all sorts of wonderful sights are shown, though none of these appearances have the slightest essence of their own; so is the entire world-appearance produced out of the imagination of the mind. There is no active agent (Rartr) and no one enjoyer (bhoktr) of the pleasures and sorrows of the world, and there is no destruction whatsoever?. Though the ultimate state is the indescribable Brahman or cit, yet it is from manas that all creation and destruction from cycle to cycle take their start. At the beginning of each so-called creation the creative movement of manas energy is roused.