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Yoga Vashishtha 2.19.17–24
(Nature of perception, Consciousness, and the illusory manifestation of the world)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
सर्वाक्षसारमध्यक्षं वेदनं विदुरुत्तमाः।
नूनं तत्प्रतिपत्सिद्धं तत्प्रत्यक्षमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७ ॥
अनुभूतेर्वेदनस्य प्रतिपत्तेर्यथाभिधम्।
प्रत्यक्षमिति नामेह कृतं जीवः स एव नः ॥ १८ ॥
स एव संवित्स पुमानहंताप्रत्ययात्मकः ।
स ययोदेति संवित्त्या सा पदार्थ इति स्मृता ॥ १९ ॥
ससंकल्पविकल्पाद्यैः कृतनानाक्रमभ्रमैः ।
जगत्तया स्फुरत्यम्बु तरङ्गादितया यथा ॥ २० ॥
प्रागकारणमेवाशु सर्गादौ सर्गलीलया ।
स्फुरित्वा कारणं भूतं प्रत्यक्षं स्वयमात्मनि ॥ २१ ॥
कारणं त्वविचारोत्थजीवस्यासदपि स्थितम् ।
सदिवास्यां जगद्रूपं प्रकृतौ व्यक्तिमागतम् ॥ २२ ॥
स्वयमेव विचारस्तु स्वत उत्थं स्वकं वपुः।
नाशयित्वा करोत्याशु प्रत्यक्षं परमं महत् ॥ २३ ॥
विचारवान्विचारोऽपि आत्मानमवगच्छति ।
यदा तदा निरुल्लेखं परमेवावशिष्यते ॥ २४ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta said:
2.19.17: The Highest Knower understand perception as the essence of all senses, the core of experience. Certainly, that which is attained through perception is called direct experience.
2.19.18: According to the experience of perception, as it is described, it is termed direct experience. The individual soul (jiva) is indeed that very perception.
2.19.19: That same perception is the conscious being, characterized by the sense of "I-ness." Whatever arises through this Consciousness is known as an object.
2.19.20: With concepts and alternatives, creating various illusory sequences, it manifests as the world, just as water sparkles with waves.
2.19.21: Before any cause, at the beginning of creation, through the play of creation, it manifests and becomes the cause, directly experienced within the Self.
2.19.22: The cause, though unreal, appears to exist for the ignorant individual soul. In its nature, the form of the world becomes manifest as if it were Real.
2.19.23: Through Self-Inquiry, the Self arises and destroys its own form, quickly revealing the Supreme, ultimate direct experience.
2.19.24: When the One who inquires through Self-Inquiry Realized the Self, then nothing remains to be described, only the Supreme remains.
Summary of the Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 2.19.17 to 2.19.24 explore the nature of perception, Consciousness, and the illusory manifestation of the world, emphasizing the importance of Self-Inquiry in Realizing the Ultimate Truth. The teachings begin by defining perception as the essence of sensory experience, recognized by the wise as direct experience. This direct experience is not merely sensory but is tied to the individual soul (jiva), which is itself an expression of Consciousness. The verses establish that what we perceive as Reality is deeply connected to the conscious Self, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of how this Consciousness shapes our understanding of existence.
The text then describes the individual soul as Consciousness imbued with the sense of "I-ness," which gives rise to the perception of objects. This process of perception creates the world, likened to waves on water, driven by concepts and mental constructs that produce an illusory sequence of experiences. The analogy of water and waves illustrates how the world appears as a dynamic, ever-changing phenomenon, yet it is fundamentally rooted in the same Consciousness. This suggests that the diversity and multiplicity of the world are mere appearances, projections of the mind’s activity within the framework of Consciousness.
The verses further explain that at the beginning of creation, Consciousness manifests as the cause of the world through its own playful expression. This cause, though appearing Real to the ignorant, is ultimately unreal, as it exists only within the framework of perception. The world’s manifestation is thus a product of Ignorance, where the unreal appears as real due to a lack of discernment. This teaching underscores the Vedantic principle that the world, as perceived, is a superimposition on the underlying Reality of Consciousness, highlighting the need to question the apparent Reality of external phenomena.
The role of Self-Inquiry (vichara) is central to transcending this illusion. Through inquiry, the Self examines and dissolves its own false forms, revealing the Supreme Truth that lies beyond.
This process of Self-Inquiry is transformative, as it dismantles the illusory constructs of the mind, leading to the direct experience of the Ultimate Reality. The teachings emphasize that the practice of Self-Inquiry is not about acquiring new knowledge but about negating false perceptions, allowing the practitioner to Realize the Self as the Unchanging Reality behind all appearances.
Finally, the verses conclude by stating that when Self-Inquiry culminates in the Realization of the Self, all distinctions and descriptions vanish, leaving only the Supreme Reality. This State is beyond conceptualization, where the individual soul merges into the absolute, and no trace of duality or illusion remains. The teachings encapsulate the core Advaita Vedanta principle of non-duality, urging the seeker to transcend the apparent world through Self-Inquiry to attain the direct experience of the Ultimate Truth, which is the Self alone.
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