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Yoga Vashishtha 3.1.28–35
(Aim for a permanent Realization of the Self as Pure Consciousness)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
तस्मादस्ति जगद्दृश्यं तत्प्रमृष्टमिदं मया।
त्यक्तं तपोध्यानजपैरिति काञ्जिकतृप्तिवत् ॥ २८ ॥
यदि राम जगद्दृश्यमस्ति तत्प्रतिबिम्बति।
परमाणूदरेऽप्यस्मिंश्चिदादर्शे तथैव हि ॥ २९ ॥
यत्र तत्र स्थिते यद्वद्दर्पणे प्रतिबिम्बति।
अद्यब्ध्युर्वीनदीवारि चिदादर्शे तथैव हि ॥ ३० ॥
ततस्तत्र पुनर्दुःखं जरा मरणजन्मनी ।
भावाभावग्रहोत्सर्गः स्थूलसूक्ष्मचलाचलः ॥ ३१ ॥
इदं प्रमार्जितं दृश्यं मया चात्राहमास्थितः ।
एतदेवाक्षयं बीजं समाधौ संसृतिस्मृतेः ॥ ३२ ॥
सति त्वस्मिन्कुतो दृश्ये निर्विकल्पसमाधिता ।
समाधौ चेतनत्वं तु तुर्यं चाप्युपपद्यते ॥ ३३ ॥
व्युत्थाने हि समाधानात्सुषुप्तान्त इवाखिलम् ।
जगद्दुःखमिदं भाति यथास्थितमखण्डितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
प्राप्तं भवति हे राम तत्किं नाम समाधिभिः ।
भूयोऽनर्थनिपाते हि क्षणसाम्ये हि किं सुखम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.1.28: Therefore, the visible world exists, but I have thoroughly examined and wiped it away. It has been abandoned through penance, meditation, and recitation, just as satisfaction arises from eating rice.
3.1.29: O Rama, if the visible world exists, it is merely a reflection. Indeed, just as in the mirror of Consciousness, even within the smallest atom, it appears exactly as such.
3.1.30: Just as a reflection appears in a mirror wherever it is placed, similarly, the waters of rivers, oceans, and earth are reflected in the mirror of Consciousness in the same way.
3.1.31: Thus, in that reflection, there is again suffering, old age, death, and birth. There is the cycle of existence and non-existence, grasping and letting go, gross and subtle, moving and unmoving.
3.1.32: I have wiped away this visible world, and here I remain established. This is the imperishable seed of meditative absorption, the remembrance of the cycle of Existence.
3.1.33: When this exists, how can there be a state of non-conceptual meditation? In deep meditation, the State of Pure Consciousness arises, leading to the fourth state (turiya).
3.1.34: Upon arising from meditative absorption, just as at the end of deep sleep, this world and its suffering appear as they are, unbroken and unchanged.
3.1.35: O Rama, what is gained through meditative states? In the repeated fall into misfortune, what happiness is there in momentary Tranquility?
Summary of Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 3.1.28 to 3.1.35, spoken by Sage Vasishta to Rama, delve into the nature of the perceived world and its relationship with Consciousness, emphasizing the illusory nature of existence and the pursuit of Self-Realization. In verse 28, Vasishta begins by acknowledging the Existence of the visible world but asserts that through spiritual practices such as penance, meditation, and recitation, he has transcended its hold, likening this Realization to the satisfaction derived from eating rice. This sets the stage for a profound teaching: the world, though appearing Real, can be transcended by disciplined introspection and spiritual effort, leading to a state of inner contentment free from worldly attachment.
In verses 29 and 30, Vasishta introduces the metaphor of a mirror to explain the nature of the world as a mere reflection in the mirror of Consciousness. He suggests that just as a mirror reflects objects placed before it, Consciousness reflects the world, including its smallest components like atoms or vast entities like rivers and oceans. This reflection is not the Ultimate Reality but a projection within the Infinite expanse of Consciousness. The teaching here underscores the non-dual philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, where the world is seen as an appearance within Consciousness, lacking independent existence. This insight encourages the seeker to look beyond the apparent Reality of the world and recognize its Source in Pure Consciousness.
Verse 31 elaborates on the consequences of perceiving the world as Real, describing the cycle of suffering that includes birth, death, old age, and the oscillation between existence and non-existence, grasping and releasing, and the gross and subtle aspects of Reality. This cycle is perpetuated by Ignorance, which binds individuals to the illusion of samsara (the cycle of birth and death). Vasishta’s teaching here highlights the futility of being entangled in these dualities and urges the seeker to transcend them by Realizing that they are mere reflections in Consciousness, not the Ultimate Truth. This perspective aligns with the Yoga Vasishta’s emphasis on understanding the illusory nature of phenomena to attain Realization.
In verses 32 and 33, Vasishta speaks of his own Realization, having "wiped away" the illusion of the world through meditation and remaining established in the imperishable seed of Pure Awareness. He explains that true meditative absorption (samadhi) leads to a non-conceptual state where the illusions of the world dissolve, giving way to the "fourth state" (turiya), a transcendent state of Pure Consciousness beyond waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. This teaching emphasizes the transformative power of meditation in uprooting the false perception of the world and establishing the practitioner in a state of Unchanging Awareness, free from the fluctuations of the mind and the cycles of samsara.
Finally, verses 34 and 35 bring a reflective tone, questioning the ultimate value of temporary meditative states. Vasishta points out that upon emerging from meditation, the world and its suffering reappear as they were, much like waking from deep sleep. He challenges Rama to consider what is truly gained through fleeting moments of Tranquility if one continues to fall back into the cycle of suffering. This culminates in a call to seek lasting Realization rather than temporary respite, urging the practitioner to aim for a permanent Realization of the Self as Pure Consciousness, beyond the transient experiences of the world. These verses collectively guide the seeker toward a profound understanding of Reality, encouraging a shift from attachment to the illusory world to the Eternal Truth of the Self.
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