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Yoga Vashishtha 3.3.33–40
(The cessation of mental agitation as the key to transcending suffering)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
मनोनाम्नो मनुष्यस्य विरिञ्च्याकारधारिणः ।
मनोराज्यं जगदिति सत्यरूपमिव स्थितम् ॥ ३३ ॥
मन एव विरिञ्चित्वं तद्धि संकल्पनात्मकम् ।
स्ववपुः स्फारतां नीत्वा मनसेदं वितन्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
विरिञ्चो मनसो रूपं विरिञ्चस्य मनो वपुः ।
पृथ्व्यादि विद्यते नात्र तेन पृथ्व्यादि कल्पितम् ॥ ३५ ॥
पद्माक्षे पद्मिनीवान्तर्मनो दृद्यस्ति दृश्यता ।
मनोदृश्यदृशौ भिन्ने न कदाचन केनचित् ॥ ३६ ॥
यथा चात्र तव स्वप्नः संकल्पश्चित्तराज्यधीः ।
स्वानुभूत्यैव दृष्टान्तस्तस्माद्धृद्यस्ति दृश्यभूः ॥ ३७ ॥
तस्माच्चित्तविकल्पस्थपिशाचो बालकं यथा ।
विनिहन्त्येवमेषान्तर्द्रष्टारं दृश्यरूपिका ॥ ३८ ॥
यथाङ्कुरोऽन्तर्बीजस्य संस्थितो देशकालतः ।
करोति भासुरं देहं तनोत्येवं हि दृश्यधीः ॥ ३९ ॥
सच्चेन्न शाम्यति कदाचन दृश्यदुःखं दृश्ये त्वशाम्यति न बोद्धरि केवलत्वम्।
दृश्ये त्वसंभवति बोद्धरि बोद्धृभावः शाम्येत्स्थितोऽपि हि तदस्य विमोक्षमाहुः ॥ ४० ॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.3.33: The mind of a human being, which assumes the form of the creator Brahm, perceives the world as the kingdom of the mind. This world appears as if it is Real, but it is fundamentally a projection of the mind’s own nature.
3.3.34: The mind itself is the creator (Brahm), for it is composed of its own resolves and imaginations. By expanding its own form, the mind projects and manifests this entire Universe through its imaginative power.
3.3.35: Brahm is a form of the mind, and the mind is the essence of Brahm. In reality, there is no physical world of earth and other elements here; thus, the earth and all elements are merely imagined by the mind.
3.3.36: Just as the lotus-eyed one (the individual) perceives the world like a lotus within the mind, the Seer (mind) and the seen (world) are never truly separate at any time or by any means. The perceived world exists only within the perceiving mind.
3.3.37: Just as your dream, imagination, or mental kingdom is experienced through your own Consciousness, so too does the world appear as a projection within the mind. This serves as an example to show that the visible world exists only in the mind’s perception.
3.3.38: Just as a ghost imagined by a child in a fanciful thought torments the child, so too does the internal perceiver (the mind) create and is affected by the forms of the seen objects, which are mere mental constructs.
3.3.39: Just as a sprout lies latent within a seed and, in due time and place, manifests as a radiant plant, so too does the mind’s perception give rise to the visible world through its inherent creative power.
3.3.40: As long as the mind does not attain Tranquility, the suffering caused by the perceived world persists. When the perceived world ceases, the Knower does not attain Pure Unity. When the perceived world no longer arises, the Knower Realizes the State of Pure Awareness, and even while remaining in that state, it is said to be Realization.
Summary of the Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta (3.3.33–3.3.40) expound a profound non-dualistic philosophy, emphasizing the mind’s pivotal role in creating and perceiving the Universe.
Sage Vasishta teaches that the world, as experienced, is not an independent Reality but a projection of the mind, likened to the creative power of Brahm, the Cosmic Creator in Hindu cosmology. The mind, through its own resolves and imaginations, constructs the entire Cosmos, which appears real but is fundamentally an illusion born of mental activity. This perspective aligns with Advaita Vedanta, which posits that the phenomenal world is a manifestation of Consciousness and lacks inherent existence apart from the perceiving mind.
The teachings further clarify that the Creator (Brahm) and the mind are essentially one, with the mind being the Source of all perceived forms, including the physical elements like earth. The verses assert that the external world—comprising earth, sky, and other elements—has no independent existence outside the mind’s imagination. By equating Brahm with the mind, Vasishta underscores that the act of creation is not a cosmic event separate from individual Consciousness but an internal process driven by the mind’s capacity to conceive and project. This challenges the conventional view of a tangible, objective reality, suggesting that what we perceive as the world is a mental construct, akin to a dream.
To illustrate this, Vasishta employs metaphors such as the lotus within the mind and the ghost imagined by a child. The lotus metaphor highlights the inseparability of the Seer (the mind) and the seen (the world), emphasizing that the world exists only within the mind’s perception, much like a lotus exists within a pond. Similarly, the ghost analogy demonstrates how the mind’s fanciful creations can evoke real emotions, such as fear, despite their lack of objective Reality. These examples reinforce the idea that the world’s apparent reality is contingent upon the mind’s activity, and the distinction between the perceiver and the perceived is illusory.
The verses also draw a parallel between the mind’s creative process and natural phenomena, such as a sprout emerging from a seed. Just as a seed contains the potential for a plant, the mind holds the latent potential to manifest the world through its imaginative faculty. This process is not random but governed by the mind’s inherent tendencies and perceptions, which unfold in accordance with time and conditions. The teaching suggests that the visible Universe is an extension of the mind’s creative power, which projects forms and experiences that appear external but are rooted in Consciousness.
Finally, the verses address the path to Realization, emphasizing the cessation of mental agitation as the key to transcending suffering. As long as the mind remains entangled in its own projections, the suffering associated with the perceived world persists. Realization is attained when the mind realizes the illusory nature of the world and ceases to project it, allowing the knower to abide in Pure Awareness. This State of Tranquility, where the distinction between the Seer and the seen dissolves, is described as Realization, even while the individual remains in the world. These teachings encapsulate the essence of Yoga Vasishta’s non-dual philosophy, urging the practitioner to transcend the mind’s illusions through Self-Awareness and Inner Stillness.
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