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Yoga Vashishtha 3.4.36–43
(Mind is omnipresent, like Space, underlying all experiences, as the substratum for Perception and Thought.)
अथ प्रसङ्गमासाद्य रामो मधुरया गिरा।
उवाच मुनिशार्दूलं वसिष्ठं वदतां वरम् ॥ ३६ ॥
श्रीराम उवाच ।
भगवन्मनसो रूपं कीदृशं वद मे स्फुटम्।
यस्मात्तेनेयमखिला तन्यते लोकमञ्जरी ॥ ३७ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
रामास्य मनसो रूपं न किंचिदपि दृश्यते।
नाममात्रादृते व्योम्नो यथा शून्यजडाकृतेः ॥ ३८ ॥
न बाह्ये नापि हृदये सद्रूपं विद्यते मनः।
सर्वत्रैव स्थितं चैतद्विद्धि राम यथा नभः ॥ ३९ ॥
इदमस्मात्समुत्पन्नं मृगतृष्णाम्बुसंनिभम्।
रूपं तु क्षणसंकल्पाद्द्वितीयेन्दुभ्रमोपमम् ॥ ४० ॥
मध्ये यदेतदर्थस्य प्रतिभानं प्रथां गतम् ।
सतो वाप्यसतो वापि तन्मनो विद्धि नेतरत् ॥ ४१ ॥
यदर्थप्रतिभानं तन्मन इत्यभिधीयते ।
अन्यन्न किंचिदप्यस्ति मनो नाम कदाचन ॥ ४२ ॥
संकल्पनं मनो विद्धि संकल्पात्तन्न भिद्यते ।
यथो द्रवत्वात्सलिलं तथा स्पन्दो यथानिलात् ॥ ४३ ॥
3.4.36: At an opportune moment in the discourse, Lord Rama, with his sweet and melodious voice, addressed the Great Sage Vasishta, the foremost among eloquent speakers.
Sriram said:
3.4.37: O revered Sage, please clearly explain to me the nature of the mind. What is its form? For it is through the mind that this entire blossoming of the world is woven and expanded.
Maharishi Vasishta said:
3.4.38: O Rama, the form of the mind is not something that can be perceived or seen in any tangible way. It exists merely as a name, like the empty and inert nature of Space, which is known only through its designation.
3.4.39: The mind has no substantial form, either externally in the world or internally within the Heart. Yet, it is present everywhere, pervading all, just as Space exists universally. Understand this, O Rama.
3.4.40: This world, which arises from the mind, is like the illusory water seen in a mirage. The form of the mind, created through momentary thoughts or imaginations, is akin to the illusion of a second moon seen due to a visual distortion.
3.4.41: That which manifests as the Perception or appearance of meaning—whether of something Real or unreal—is what you should understand as the mind, O Rama. It is nothing other than this.
3.4.42: The Perception of objects or meanings is what is called the mind. Beyond this, there is no such thing as the mind, nor has there ever been anything called the mind.
3.4.43: Know the mind to be nothing but conceptualization or imagination. It is inseparable from thought, just as liquidity is inseparable from water or movement is inseparable from air.
Summary of the Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 3.4.36 to 3.4.43 encapsulate a profound dialogue between Lord Rama and Sage Vasishta, focusing on the nature of the mind, a central theme in Advaita Vedanta. In this exchange, Rama, with humility and curiosity, seeks to understand the essence of the mind, recognizing its pivotal role in shaping the perception of the world. His question reflects a deep philosophical inquiry into how the mind, through its operations, weaves the fabric of Reality. This sets the stage for Vasishta’s teachings, which aim to dissolve misconceptions about the mind’s nature and reveal its True Essence, aligning with the non-dualistic perspective that the perceived world is a projection of the mind.
Vasishta’s response begins by demystifying the mind, asserting that it lacks any tangible or perceivable form. He compares the mind to Space, which is known only through its name and concept, not as a concrete entity. This teaching challenges the common assumption that the mind is a distinct, substantial thing. By emphasizing its intangible nature, Vasishta points to the mind’s elusive quality—it cannot be pinned down as an object in the external world or even as a fixed entity within the Heart. Yet, its omnipresence, like Space, suggests that it underlies all experiences, serving as the substratum for Perception and thought. This introduces the idea that the mind is not a localized entity but a pervasive function that shapes how Reality is experienced.
Further, Vasishta explains that the world, as perceived, arises from the mind in a manner akin to an illusion, such as water in a mirage or a second moon seen due to a visual error. This analogy underscores the ephemeral and illusory nature of the mind’s creations. The mind’s “form” is nothing but fleeting thoughts or sankalpa
(conceptualization), which give rise to the appearance of the world. This teaching aligns with the Advaita view that the world is not an independent reality but a projection born of mental activity. The comparison to a mirage or a distorted perception of the moon highlights the deceptive nature of these projections, urging the seeker to look beyond appearances to the underlying truth.
Vasishta then defines the mind as the faculty of perception or the process of assigning meaning to experiences, whether those experiences correspond to something Real or unreal. This definition strips the mind of any independent existence, portraying it as a mere function of conceptualization. By stating that there is nothing called the mind apart from this act of perception, Vasishta dismantles the notion of the mind as a separate entity with inherent reality. This insight is crucial for spiritual aspirants, as it redirects attention from the mind as a thing to its role as a process, encouraging detachment from its fleeting creations and identification with the unchanging Consciousness that witnesses these mental activities.
Finally, Vasishta equates the mind with sankalpa, or the act of imagination, emphasizing its inseparability from thought, much like liquidity is inherent to water or movement to air. This teaching encapsulates the non-dual perspective that the mind is not a distinct entity but a dynamic process of conceptualization that shapes experience. By understanding the mind as mere thought, one can transcend its limitations and recognize the Ultimate Reality, which is beyond the mind’s projections. These verses collectively guide the seeker toward Self-Inquiry, urging them to see through the illusion of the mind’s creations and Realize the unchanging, Formless Consciousness that underlies all experience.
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