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Yoga Vashishtha 3.100.12–20
(Mind and the individual soul are not independent realities but only temporary appearances arising within the One Infinite Brahm)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।
प्रतिभासवशादेव मध्यस्थं चित्तजाड्ययोः।
जीवेतराभिधं चित्तमन्तर्ब्रह्मणि दृश्यते ॥ १२॥
नानातरुलतागुल्मजालपल्लवशालयः।
निर्विकल्पकचिन्मात्रं नानाऽनिर्ज्ञातकल्पना ॥ १३॥
ब्रह्मैवेदमहंतत्त्वं जगत्पश्याद्य राघव।
स आत्मा सर्वगो नाम नित्योदितमहावपुः ॥ १४॥
यन्मनाड्मननीं शक्तिं धत्ते तन्मन उच्यते ।
पिच्छभ्रान्तिर्यथा व्योम्नि पयस्यावर्तधीर्यथा ॥ १५॥
प्रतिभासकलामात्रं मनो जीवस्तथात्मनि।
यदेतन्मनसो रूपमुदितं मननात्मकम् ॥ १६॥
ब्राह्मी शक्तिरसौ तस्माद्ब्रह्मैव तदरिंदम।
इदं तदहमित्येव विभागः प्रतिभासजः ॥ १७॥
मनसो ब्रह्मणोऽन्यच्च मोहे परमकारणम्।
यद्यच्चैतन्मनस्येव किंचित्सदसदात्मकम् ॥ १८॥
व्याशब्दितं सर्वशक्तेस्तां शक्तिं ब्रह्मतां विदुः।
मनः सत्तात्मकं नाम यथैतन्मनसि स्थितम् ॥ १९॥
यथर्तोः शक्तयस्तद्वज्जीवेहा ब्रह्मणि स्थिताः।
व्याप्तसर्वर्तुकुसुमा क्ष्मादेशविधिभेदतः ॥ २०॥
Sage Vashishta continued:
3.100.12–20
> Through the power of mere appearance alone, the mind is seen as standing midway between Pure Consciousness and inertness, and is called the living soul; it is perceived within Brahm itself.
> Like a network of various trees, creepers, shrubs, leaves and abodes, the pure non-conceptual Consciousness alone appears as the manifold world of unknown imaginations.
> O Raghava, look upon this entire universe of “I-ness” as Brahm alone. That Self is all-pervading, Eternal and ever-manifest in its vast form.
> That power of mind which the Self holds within itself is called the mind. It is like the illusion of a peacock’s feather in the sky or the notion of a whirlpool in water.
> The mind and the living soul are only a slight appearance within the Self. What is seen as the form of the mind is nothing but the activity of thinking itself.
> This power belongs to Brahm; therefore it is Brahm alone, O destroyer of enemies. The division “this” and “I” arises only from appearance.
> Thinking that the mind is something other than Brahm is the highest cause of delusion. Whatever exists or does not exist in the mind is only of that nature.
> That which is called by the word “mind” is the power of the all-powerful; the wise know that power to be Brahm-hood itself. The mind, named as existence, simply rests within the mind.
> Just as the powers of the seasons remain within the seasons, so the activities of the living soul remain within Brahm—spreading like flowers of all seasons according to the different laws of space and direction.
Summary of the Teachings:
These verses teach that the mind and the individual soul are not independent realities but only temporary appearances arising within the One Infinite Brahm. Through the power of mere seeming, Consciousness appears to stand between Pure Awareness and dull matter and is given the name “living being.” In truth, nothing other than pure, thought-free Consciousness exists; the whole colourful world of trees, plants, thoughts and forms is only that same Consciousness appearing as many unknown imaginations.
The teacher urges the seeker to see the entire field of “I” and the World as nothing but Brahm. The Self is all-pervading, everlasting and always shining in its own vast nature. The mind is simply the power of thinking that the Self seems to hold; it is as unreal as the vision of a peacock feather floating in empty space or the idea of a whirlpool in still water. Once this is understood, the mind loses its separate status.
What is called mind or living soul is only a faint appearance inside the Self. Its very form is nothing other than the act of thinking. Because this power truly belongs to Brahm, the power itself is Brahm. All dualistic notions such as “this” and “I” are born only from the play of appearance and have no independent existence.
The deepest cause of ignorance is the belief that the mind is something different from Brahm. Whatever seems real or unreal inside the mind is still only a modification of that same Reality. The wise therefore recognise the so-called mind as the very power of the all-powerful Absolute and declare that this power is Brahm itself. The mind simply rests within itself as Pure Existence.
Finally, the verses compare the movements of the individual soul to the powers of the seasons that remain inside the seasons. Just as seasonal forces produce flowers according to place and direction yet never leave the seasons, so the activities of the living Being remain forever within Brahm and never become separate from it. Realisation consists in seeing this non-difference clearly and resting in the One Undivided Reality.
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