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Yoga Vashishtha 3.113.39–50
(Imagination or tendency are something that has no solid substance of their own)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।
तरङ्गोत्पलमालेव कल्पनामात्रवर्णिता।
मृणालीव बहुच्छिद्रा पङ्कप्रौढा जलात्मिका ॥ ३९॥
जनेन दृश्यते वृद्धितत्परा नच वर्धते।
विषास्वाद इवापातमधुराऽन्ते सुदारुणा ॥ ४०॥
नष्टा दीपशिखेवैषा न जाने क्वेव गच्छति।
मिहिकेवाग्रदृष्टापि गृह्यमाणा न किंचन ॥ ४१॥
पांसुमुष्टिरिवाकीर्य प्रेक्षिता पारमाणवी।
आकाशनीलिमेवैषा निर्निमित्तैव दृश्यते ॥ ४२॥
द्विचन्द्रमोहवज्जाता स्वप्नवद्विहितभ्रमा।
यथा नौयायिनः स्थाणुस्पन्दस्तद्वदिहोत्थिता ॥ ४३॥
अनयोपहते चित्ते दीर्घकालमिवाकुलैः।
जनैराकल्प्यते दीर्घसंसारस्वप्नविभ्रमः ॥ ४४॥
अनयोपहते स्वस्मिंश्चित्राश्चेतसि विभ्रमाः।
उत्पद्यन्ते विनश्यन्ति तरङ्गास्तोयधेरिव ॥ ४५॥
मनोज्ञमपि सत्यं च दृश्यते सदसत्तया।
अमनोज्ञमसत्यं च दृश्यते सत्तयाप्यसत् ॥ ४६॥
पदार्थरथमारूढा भावनैषा बलान्विता।
आक्रामति मनः क्षिप्रं विहगं वागुरा यथा ॥ ४७॥
करुणास्यन्दमानाक्षी स्रवन्क्षीरलवस्तनी।
भवत्युल्लसितानन्दं जननी गृहिणी यथा ॥ ४८॥
विषीकरोति निःस्यन्दसंतर्पितजगत्त्रयम्।
सुधार्द्रार्द्रमपि क्षिप्रं प्रवृद्धं बिम्बमैन्दवम् ॥ ४९॥
उन्मत्तरववेतालनर्तनारम्भसंभ्रमम्।
स्थाणवः संप्रयच्छन्ति मूका अप्येतयान्धया ॥ ५०॥
Sage Vashishta continued:
3.113.39–44
> It is described only by imagination, like a garland made of waves and lotuses. It is like a lotus stalk full of many holes, grown thick in the mud, and made entirely of water.
> People see it as eager to grow, yet it never really grows. It is like the taste of poison that feels sweet at first but becomes terribly painful at the end.
> This tendency vanishes like the flame of a lamp; no one knows where it goes. Like mist seen right in front of the eyes, when one tries to grasp it there is nothing at all.
> Like a handful of dust that is scattered and, when examined closely, is only tiny particles, this appears like the blueness of the sky, seen without any real cause.
> It arises like the false idea of seeing two moons and creates confusion just like a dream. Just as a fixed post seems to move to a person travelling in a boat, so this tendency arises here.
> When the mind is disturbed by this, people who remain troubled for a long time imagine the long-lasting delusion of the dream of worldly life.
3.113.45–50
> When one’s own mind is affected by this, many strange delusions arise and disappear in the mind just as waves rise and fall in the Ocean.
> Even what is pleasant and real is seen as both existing and non-existing. What is unpleasant and unreal is also seen as existing and yet non-existing.
> Riding on the chariot of objects, this strong imagination quickly seizes the mind, just as a net traps a bird.
> With eyes flowing with compassion and breasts dripping drops of milk, it becomes like a joyful mother and housewife.
> It quickly turns into poison even the large, nectar-wet disc of the moon that has nourished the three worlds with its cool flow.
> Because of this blind tendency, even silent and unmoving posts seem to begin the wild dance of a mad ghost with loud cries.
Detailed Summary of the Teachings:
These verses describe the nature of mental imagination or latent tendency as something that has no solid substance of its own. It is compared to fragile and temporary things such as a garland of waves, a hollow lotus stalk growing in mud, a lamp flame that disappears without a trace, mist that cannot be caught, and the mere colour of the sky that has no real cause. All these comparisons show that what appears vivid and growing is actually empty and cannot be held.
The same tendency is shown to be deceptive and harmful. At first it may seem pleasant or attractive, like the sweet taste of poison, but later it brings great suffering. It confuses the mind in the same way that a person in a moving boat thinks a fixed post is moving, or that one sees two moons instead of one. Once the mind is caught by it, people begin to believe in a long and solid dream of worldly life that is only an illusion.
Inside the affected mind, countless changing delusions keep rising and falling like Ocean waves. Even real and pleasant things start looking mixed with unreality, while unreal and unpleasant things appear as if they exist. The imagination gains power by attaching itself to objects and quickly traps the mind just as a net traps a bird.
Sometimes this tendency takes on a soft and caring form, appearing like a loving mother who gives milk and shows compassion. At other times it turns even the most nourishing and beautiful things, such as the moon that cools and sustains the worlds, into sources of poison and pain. It can make even still and silent objects seem full of wild movement and noise.
The overall teaching is that this mental tendency is the root of all confusion and suffering. By recognising its empty, changing, and deceptive nature, one can stop identifying with it and free the mind from the long dream of Worldly existence.
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