Guest guest Posted April 24, 2001 Report Share Posted April 24, 2001 Continuing on with Chapter 1 Instructions on Self-Realization from Astavakra Samhita (Advaita) 8. Do you who have been bitten by the great black serpent of egoism "I am the doer', drink the nectar of faith 'I am not the doer,' and be happy. Black serpent - because egoism causes spiritual death. Nectar - it resuscitates and removes all pain. Destruction of egoism restores spiritual consciousness and frees one from misery. 9. Burn down the forest of ignorance with the fire of conviction 'I am the One, and Pure Consciousness', and be free from grief and be happy. Forest - just as one cannot see one's way in the forest, so ignorance obstructs the vision of Truth. One - because nothing exists except the Self. Pure - Self-effulgent. Our present consciousness is not pure, as it always has not-Self as its object. 10. You are that Consciousness, Bliss-Supreme Bliss, in and upon which this universe appears superimposed, like a snake on a rope. Live happily. Like etc - this is an oft-repeated analogy of Avaita. In the dark of night a rope is mistaken for a snake. The rope does not really become a snake; it has no other reality than the rope itself. In the same way this universe has no real existence. It is Self-Pure Consciousness and Supreme Bliss - in whihc this universe, through ignorance, is seen to exist. Consciousness which is the substratum of the universe, remains eternally pure and unaffected. We are that Consciousness. Therefore we must cease identifying ourselves with the superimposed universe, and thus we shall be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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