Ekatmapancakam (Five Verses on the One Self)

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1) The Self is the only reality and the body is not real. On account of

ignorance, one identifies oneself with the body and imagines one is reborn

and dies repeatedly. But when one realises the non-dual Self, one shakes off

ignorance which is the root of evil. This is like waking up from a wandering

dream.

 

2) While being the Self, we ask 'Who am I? Who am I?', not knowing that we

are that Self. This is just like a drunken man enquiring about who and where

he is.

 

3) Which is correct : the Self is in the body, or the body is in the Self?

Certainly, the latter. The Self is all-inclusive and transcendent. To

reverse the order and speak of the Self as being in the body is like saying

that the canvas on which a picture is painted is contained in the picture.

 

4) As the ornament is not apart from the gold, the body is not apart from

the Self. The ignorant ones mistake the body for the Self ; the sage knows

that the Self alone is real.

 

5) What exists is that One Self alone. If the First Teacher, Dakshinamurti,

taught in silence the nature of that Reality, who can expound it in words?

 

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