Guest guest Posted November 16, 1999 Report Share Posted November 16, 1999 Dear List, I would like to post my favorite translation of the Astavakra Samhita, by Thomas Byrom. To avoid clogging the list, I will be posting one " chapter " at a time, a few days apart (there are 20 chapters in total). Jay has posted a different translation before, and only a few verses at a time. This makes for easier reading, but I think might have less of a sense of continuity. So I thought I would try compromising in the other direction. This makes for a longer read, but more continuity and sense of flow, in my opinion. If anyone doesn't want to see these postings or think they are taking up too much room on the list, please let me know and I'll stop posting. I'm typing all of this in by hand, so please forgive any mistakes. The book that this is taken from is copyrighted, but out of print. If anyone objects to the minor violation of copyright in reprinting this, let me know and again I will stop. Hari OM, Tim ---------------- Chapter 1 - The Self 1 O Master, Tell me how to find Detachment, wisdom and freedom! 2 Child, If you wish to be free, Shun the poison of the senses. Seek the nectar of truth, Of love and forgiveness, Simplicity and happiness. 3 Earth, fire and water, The wind and the sky-- You are none of these. If you wish to be free, Know you are the Self, The witness of all these, The heart of awareness. 4 Set your body aside. Sit in your own awareness. You will at once be happy, Forever still, Forever free. 5 You have no caste. No duties bind you. Formless and free, Beyond the reach of the senses, The witness of all things. So be happy! 6 Right or wrong, Joy and sorrow, These are of the mind only. They are not yours. It is not really you Who acts or enjoys. You are everywhere, Forever free. 7 Forever ande truly free, The single witness of all things. But if you see yourself as separate, Then you are bound. 8 " I do this. I do that. " The big black snake of selfishness Has bitten you! " I do nothing. " This is the nectar of faith, So drink and be happy! 9 Know you are one, Pure awareness.` With the fire of this conviction, Burn down the forest of ignorance. Free yourself from sorrow, And be happy. 10 Be happy! For you are joy, unbounded joy. You are awareness itself. Just as a coil of rope Is mistaken for a snake, So you are mistaken for the world. 11 If you think you are free, You are free. If you think you are bound, You are bound. For the saying is true: You are what you think. 12 The Self looks like the world. But this is just an illusion. The Self is everywhere. One. Still. Free. Perfect. The witness of all things, Awareness Without action, clinging or desire. 13 Meditate on the Self. One without two, Exalted awareness. Give up the illusion Of the separate self. Give up the feeling, Within or without, That you are this or that. 14 My Child, Because you think you are the body, For a long time you have been bound. Know you are pure awareness. With this knowledge as your sword Cut through your chains. And be happy! 15 For you are already free, Without action or flaw, Luminous and bright. You are bound Only by the habit of meditation. 16 Your nature is pure awareness. You are flowing in all things, And all things are flowing in you. But beware The narrowness of the mind! 17 You are always the same, Unfathomable awareness, Limitless and free, Serene and unperturbed. Desire only your own awareness. 18 Whatever takes form is false. Only the formless endures. When you understand The truth of this teaching, You will not be born again. 19 For God is infinite, Within the body and without, Like a mirror, And the image in a mirror. 20 As the air is everywhere, Flowing around a pot And filling it, So God is everywhere, Filling all things And flowing through them forever. ---------------- ----- " Open mind, Open heart, Tolerance of all viewpoints " Visit " The Core " Website at http://coresite.cjb.net - Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics. Tim's other pages are at http://core.vdirect.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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