no one to be born or to die

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ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE][Originally

Sri Shankaracharya and other great Sages hadwritten several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutrasand thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self enquiryto accomplish their purpose.From those, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed thesalient

points

into Sanskrit verse in a work of twelve chapters,called Sri Advaita

Bodha Deepika.Still later, some great man seems to have translated thisinto Tamil prose. For some unknown reasons only some eightchapters

of the same are found published.]ON SUPERIMPOSITION7. Greatly afflicted by the three kinds of distress (tapa-traya),intensely seeking release from bondage so as to be free fromthis painful existence, a disciple distinguished by long practiceof the four fold sadhana, approaches a worthy master and prays:8-12. Lord, master, ocean of mercy, I surrender to you!Pray save me!Master: Save you from what?Disciple: From the fear of recurring births and deaths.Master: Leave the samsara and fear not.Disciple: Unable to cross this vast ocean of samsara, I fearrecurring births and deaths. So I have surrendered to you. It isfor you to save me!Master: What can I do for you?Disciple: Save me. I have no other refuge. Just as water isthe only thing to put out the flames when the hair of one's headis on fire, so also a sage such as you are, is the sole refuge ofpeople like me who are on fire from the three kinds of distress.You are free from the illusion of samsara, calm in mind andsunk deep in the incomparable Bliss of Brahman which isbeginningless and endless. Certainly you can save this poorcreature. Pray do!Master: What is it to me if you suffer?Disciple: Saints like you cannot bear to see others suffer, asa father his child. Motiveless is your love for all beings. You arethe Guru common to all, the only boat to carry us across thisocean of samsara.Master: Now, what makes you suffer?Disciple: Bitten by the cruel serpent of painful samsara, Iam dazed and I suffer. Master, pray save me from this burninghell and kindly tell me how I can be free.13-17. M.: Well said, my Son! You are intelligent and welldisciplined. There is no need to prove your competence to be adisciple. Your words clearly show that you are fit. Now lookhere, my child!In the Supreme Self of Being-Knowledge-Bliss who canbe the transmigrating being? How can this samsara be? Whatcould have given rise to it? And how and whence can it ariseitself? Being the non-dual Reality, how can you be deluded?With nothing separate in deep sleep, not having changed inany manner, and having slept soundly and peacefully, a foolon waking shouts out "Alas, I am lost!" How can you, thechangeless, formless, Supreme, Blissful Self shout forth "Itransmigrate — I am miserable!" and so on? Truly there isneither birth nor death; no one to be born or to die; nothingof the kind!