Astăvakra said

Praise be to That by the awareness of which
delusion itself becomes dream-like,
to That which is pure happiness, peace and light. 18.1

One may get all sorts of pleasure by the
acquisition of possessions,
but one cannot be happy except by
the renunciation of everything. 18.2

How can there be happiness,
for one who has been burnt inside by
the blistering sun of religious duties,
without the rain of the nectar of peace? 18.3

This universe is but a state of consciousness,
in reality it is not there.
The Existent and the non-existent
do not lose their inherent nature. 18.4

The Self which is absolute, effortless,
immutable and spotless is neither far away
nor limited. It is verily ever attained. 18.5

As soon the Self is realized, those whose vision
is unveiled and illusion ceases,
live with their sorrows dispelled. 18.6

Knowing everything as if were just imagination,
and oneself as eternally free,
Could the wise one act ignorantly like a child? 18.7

When you know you are God And that
what is and what is not Are both imaginary,
And you are at last free of desire,
Then what is there left To know or to say or to do? 18.8

Considerations like `I am this' or `I am not this'
are finished for the mystic who has gone silent realizing
`Everything is myself'. 18.9

For the mystic who has found peace,
there is no distraction or one-pointedness,
no higher knowledge or ignorance,
no pleasure and no pain. 18.10

The dominion of heaven or simple beggar,
gain or loss, life in society or in the forest,
these make no difference to a mystic whose
nature is free from distinctions. 18.11

There is no religion, wealth, sensuality
or discrimination for a mystic free from
the pairs of opposites such as
`This is to be done" and "This is not to be done" 18.12

The yogin who is liberated while living,
has neither any duty nor any attachment at heart.
his actions, cause and effects are of this life only. 18.13

Where is delusion, where is the universe,
where is renunciation, moreover where is liberation
for the great-souled, one who rest beyond
the world of desires. ? 18.14

He who questions the universe may try
to negate it,
What has the desireless to do ?
He sees though not seeing. 18.15

When you have "seen God " You meditate on Him,
Saying to yourself, "I am He."
But when you are without thought
And you understand there is only One,
One Without a second one
On whom can you meditate? (*) 18.16

  Note:  your original nature is God !
  being indivisible one,
  how can you see another?

That one that sees distraction in the self,
indeed goes and practice control.
The noble-minded is but distracted,
having nothing to accomplish, what is there to do ? 18.17

He acts like an ordinary man.
But inside he is quite different.
He sees no imperfection in himself,
Nor distraction, Nor any need for meditation. 18.18

He who is beyond existence and
non-existence, wise, satisfied and
free from desire.
He/she may be active in the eyes of
the world, but does nothing. 18.19

The wise person who just goes on doing
what presents itself for one to do,
encounters no difficulty in either activity or inactivity. 18.20

One who is desireless, self-reliant, independent and
free from bondages, functions like a dead leaf
blown about by the wind of causality. 18.21

There is neither joy nor sorrow for one who
has transcended worldly existence.
With a peaceful mind he/she lives as if without a body. 18.22

The wise man who delights in the Self
whose mind is calm and pure, has no desire to
renounce anything anywhere or feels loss anywhere. 18.23

Naturally of a vacant mind and
doing what comes of itself,
the wise one unlike the natural man,
is not affected by honour or dishonour. 18.24

This action was done by the body but not by me.'
The pure-natured person thinking like this,
is not acting even when acting. (*) 18.25

   Note: (see note 13.3)

XVIII a  Doctrine
Home  ||  Introduction  ||  Contents  ||  I  ||  II  ||  III  ||  IV  ||  V  || 
VI  ||  VII  ||  VIII  ||  IX  ||  X  ||  XI  ||  XII  ||   XIII  ||  XIV  ||  XV  || 
XVI  ||  XVII  ||  XVIII a  ||  XVIII b  ||  XVIII c  ||  XVIII d  ||  XIX  || 
                                                XX  || 
Credits and Links