Chapter LXI - Description of the world as a passing dream

Argument:—How our firm faith arises over this entity, and its answer.

Rama said:—

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As we are, Oh sage! a dream drawn house, the body of the lotus-born Brahma—the first progenitor, is the same no doubt.

2. [Sanskrit available]
And if this world is a non-entity—asat, we must know our existence the same, then how is it possible to arise the firm faith over this entity—sat.

Vasishtha responded:—

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We are shining here as a created being by the previous birth of Brahma, but in fact, the reflection of soul shines for ever nothing besides.

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Owing to the omnipresence of consciousness, all beings exist as reality every where, and if she rises from unreal knowledge, she as real knowledge destroys the unreal one. (vice-versa).

5. [Sanskrit available]
Therefore whatever comes from these five elements, is but transitory, but owing to the firm belief on ego, we enjoy a firm faith for the same.

6. [Sanskrit available]
In a dream, we see good many things as reality; but as soon the dream is over, we do not find the things dreamt of; so we see the reality of the world; as long we remain in ignorance.

7. [Sanskrit available]
Oh Rama! as the dreaming man counts his dream as reality, owing to his faith on it; so this world appears a reality, like the supreme God who has no beginning and end.

8. [Sanskrit available]
That which is to be created by the dreaming man, is to be called his own; as we can say by guessing knowledge, what is in the seed, is in the fruit.

9. [Sanskrit available]
Whatever comes from non-entity, is to be called non-entity; and that which is unreal though it can be workable, is not reasonable to think good.

10. [Sanskrit available]
As the thinking result of unreality is to be given up, so the firm faith which is arising by the dreaming man; is to be given up likewise.

11. [Sanskrit available]
Whatever soul creates in dream is our firm belief, but that remains only for a time being (hence it is asat—non-entity).

12. [Sanskrit available]
Brahma's long drawn portion is this entity, hence we think also the same, but in fact, this entity is a moment to Brahma.

13. [Sanskrit available]
Consciousness is the creator of all elements, she creates every thing according to her model, hence creator and creation are one and the same.

14. [Sanskrit available]
As the backward and forward whirling motion of water, makes the deep to swell, and as also fairy comes near in a dream, so all these are in reality nothing.

15. [Sanskrit available]
So this entity with its change (of creation, sustentation and destruction) is nothing. In whatever manner we look object, that will appear in return in the same manner.

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[?] state, what it produces in sleeping state, though it has a power to create something out of nothing) as the production is not in the world, but owing to ignorance it appears so.

17. [Sanskrit available]
In the three worlds we see wondrous objects, as we see fire burning in the water like a sub-marine fire.

18. [Sanskrit available]
Good many cities exist in vacuity, as birds and stars remain in the sky. We find lotus in a stone like trees growing without an earth.

19. [Sanskrit available]
One country gives every kind of object to the seeker, like a tree that gives all objects to the seeker (Kalpa taru) and also we see in a stone and rows of jewels (that is counting beads) giving fruits like fruitful trees.

20. [Sanskrit available]
Life exists within a stone (Salgram) as frog exists. Stone gives water as moon-stone gives.

21. [Sanskrit available]
In a dream within a minute good many things can be made and unmade, which in fact, are unreal like one's death in a dream.

22. [Sanskrit available]
The natural water of the elements remains in the sky, (that is, in the cloud), when the heavenly river Mandakini remains in vacuity.

23. [Sanskrit available]
The heavy stone flies in the air, when the winged mountain does so. Every thing to be got in stone, when every thing can be secured from the philosopher's stone.

24. [Sanskrit available]
In the garden of bliss of Indra every desired object to be got, but in salvation such kind of desired object is wanting.

25. [Sanskrit available]
Even dull matter acts like machine, hence every object acts like wonderful erroneous magic.

26. [Sanskrit available]
By magical art (that is, Gandharva vidya) we see even impossible objects such as two moons, Kavandhas, mantras, drugs, and Pishacha. All these are the works of wonderful erroneous magic, which are in fact nothing.

27. [Sanskrit available]
We see impossibility as real as we see possibility, hence impossibility becomes real by our erroneous ideas only.

28. [Sanskrit available]
The erroneous dream though it appears as real is in fact unreal, as that which is not real does not exist, which is real does exist (unity is real, duality is unreal, hence existence and non-existence are one and the same).

29. [Sanskrit available]
So this dreaming creation is looked by all worldly being here as real, as dreamer takes his dream a reality.

30. [Sanskrit available]
By passing from one error to another error, from one dream to another, one firm faithful being comes out.

31. [Sanskrit available]
As a stray deer falls into the pit repeatedly for green grass, so ignorant man repeatedly falls into the pit of this world, owing to his ignorance.