Chapter XVII - Lecture on the annihilation of egoism

Argument:—The Yoga or mode of consuming egoism by the fire of Non-egoism.

Vasishtha said:—

1. [Sanskrit available]
It is by means of the knowledge of one's want of egoism, that the arbour of his desire, which is productive of the fruit of worldliness, and which is fraught with the taste of all kinds of sweet and bitterness; may be checked in its growth.

2. [Sanskrit available]
It is by one's habit of thinking his unegoism, that he comes to view both gold and stone, as well as all sorts of rubbish in the same light; and by being calm and quiet at all events, has never any cause of sorrow at any thing whatsoever.

3. [Sanskrit available]
When the cannon-ball of egoism, is let to fly out from the gun of the mind by force of divine knowledge; we are at a loss to know, where the stone of egoism takes its flight.

4. [Sanskrit available]
The stone of egoism being flung from the balustrade of the body, by the gigantic force of spiritual knowledge; we know not where this ponderous egoism is driven and lost.

5. [Sanskrit available]
After the stone of egoism is flung away, by the great force of the knowledge of Brahma only; we cannot say where this engine of the body (with its boast of egoism in it), is lost forever. (Here are three comparisons of egoism, viz, 1 of a gunshot; 2 of a balustrade stone; 3 of a pebble in a fling).

6. [Sanskrit available]
The meaning of ego is frost in the heart of man, and melts away under the sunshine of unegoism; it then flies off in vapour, and then disappears into nothing we know not where.

7. [Sanskrit available]
The ego is the juice of the inner part of the body, and the unego is the solar heat without; the former is sucked up by the latter, and forsakes the dried body like a withered leaf, and then flies off where we know not.

8. [Sanskrit available]
The moisture of egoism, being sucked up from the leafy body of the living, flies by the process of its suction by the solar heat, to the unknown region of endless vacuum.

9. [Sanskrit available]
Whether a man sleeps in his bed or sits on the ground, whether he remains at home or roves on rocks, whether he wanders over the land or water, wherever he sits or sleeps or is awake or not:—

10. [Sanskrit available]
This formless egoism abides in it, either as gross matter or the subtile spirit, or in some state or other; which though it is afar from it, seems to be united with it. (The true ego of the far distant Divine spirit, seems to be incorporated with the material body).

11. [Sanskrit available]
Egoism is seated as the minute seed, in the heart of the fig tree of the body; where it sprouts forth and stretches its branches, composing the different parts of the world (i.e. the seed of egoism develops itself in the form of the creation, which is a creature of its own).

12. [Sanskrit available]
Again the big tree of the body, is contained within the minute seed of egoism; which bursts out in the branches forming the several parts of the universe.

13. [Sanskrit available]
As the small seed is seen by every one, to contain within it a large tree, which develops itself into a hundred branches, bearing all their leaves, flowers and abundance of fruits; so doth the big body reside with the atomic seed of egoism, with all its endless parts of corporeal organs and mental faculties, which are discernible to the sight of the intelligent.

14. [Sanskrit available]
Egoism is not to be had in the body by reasoning, which points out the mind of everybody, to seek it in the sphere of the vacuous Intellect; the seed of egoism does not spring from the bosom of unreality, and the blunder of the reality of the world, is destroyed by the fire proceeding from the spirituality of the wise.