Tripura Rahasya

Lord Dattatreya said,

• Hemachuda asked his wife (Hemalekha): My dear! I have, as advised by you, retired to a solitary place where I am engaged in investigating the Self. Even so, I have diverse visions and experiences. Thinking that the constant Self-awareness is dimmed by the uncalled-for interference of mental activities, I forcibly repressed my thoughts and remained calm. Darkness superseded, light appeared, sleep supervened and finally a unique bliss overpowered me for a little while. Is this the Self, or something different? Please analyse these experiences of mine and tell me, my dear, so that I may clearly understand them.
• After listening to him carefully, Hemalekha, the knower of this world and beyond, spoke sweetly thus: Listen to me, my dear, closely. What you have now done to restrain thoughts with the mind turned inward (vichara) is a good beginning and praised by the worthy as the best way. Without it, no one has even been successful anywhere. However, it does not produce Self-realization, for the Self remains realized at all times.
• If a product, it cannot be the Self. For, how can the Self be got anew? So then, the Self is never gained. Gain is of something which is not already possessed. Is there any moment when the Self is not the Self? Neither is control of mind used to gain it. I shall give you some examples:
• Just as things unseen in darkness are found on its removal by means of a lamp, and are therefore said to be recovered from oblivion.
• Just as a confused man forgets his purse, but remembers and locates it on keeping his mind unruffled and steady, yet still says that he gained the lost purse, though the steadying of his mind did not produce it.
• So also the control of your mind is not the cause of your Self-realization; though the Self is always there, it is not recognized by you even with a controlled mind because you are not conversant with it.