Sage Dattatreya
The Sage's Son continued,
What is designated as exterior by people, is simply the origin and prop of the universe, like the screen and its relation to the picture on it. There could be nothing external to that 'exterior' except it be one's own body. How can that be externalized from the 'exterior'? For example, when you say 'outside the hill' the hill is withdrawn from the space beyond; it is not included in it. But the body is seen in space just as a pot is seen. The body must therefore be external to the seer. What is visible lies within the range of illumination: if without, it cannot be seen. Therefore the illumined objects must be within the vision of the illuminant. The body etc. are the illumined, because they are themselves objectified. The illumined and the illuminant cannot be identical. Again the illuminant cannot be objectified, who who is the seer apart from it? And how can the illumination by which he sees be apart from him? That the illuminant affords the light and serves as an object standing apart from the seer, is impossible to maintain. Therefore the illuminant cannot admit of any foreign admixture in it, and he is the illumination in perfection - only one, and the being of all.
He extends as time and space; they are infinite and perfect, being involved as the illuminant, illumination and the illumined. As regards within or without, everything is included in illumination. How then can anything be 'outer', unless it is like a peak on a mountain? The whole universe is thus in the illumination which shines self-sufficient, by itself, everywhere, and at all times.
Such illumination is Her Transcendental Majesty Tripura, the Supreme. She is called Brahma in the Vedas, Vishnu by the Vaishnavites, Shiva by the Shaivites, and Shakti by the Shaktas. There is indeed nothing but She. She holds everything by Her prowess as a mirror does its images. She is the illuminant in relation to the illumined.
The object is sunk in illumination like the image of a city in a mirror. Just as the city is not apart from the mirror, so also the universe is not apart from consciousness. Just as the image is part and parcel of the clear, smooth, compact and one mirror, so also the universe is part and parcel of the perfect, solid and unitary consciousness, namely the Self.
No comments:
Post a Comment