"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Tripura Rahasya

Sage Dattatreya

Spirit: What are investigation, dispassion and disgust for pleasure?

Prince: Investigation is analysis conducted within oneself, discriminating the non-Self from the Self, stimulated by a stern, strong and sincere desire to realize the Self. Dispassion is non-attachment to surroundings. This results if the misery consequent on attachment is kept in mind.

Spirit: What is the root cause of the whole series of these requirements?

Prince: Divine Grace is the root cause of all that is good. Devotion to God alone can bring down His Grace. This devotion is produced and developed by association with the wise. That is the prime cause of all.

S: Who is that God? What is devotion to Him? Who are the wise?

P: God is the master of the cosmos. Devotion is unwavering love for Him. The wise are those who abide in Supreme Peace and melt with love for all.

S: Who is always in the grip of fear? Who of misery? Who of poverty?

P: Fear holds a man possessed of enormous wealth; misery, of a large family; and poverty, of insatiable desires.

S: Who is fearless? Who is free from misery? Who is never needy?

P: The man with no attachments is free from fear; the one with controlled mind is free from misery; the Self-realized man is never needy.

S: Who is he that passes men's understanding and is visible though without a body? What is the action of the inactive?

P: The man emancipated here and now passes men's understanding; he is seen though he does not identify himself with the body; his actions are those of the inactive.

S: What is real? What is unreal? What is inappropriate? Answer these questions and redeem your brother. 

P: The subject (the Self) is real; the object (non-Self) is unreal; worldly transactions are inappropriate.

I have now answered your questions. Please release my brother at once.

When the Prince had finished, the ghoul released Rukmangada with pleasure and himself, appeared metamorphosed as a Brahmin.

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सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad