Be An Onlooker

Sage Vasishtha

One who engages himself in enquiry is not tempted by distractions. The eyes but see: the notions pleasant, unpleasant etc., arise not in the eyes, but elsewhere - it is even so with the other senses. Hence, the sense-functions are not evil. If egoistic thought is linked to these sense-functions (which arise and cease in a moment) there is mental agitation.

O eyes! The objects of your experience arise and fall, and they are but appearances. Do not let your gaze linger on them, lest the eternal indwelling consciousness suffer mortality. Be an onlooker that you truly are. O mind! Countless scenes are seen by the eyes in accordance with their natural function: why do you get involved in them? Even if these scenes are reflected in the mind and recognized by it, why do you respond to these as the ego-sense? There is, without doubt, an intimate relationship between the eyes and their objects but why do you offer yourself as their support and then endeavor to apprehend them? Truly, scene, sight and mind are unrelated like the face, mirror and reflection: yet, somehow the illusory notion arises that 'I see this'. Ignorance is the wax in which these are sealed to one another; but self-knowledge is the fire in whose heat this wax melts away!