Do Not Desire Experience

Sage Vasishtha

Rama, the notion of an object is the seed for both movement of prana and for the clinging to a fancy, for it is only when such desire for experience arises in the heart that such movement of prana and mental conditioning take place. When such desire for experience is abandoned, both these cease instantly.

Of course, the indwelling consciousness is the seed for this desire for experiencing: for without that consciousness the desire for such experience will not arise at all. However, it has no object of experiencing either outside or inside; for it is the consciousness itself that, on account of a movement of thought within itself, desires to experience itself as an object. Just as a man dreams of his own death or of his travel abroad, even so this consciousness, by its own cleverness, experiences itself as an object. When such experience takes place, this world-appearance results, O Rama. When this truth is realized the illusion ceases to be.

What is the truth? That all this is nothing but the one infinite consciousness and that there is naught else besides. Whatever is seen and whatever is unseen, all that is the infinite consciousness - thus should the wise one realize, so purifying his vision. Unpurified vision perceives the world; purified vision perceives the infinite consciousness and that itself is liberation. Hence O Rama, strive to eradicate the desire for experience. Get rid of idleness. Free yourself from all experiences.