Day 49 

On the Supreme Cause of All (Parama Káraṇa) 

Introduction:

In this chapter, Sage Vasishtha elaborates on the nature of the Supreme Cause, exploring the living and disembodied liberations. Ráma seeks to understand the distinctions between the two, setting the stage for profound insights.

Delight of Devotion and Knowledge:

The chapter begins by highlighting the delight experienced by those devoted to holy conversations and the acquisition of spiritual knowledge. Sage Vasishtha emphasizes the bliss of living liberation, attainable through the pursuit of knowledge.

Ráma's Inquiry:

Ráma, intrigued by the concepts of living and disembodied liberation, seeks clarification from Sage Vasishtha. He expresses a desire to comprehend these states, armed with an enlightened understanding.

Living Liberation Defined:

Sage Vasishtha elucidates that one attains living liberation by remaining undisturbed amidst worldly affairs, resembling vacuity amidst society. Characteristics of the living liberated include intellectual engagement, a calm countenance, and an indifference to joy or grief.

Disembodied Liberation:

The sage introduces the concept of disembodied liberation, a state beyond birth and death. He explains that those retaining the idea of the three worlds continue their existence, while those free from such notions merge into infinity.

Understanding the Unity of God:

Sage Vasishtha underscores the importance of recognizing the unity of God. He emphasizes that the figurative sense of cosmos as God cannot lead to the spiritual and infinite understanding of Brahma.

Brahma's True Nature:

The sage expounds on Brahma's nature as pure intellect, akin to the clear and tranquil vacuum. Brahma is the source of all, appearing as the world to reveal its unreality. The analogy of a golden bracelet and billows in water is employed to convey the essence of Brahma's reality amid the perceived diversity.

The Erroneous Conception of the World:

Sage Vasishtha declares the erroneous conception of the world as unsubstantial as Vacuum itself. He dispels the notion of the world's reality, asserting its nullity at the ultimate dissolution.

The Formless Self:

The narrative unfolds, describing the nameless self, full, eternal, and imperishable. This self is pure intellect, without beginning or end, and is the cause of creation and destruction.

Manifestation of the Supreme:

The Supreme is compared to a pearly goose in a painting, representing both the real and unreal. Devoid of sensory organs, it perceives everything at all times.

Intellectual Light and Perspective of Creation:

The Supreme serves as the intellectual light through which the form of the real and unreal is discerned. Yogis perceive the Supreme as ineffable light in meditation.

Supreme as the Cause:

The Supreme is the cause of all, and its cause is as nil as the horns of a hare. Its light is omnipresent, residing in the human heart.

Dynamic Force of the Supreme:

The Supreme's pulsation vibrates throughout the universe, causing both rest and motion. It is the pivot around which the world revolves.

Nature of the Supreme:

The Supreme's nature is pure and unchangeable, causing creation and destruction as acts of volition. The Supreme is both awake and asleep everywhere and at all times.

Immanence and Intangibility:

The Supreme is inherent in all things, like fragrance in a flower, and is indestructible and intangible.

Supreme as the Intellect and Source:

Although speechless, the Supreme is the source of all speech and sound. It is both the organ of organs and the source of sensory functions.

Fear and Desire in Ignorance:

Fear of the delusive world arises from ignorance of the Supreme. Knowledge of the Supreme dispels fears and desires.

Guidance by the Divine Light:

In the clear light of the Divine, wishes find better expression, similar to actors performing better under bright lights.

Continuous Creation by the Supreme:

The Supreme manifests a ceaseless series of visible objects, analogous to waves rising on the surface of waters. It exhibits itself in various forms, deceiving the mistaken mind, much like gold appearing in different trinkets.

Supreme as the Self-Same Being:

The Supreme manifests as the soul in various individuals, being the same in all, comparable to water appearing in different waves.

Supreme as the Source of All:

The Supreme is the source of time, visibility, thinking powers, and enlightenment. It is the cause of all forms, figures, actions, flavors, odors, sounds, touches, feelings, and perceptions.

Knowing the Soul:

The soul can be known by considering it in the light of the faculty of vision that lies between the looker and the object looked upon.

Description of the Soul:

The soul is increate, indestructible, eternal, blissful, immaculate, unblamable, beyond description, and unknowable. It is the understanding, the inward faculty of the intellect, and must be known in the spirit.

Advisory for Modern Seekers:

- Perception Beyond Sensory Organs: The Supreme perceives without sensory organs, suggesting the need for transcending ordinary perception.

- Supreme as the Source: Understanding the Supreme as the source of all aspects of experience, from sensory perceptions to the intellect.

- Spiritual Knowledge: Knowledge of the Supreme dispels fear and desire, emphasizing the transformative power of spiritual understanding.

In conclusion, Book III, Chapter IX provides profound insights into the nature of the Supreme, elucidating the concepts of living and disembodied liberation. The advisory encourages seekers to transcend sensory perceptions and embrace spiritual knowledge for transformative understanding.