Chapter Five


1.
AUM pervades everything, equally, like space;
Within It, there are no distinctions such as “high” and “low.”
The formless Unmanifest manifests as form;
How else could the Imperishable show forth Its Light?

2.
“Thou art That,” the scriptures proclaim;
“Thou art That,” one’s own Self affirms.
You are beyond all diversification, the same Self in all.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

3.
Beyond “high” and “low,” I’m the same Self in all.
Beyond “inner” and “outer,” I’m the same Self in all.
If there is only the One, I’m the same Self in all;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

4.
There’s no real distinction between the Imaginer and the imagination;
There’s no real distinction between the Cause and Its effect.
A poem and its words are one and the same;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

5.
There’s no knowledge and no ignorance in the experience of Unity;
There’s no near and no far in the experience of Unity;
There’s no time and no eternity in the experience of Unity;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

6.
There’s no space in the jar, or even a jar;
There’s no container of the soul, or even a soul.
There’s no separation between Cause and effect;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

7.
Here, in the realm of Unity, everyone is eternally free;
A “short time” and a “long time” have no meaning here.
Here, no distinction such as “fat” or “thin” exists;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

8.
Here is neither Emptiness nor fullness;
Here is neither purity nor impurity.
Here is neither the All nor its absence;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all

9.
There’s no distinction such as “divided” or “undivided”;
There’s no distinction such as “within” or “without”;
Beyond the distinction of “enemy” or “friend,”
I’m the same Self in all.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

10.
There’s no disciple or non-disciple in the one Reality;
There’s no one evolving, and no one not-evolving;
Here, in the state of Unity, everyone is eternally free.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

11.
The Self is beyond form and formlessness, is It not?
It is beyond division and non-division, is It not?
It is beyond creation and the absence of creation, is It not?
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

12.
Neither the gunas nor anything else can bind me;
How could I be bound by actions in this life or in the after-life?
I’m the pure, stainless Self, the same within all;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

13.
Here is neither existence nor non-existence;
Here is neither desire nor desirelessness;
Here, the wisdom that’s learned is freedom and equality;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

14.
Here, Reality is not divided into sub-realities (tattvas);
Here is neither union nor separation.
Even if everything disappears, I’m the same Self in all;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

15.
I’m not a vessel, a temple, a house, or a sheath;
Here, without association or dissociation, I am the supreme Reality.
Here, without knowledge or ignorance, I am the supreme Reality;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

16.
Unchanging? Changing? Neither is the truth.
Purposeless? Purposeful? Neither is the truth.
If only the Self is perceived: that is the truth.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

17.
Here, everyone is the same conscious Soul;
Here, everyone is the one eternal Soul.
Here, only the one undivided Soul exists;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

18.
Indiscrimination? Discrimination? This is ignorance.
Mindlessness? Mindfulness? This is ignorance.
If only the eternal One is seen: that is knowledge.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

19.
There’s no state of liberation and no state of bondage;
There’s no state of virtue, and no state of sin.
There’s no state of perfection and no state of imperfection;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

20.
If I’m always the same, beyond caste and castelessness;
If I’m always the same, beyond cause and effect;
If I’m always the same, beyond division and non-division;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

21.
Here, everything is eternal; everything is Consciousness.
Here, only the Immutable exists; everything is Consciousness.
Without any exception, everything is Consciousness.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

22.
If everything is eternal, everything is myself.
If only the Stainless, the Immutable, exists, everything is myself.
Whether daytime or night-time, everything is myself;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

23.
I’m neither in bondage nor in freedom; I’m always the same.
I’m neither united nor separated; I’m always the same.
I possess neither knowledge nor ignorance; I’m always the same.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

24.
Here, time and timelessness cease to exist.
Here, atoms and particles cease to exist.
Only the absolute Reality never ceases to exist.
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

25.
Here is no difference between embodied and bodiless;
To the Supreme, the subtle and gross states are the same.
The Supreme is the same whether It’s named or unnamed;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

26.
The one Purity, like space, is equally in all;
Transcending all forms, I’m the same Self in all.
Whether there are forms or no forms, the Essence remains the same;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

27.
Here, I’m unattracted to either virtue or vice;
Here, I’m unattracted to either form or formlessness.
Here, I’m unattracted to either dispassion or desire;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

28.
Beyond pleasure and pain, I’m the same Self in all;
Here, neither sorrow nor gladness exists.
In the supreme Reality, there is neither Guru nor disciple;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

29.
The Self is neither substantial nor insubstantial;
It is neither identical, nor not identical, to the world.
It’s beyond both enquiry and abstention from enquiry;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

30.
This [Self] is the underlying Essence of every substance;
So how can you find distinctions in the one Existence?
There is no object of perception outside of Itself;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

31.
In many eloquent ways, the scriptures have said,
“This observable world’s like a desert mirage.”
If there’s only the eternal One, I’m the same Self in all;
Why lament, then, O mind? I’m the same Self in all.

32.
In that state where one knows nothing at all,
This versified knowledge does not even exist.
So, now, while I’m in the state of samarasa,
I, the Avadhut, have spoken of the supreme Absolute.