Ashtavakra – 11 – Wisdom

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Ashtavakra said:

11.1

Existence, non-existence, change

this is the nature of things.

Realizing this,

stillness, serenity and bliss naturally follow.


11.2

One who knows for certain that

“Self creates All and is alone”

becomes still, desireless, unattached.


11.3

One who knows for certain

that adversity and success

come and go in obedience to destiny

becomes content.

He neither desires nor grieves.


11.4

One who knows for certain that birth and death,

happiness and misery,

come and go in obedience to destiny

sees nothing to accomplish.

He engages in non-action, and in action remains unattached.


11.5

One who has realized

that only by caring is misery caused in the world

becomes free,

happy, serene, desireless.


11.6

“I am not the body, nor is the body my possession

I am Awareness itself.”

One who realizes this for certain

has no memory of things done or left undone.

There is only the Absolute.


11.7

“From Brahma to the last blade of grass

I alone exist.”

One who knows this for certain

becomes immaculate, serene, unconflicted.

Attainment has no meaning.


11.8

One who knows for certain

that this manifold and wonderful universe

is nothing

becomes desireless Awareness and

abides in the stillness of No-thing.

Ashtavakra – 12 – Abiding in the Self

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Janaka said:

12.1

Becoming first intolerant of action,

then of excessive speech,

then of thought itself,

I come to be here.


12.2

Neither sounds nor other sense perceptions

attract my attention.

Even the Self is unperceived.

The mind is free,

undistracted, one-pointed.

And here I am.


12.3

Effort is required to concentrate a distracted mind

superimposed with illusion.

Knowing this, I remain here.


12.4

Nothing to reject, nothing to accept.

No joy, no sorrow.

Lord God

I am here.


12.5

The four stages of life,

life without stages,

meditation,

renunciation,

objects of mind—

nothing but distractions.

I am forever here.

12.6

Doing and not-doing both arise from ignorance.

I know this.

And I am here.


12.7

Thinking of the unthinkable

One unavoidably conjures thought.

I choose no-thought and remain here.


12.8

Blessed is he who attains this by effort.

Blessed is he who is such by nature.

Ashtavakra – 20 – Liberation-in-Life

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Janaka said:

20.1
Where are the elements, the body, the organs, the mind?
Where is the void?
Where is despair?
My nature is transparent clearness.


20.2
Where is scripture?
Where is Self-knowledge?
Where is no-mind?
Where is contentment and freedom from desire?

I am empty of two-ness.


20.3
Where is Knowledge and ignorance?

Where is “I”?
Where is “this”?
Where is “mine”?
Where is bondage and liberation?

Self has no attributes.


20.4
Where is the unfolding of karma?

Where is liberation-in-life,
or even liberation at death?

There is only One.


20.5
Where is the doer or enjoyer?
Where is the origin or end of thought?

Where is direct or reflected knowledge?

There is no person here.


20.6
Where is the world?
Where is the seeker of liberation”

Where is the contemplative?

Where is the man of Knowledge?

Where is the soul in bondage?

Where is the liberated soul?

My nature is Unity.


20.7
Where are creation and destruction?

Where is the end and the means?

Where is the seeker?

Where is attainment?

I am One.


20.8
Where is the knower?
Where is knowing?
Where is the known, or knowledge itself?

Where is anything?
Where is nothing?

I am pure Awareness.


20.9
Where is distraction, concentration,

knowledge or delusion?
Where is joy or sorrow?

I am Stillness.


20.10
Where is the relative?
Where the transcendent?

Where is happiness or misery?

I am empty of thought.


20.11
Where is illusion?
Where is existence?
Where is attachment or non-attachment?

Where is person?
Where is God?

I am Awareness.


20.12

Where is activity or inactivity?

Where is liberation or bondage?

I am timeless, indivisible.
I am Self alone.


20.13
Where are principles and scriptures?

Where is the disciple or teacher?

Where is the reason for life?

I am boundless, Absolute.


20.14
Where is existence or non-existence?

Where is Unity or duality?

Nothing emanates from me.

No more can be said.