Shankara’s Easiest Non-Dual Teaching {continued}

Sri Shankara’s “Srih Advaitanubhutih” or “Non-Dual Perception”

(translated by Rmamoorthy & Nome, [with square bracket comments added])

The intent of this text is repetitive analogies that aid transcendence of the strikingly convincing appearance of Multiplicity in the World. Apparent objects are actually only perceptions of such “objects”. Perceptions are actually only thoughts. Thoughts are actually only illusory “waves” (vritti s) in Consciousness, the single Non-Dual Consciousness. The self-luminous & unmistakable Reality of your own Existence is the Self, the only Real,

[7] Just as Space, though only1, appears as if 2 [as when inside & outside a container like an earthen pot for instance ], being conditioned [by the illusory Mind], so likewise, this Self, though only 1 & complete, being so conditioned [as if all this apparent Universe], appears as if 2 [or some 10⁸⁰ particles in the apparently knowable Universe].

[8] Consciousness, which is the cause [of Mind & the illusory Universe it projects] seems so conditioned, but stays as the Consciousness, which is also the effect imagined, & is not altered as the Space of a pot, a cloud, or the clay making up the pot. [Consciousness like Space] is not different anywhere.

[9] Just as Space with limitation [as when enclosed in pots & other containers or objects] removed is only 1, likewise, this Self, with limitation [Mind-created Delusion] removed, is only1 ever.

[10] Just as, with or from Space there is not another “space”, so too because of oneness of the Self, there is no other “self” that could originate from the [single Non-Dual] Self.

[11] Just as water can appear as a cloud instead of the form of liquid water, likewise indeed, the Self, by association with Delusion, appears in the form of the Universe.

[12] Water sometimes appears as a cloud. Upon the cloud’s destruction as rain, there is indeed no destruction of the water.

[13] Likewise, this Self indeed appears, by association with Delusion (Illusion), as the manifest Universe. By the apparent destruction of the apparent manifest Universe, there is not indeed destruction of one's own Self at any time [as with death of the illusory Body, Deep Dreamless Sleep, the “end of Time”, Enlightenment, whatever, ...].

[14] Just as a bubble, arising in water, appears as if separate from water, so likewise this manifest Universe & it’s Multiplicity appears as if separate from the Self.

[to be continued]

[The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com ]