Upanishads

Adhyatma Upanishad

Shuklayajurveda, a group of Upanishads - pure Vedanta

Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite comes from the infinite.
(Then) accepting the infinity of the infinite (universe),
She remains as the infinite (Brahman) one.
Om! Let there be Peace in me!
May there be Peace in my surroundings!
May there be Peace in the forces that act upon me!

In the cave of the body the unborn dwells eternally.

The earth is His body. (Although) moving within the earth, the earth does not know Him.

Water is His body. (Although) moving within the water, the water does not know Him.

Fire is His body. (Although) moving within the fire, the fire does not know Him.

Air is His body. (Although) moving in the air, the air does not know Him.

Ether is His body. (Although) moving in the ether, the ether does not know Him.

The mind is His body. (Although) moving in the mind, the mind does not know Him.

The intellect is His body. (Although) moving in the intellect, the intellect does not know Him.

The ego is His body. (Although) moving in the ego, the ego does not know Him.

The mind-stuff is His body. (Although) moving in the mind-stuff, the mind-stuff does not know Him.

The unmanifest is His body. (Although) moving in the unmanifest, the unmanifest does not know Him.

The incorruptible is His body. (Although) moving in the incorruptible, the incorruptible does not know Him.

Death is His body. (Although) moving in Death, Death does not know Him.

He, then, is the inner Self of all beings, sinless, heaven-born, luminous, the only Narayana.

1. The superposition is the thought, 'I' am, and mine is the body, the senses, etc., which are all different from the Self. Through devotion to Brahman the sage should reject this.

2. Knowing oneself as a subject, a witness of the intellect and its operations, reject the idea of the I as distinct from the subject, identifying the "I" with this (the subject).

3. Rejecting the conformity to the world, body and Shastras, remove the imposition on the Self.

4. The mind of the Yogi perishes because it remains without interruption in the Self alone, knowing through reasoning, Shruti and experience that it is the Self of all beings.

5. Without giving even for a moment support to sleep, gossip, verbal exchanges, etc., and self-forgetfulness, meditate on the Self in yourself.

6. Having cast the body far aside, O descendant of parental emanations, since his status is no better than that of an outcast, and having become a Brahman, seek satisfaction.

7. Dissolve the Self in the Supreme Self, as the space-pot dissolves in the infinite space; then, as the Infinite, be silent forever, O sage!

8. Having become the self-luminous Substrate, as Being, reject both the macrocosm and the microcosm, which are only the abodes of impurities.

9. Having placed the body-bound sense of 'I' in the ever-blissful spiritual Self, renounce the subtle body; be the Absolute forever.

10. Knowing "I am that Brahman" in which this external world (exists), like a city reflected in a mirror, attain satisfaction, O sinless one!

11. Freed from the clutches of egoism, like the moon (after an eclipse), complete, ever-blissful, self-luminous, man attains his essence.

12. The destruction of actions leads to the destruction of thought; hence the extinction of the innate impulses (to action). The destruction of the innate impulses is liberation; it is considered freedom in life.

13. In all places and in all ways, by perceiving everything as Spirit, man achieves the dissolution of innate impulses, for this strengthens the attitude of universal goodwill.

14. One should never be careless in devotion to Brahman; "carelessness is death," so say the philosophers of Brahman in regard to (this) science.

15. Just as a reed that is plucked out does not remain motionless even for a moment, so Maya (incessantly) envelops even the sage if he turns his face (from the Truth).

16. He who attains absoluteness in life continues to be absolute even after death. Rooted in concentration, O sinless one, remain steadfast.

17. With the vision of the non-dual Self through unwavering concentration comes the dissolution without remainder of the knots of ignorance in the heart.

18. Strengthening the sense of Self in relation to this vision and rejecting it in relation to the ego, etc., remain indifferent to all this as to such objects as pots and clothes.

19. All things from Brahma to tufts of grass are nothing but unreal appendages. In contrast, look upon your Self as the unchanging fullness.

20. I am Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and Shiva; this whole world is your Self; other than this Self, there is nothing.

21. Having rejected all objective manifestations superimposed on your Self, you remain alone as the supreme Brahman, complete, non-dual, unchanging.

22. The world is a postulate, as well as a non-existent one, in the one Reality, which is unchangeable, formless, unqualified; where does the difference come from?

23. (In the one Reality) devoid of differences, as the perceiver, the perception and the perceived, and of all suffering, in the absolutely complete, spiritual, Self, like the ocean during cosmic dissolution, (whence the difference)?

24. The darkness implied in Him, as in the light, is the cause of delusion. Whence the distinction in the supreme non-dual and unconditioned Reality?

25. In this one and supreme Reality, how can the agent of difference abide? In deep sleep, which is nothing but the bliss that has perceived difference?

26. This perception of difference is rooted in the mind (of the perceiver); it is not there in the absence of mind. Therefore fix the mind on the Self as the subject.

27. Knowing the Self, which is indivisible bliss, as one's own essence (one follows) enjoying the timeless bliss, which is the Self, both externally and internally.

28. The fruit of detachment is knowledge: the fruit of knowledge is detachment. The experience of the Self as bliss leads to peace; again, peace is the fruit of detachment.

29. Without subsequent states, the previous ones are fruitless, indeed. Cessation is the highest satisfaction; incomparable bliss is spontaneous.

30. The expressed meaning of the word tat (God) has Maya as its complement; He is the world cause. He is characterized by omniscience, etc.; is tinged with transcendence and is essentially Truth, etc.

31. The expressed meaning of the word "Tvam" shines as the content of the idea and expression "I"; it is awareness mixed with the mind (the internal organ of perception).

32. Only through the exclusion of Maya and Avidya, the appendages of God and Jiva, is the supreme Spirit, the indivisible Being, Consciousness and Bliss, indicated.

33. "To listen" thus means to follow through the sentences their meaning. On the other hand, "to think" consists in perceiving its correspondence to reason.

34. "Meditation" is in fact the exclusive attention of the mind fixed on (the meaning) made certain through listening and thinking.

35. "Concentration" is called the mind which, outgrowing the dualism between the meditator and the meditation, gradually stops exclusively on the object (meditation) and is like a flame in a windless place.

36. The changes of mind in relation to the Self are not realized in this state; they are (only) inferred as past, after leaving the state of Samadhi.

37. Crores of pockets accumulated in this beginningless transmigratory life are dissolved by concentration: (then) pure virtue begins to flourish.

38. The best experts in Yoga call this concentration a cloud of virtues, because it pours out streams of virtue in a thousand streams.

39-40. When the load of innate impulses is dissolved without remainder by this (cloud of virtues) and the heaps of pockets, good and evil, are completely eradicated, the main text, which at first shone forth immediately, now unhindered, gives immediate realization, as (clear) as myrobalan on the palm (of the hand).

41. The non-arising of the impulse (to enjoy, etc.) in relation to the objects of enjoyment marks the pinnacle of detachment. The highest stage of awareness (is marked) by the absence of egoistic feeling.

42(a). The highest point of withdrawal (is marked) by the absence of (even) a hidden impulse (to enjoyment).

42(b). He is an ascetic of unshakable wisdom who ever enjoys bliss;

43-44(a). Whose Self is immersed in Brahman alone; who is changeless and immovable. Wisdom (prajna) is defined as the unshakable spiritual form, the content of which is the unity of Brahman and Atman, purified (from all appendages).

44(b). He who possesses it (wisdom) without interruption is liberated in life;

45. He who has no vanity of the self in relation to the body and the senses; nor vanity of objects in relation to things other than them - whoever is free from these two vanities in relation to anything whatsoever, he is liberated in life;

46. He who in his wisdom sees no difference between the subject and Brahman; who does not refer to either the creator or the creation, he is liberated in life.

47. Whose attitude is the same both when he is honored by the virtuous and when he is persecuted by the wicked, he is liberated in life.

48. He who has realized the truth of Brahman does not transmigrate any more as hitherto; if he does, that truth has not been realized by him; he is only an extrovert.

49. As long as the experience of pleasure, etc., lasts, so long do the active pockets from the past persist. (Causal) actions precede the occurrence of effects; never do actions precede them.

50. Due to the experience of 'I am Brahman', the pockets accumulated over aeons dissolve, like the actions in a dream, on awakening.

51. Just as nothing clings to space, so to the sage who knows the Self as unattached and indifferent, future actions do not cling in the least.

52. Just as space is not affected by the smell of liquor, although it touches the pot (containing liquor), so the Self is not affected by the properties of His appendages.

53. Pockets made before the dawn of knowledge do not disappear as a result of that knowledge; they must produce their due effect, like an arrow shot to hit a target (does not stop before hitting it).

54. An arrow shot (to hit) what was taken for a tiger does not stop, although it is known (the target) to be a cow; the target is hit with full force.

55. "I do not age"; "I am immortal" - how can one who knows that his Self is such and lives by this knowledge, fabricate operational past actions?

56. Only then is an operative past action real when a person mistakes his ego for the body. Treating the body as ego is wrong; therefore reject (the concept of) an operative past action.

57. The fabrication of the operative past action is also, indeed, a delusion because of this body.

58. How can the superimposed be real? How can the unreal be born? How can the unborn perish? How can the unreal possess operative past actions?

59-60. To answer the dull (who) doubt how this body is preserved, if all the effects of ignorance with their cause are destroyed by knowledge, the Shruti, with an external view, puts forward the theory of operative past actions; not in order to impress upon the wise that the body, etc., are real.

61. Complete fullness, without beginning or end, measure or change.

Mass being and intelligence, mass eternal bliss, undiminished,

62. With the only taste of the subject, complete, infinite, behold all,

Do not avoid or seize, do not hold or prop up;

63. Beyond inert forces and actions, subtle, definite, impeccable;

Whose essence is beyond thought, beyond the middle and words;

64. Existent, complete, self-proven, pure, awakened and incomparable.

The One is the non-dual Brahman; there is no plurality at all.

This science was imparted to Apantaratamasu.

He handed it over to Brahma, who handed it over to Ghorangiras.

The latter handed it over to Raikva, and Raikva to Rama.

Rama gave it to all beings.

This is the injunction regarding Nirvana; this is the injunction of the Vedas, the Vedas.

This is a secret teaching.

Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite comes from the infinite.
(Then) accepting the infinity of the infinite (universe),
She remains as the infinite (Brahman) one.
Om! Let there be Peace in me!
May there be Peace in my surroundings!
May there be Peace in the forces that act upon me!

Thus ends the Adhyatmopanishad belonging to the Shuklayajurveda.