24 THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE YOGI: THE SUPREME IDENTITY

To Give as exact an idea as possible of the actual state of the yogi who, through Knowledge, is 'delivered in this life' (jīvan-mukta) and has realized the 'Supreme Identity', we will once again quote Shankarāchārya: [1] his remarks on the subject, describing the highest possibilities to which the being can attain, may serve at the same time as a conclusion to the present study. The yogi, whose intellect is perfect, contemplates all things as abiding in himself [in his own Self, without any distinction of outer and inner] and thus, by the eye of Knowledge [jñāna-chakshus, a term which can be rendered fairly exactly by 'intellectual intuition'], he perceives [or rather conceives, not rationally and discursively, but by a direct awareness and immediate 'sensing'] that everything is Ātmā. He knows that all contingent things [the forms and other modalities of manifestation] are not different from Ātmā [in their principle], and that apart from Ātmā there is nothing, 'things differing simply [in the words of the Veda] in attribution, in accident, and in name, just as earthen vessels receive different names, although they are but different forms of earth'; [2] and thus he perceives [or conceives, in the same sense as above] that he himself is all things [since there can no longer be anything which is 'other' than himself or than his own 'Self']. [3] When the accidents [formal and otherwise, including subtle manifestation as well as gross manifestation] are suppressed [these accidents only existing in illusory mode, in such a way that they are really nothing in relation to the Principle], the Muni [taken here as a synonym of the yogi] enters, with all beings [inasmuch as they are no longer distinct from himself] into the all-pervading Essence [which is Ātmā]. [4] He is without [distinct] qualities and actionless; [5] imperishable [akshara, not subject to dissolution, which exercises dominion only over the manifold], without volition [applied to a definite act or to determined circumstances]; abounding in Bliss, immutable, without form; eternally free and pure [unable to be constrained, reached, or affected in any way whatsoever by anything other than himself, since this other is non-existent or at least experiences but an illusory existence, while he himself dwells in absolute reality]. He is like Ether [Ākāsha], which is diffused everywhere [without differentiation] and which pervades the exterior and interior of things simultaneously; [6] he is incorruptible, imperishable; he is the same in all things [no modification affecting his identity], pure, impassible, invariable [in his essential immutability]. He is [in the very words of the Veda] 'the Supreme Brahma, which is eternal, pure, free, single [in Its absolute perfection], continually abounding in Bliss, without duality, [unconditioned] Principle of all existence, knowing [without that Knowledge implying any distinction of subject and object, which would be contrary to Its 'nonduality'] and without end. He is Brahma, after the possession of which there remains nothing to possess; after the enjoyment of whose Bliss there remains no felicity to be desired; and after the attainment of the Knowledge of which there remains no knowledge to be obtained. He is Brahma, which once beheld [by the eye of Knowledge], no object is contemplated; being identified with which, no modification [such as birth or death] is experienced; which being perceived [but not however as an object perceptible by any kind of faculty], there is nothing further to perceive [since all distinctive knowledge is thenceforth transcended and as it were annihilated]. He is Brahma, which is disseminated everywhere and throughout all things [since there is nothing outside It and everything is necessarily contained in Its Infinity]: [7] in intermediate space, in that which is above and in that which is below [that is to say in the totality of the three worlds]; the Real, abounding in Bliss, without duality, indivisible and eternal. He is Brahma, pronounced in the Vedānta to be absolutely distinct from that which It pervades (and which, on the contrary, is not distinct from It or at least only distinguishes itself from It in illusory mode) [8] continually abounding in Bliss and without duality. He is Brahma, by which [according to the Veda, are produced life [jiva], the inward sense [manas], the faculties of sensation and action [jnānendriyas and karmedriyas], and the elements [tanmātras and bhūtas] which compose the manifested world [in the subtle as well in the gross order]. He is Brahma, in which all things are united [beyond every distinction, even principial], upon which all actions depend [and which is Itself actionless]; that is why It is disseminated throughout all things [without division, dispersion, or differentiation of any sort]. He is Brahma, which is without size or dimension [unconditioned], without extension [being indivisible and without parts], without origin [being eternal], incorruptible, without shape, without [determined] qualities, without assignment or attribute of any kind. He is Brahma, by which all things are illuminated [participating in Its essence according to the degree of their reality], the Light of which causes the sun and all luminous bodies to shine, but which is not Itself made manifest by their light. [9] He himself pervades his own eternal essence [which is not different from the Supreme Brahma], and [simultaneously] he contemplates the whole World [manifested and unmanifested] as being [also] Brahma, just as fire intimately pervades a white-hot iron ball, and (at the same time also reveals itself outwardly [by manifesting itself to the senses through its heat and luminosity]. Brahma resembles not the World, [10] and apart from Brahma there is naught [for, if there were anything apart from It, It could not be infinite]; everything that appears to exist apart from It cannot exist [in this manner] save in illusory mode, like the apparition of water [mirage] in the desert [marūu]. [11] Of all that is seen, of all that is heard [and of all that is perceived or conceived by any faculty whatsoever] naught [veritably] exists apart from Brahma; and by Knowledge [principial and supreme], Brahma is contemplated as alone real, abounding in Bliss, without duality. The eye of Knowledge contemplates Brahma as It is in Itself, abounding in Bliss, pervading all things; but the eye of ignorance discovers It not, discerns It not, even as a blind man perceives not the sensible light. The 'Self' being illumined by meditation [when a theoretical and therefore still indirect knowledge makes it appear as if it were receiving the Light from a source other than itself, which is still an illusory distinction], and then burning with the fire of Knowledge [realizing its essential identity with the Supreme Light], is delivered from all accidents [or contingent modifications], and shines in its own splendor, like gold which is purified in the fire. [12] When the Sun of spiritual Knowledge rises in the heavens of the heart [that is, at the center of the being, called Brahma-pura], it dispels the darkness [of ignorance veiling the single absolute reality], it pervades all, envelopes all and illumines all. He who has made the pilgrimage of his own 'Self', a pilgrimage not concerned with situation, place, or time [or any particular circumstance or condition], [13] which is everywhere [14] [and always, in the immutability of the 'eternal present'], in which neither heat nor cold are experienced [no more than any other sensible or even mental impression], which procures a lasting felicity and a final deliverance from all disturbance [or all modification]; such a one is actionless, he knoweth all things [in Brahma], and he attaineth Eternal Bliss.'