These real Desires are covered over by Untruth; real as they are, Untruth is their covering. Man here can see no more any of his folk who depart hence. But when he goes there he finds all--those of his folk who are living, and those who have departed, and whatever else he wins not for seeking. For there those real Desires are that were covered over by Untruth. It is as with men who, knowing not the ground, should walk again and again over a hidden treasure and find it not; even so all creatures,

coming to it day by day, find not this Brahma-world, for they are cast back by Untruth ...

Now that perfect Peace, rising up from this body, enters into the Supreme Light and issues forth in its own semblance. This is the Self," said he, "this is the deathless, the fearless; this is Brahma...

Now the Self is the dyke holding asunder the worlds that they fall not one into another. Over this dyke pass not day and night, nor old age, nor death, nor sorrow, nor good deeds, nor bad deeds. All ills turn away thence; for this Brahma-world is void of ill. Therefore in sooth the blind, after passing over this dyke is no more blind, the wounded no more wounded, the sick no more sick. Therefore in sooth even Night after passing over this dyke issues forth as Day; for in this Brahma-world is everlasting light"

Footnotes

^61:1 Chhandogya Upanishad, viii. 1 f.

^61:2 The body, whose organs of sense are compared to gates; the king within is the soul, or Self; the lotus the heart.

^62:1 Namely, the knowledge and will of the absolute subject of thought, or true Self. As such, these Desires are essentially infinite; their limitation arises from an external "Untruth," the finite conditions of the world of physical experience, which the thinker is able to cast off.

^62:2 Namely, into his own heart, into the full consciousness of his selfhood.

IV. THE INFINITE I

"Verily this All is Brahma. It has therein its birth, end, breath; as such one should worship it in stillness.

Verily man is made of will. As is man's will

in this world, such he becomes on going hence; so let him frame the will.

Made of mind, bodied in breath, shaped in light, real of purpose, ethereal of soul, all-working, all-desiring, all-smelling, all-tasting, grasping this All, speaking naught, heeding naught--this is my Self within my heart, smaller than a rice-corn, or a barley-corn, or a mustard-seed, or a canary-seed, or the pulp of a canary-seed--this is my Self within my heart, greater than earth, greater than sky, greater than heaven, greater than these worlds. All-working, all-desiring, all-smelling, all-tasting, grasping this All, speaking naught, heeding naught--this is my Self within my heart, this is Brahma; to Him shall I win when I go hence. He with whom it is thus has indeed no doubt." Thus spake S'andilya.

Footnotes