LECTURE ON THE ANNIHILATION OF EGOISM.
Argument:—The Yoga or mode of consuming egoism by the fire of
Non-egoism.
Vasishtha said:—It is by means of the knowledge of one’s want of egoism,
that the arbor of his desire, which is productive of the fruit of
worldliness, and which is fraught with the taste of all kinds of sweet
and bitterness; may be checked in its growth.
2. It is by one’s habit of thinking his unegoism, that he comes to view
both gold and stone, as well as all sorts of rubbish in the same light;
and by being calm and quiet at all events, has never any cause of sorrow
at any thing whatsoever.
3. When the cannon-ball of egoism, is let to fly out from the gun of the
mind by force of divine knowledge; we are at a loss to know, where the
stone of egoism takes its flight.
4. The stone of egoism being flung from the balustrade of the body, by
the gigantic force of spiritual knowledge; we know not where this
ponderous egoism is driven and lost.
5. After the stone of egoism is flung away, by the great force of the
knowledge of Brahma only; we cannot say where this engine of the body
(with its boast of egoism in it), is lost forever. (Here are three
comparisons of egoism, _viz_, 1 of a gunshot; 2 of a balustrade stone; 3
of a pebble in a sling).
6. The meaning of _ego_ is frost in the heart of man, and melts away
under the sunshine of unegoism; it then flies off in vapour, and then
disappears into nothing we know not where.
7. The _ego_ is the juice of the inner part of the body, and the unego
is the solar heat without; the former is sucked up by the latter, and
forsakes the dried body like a withered leaf, and then flies off where
we know not.
8. The moisture of egoism, being sucked up from the leafy body of the
living, flies by the process of its suction by the solar heat, to the
unknown region of endless vacuum.
9. Whether a man sleeps in his bed or sits on the ground, whether he
remains at home or roves on rocks, whether he wanders over the land or
water, wherever he sits or sleeps or is awake or not:—
10. This formless egoism abides in it, either as gross matter or the
subtile spirit, or in some state or other; which though it is afar from
it, seems to be united with it. (The true _ego_ of the far distant
Divine spirit, seems to be incorporated with the material body).
11. Egoism is seated as the minute seed, in the heart of the fig tree of
the body; where it sprouts forth and stretches its branches, composing
the different parts of the world. (_i.e._ The seed of egoism develops
itself in the form of the creation, which is a creature of its own).
12. Again the big tree of the body, is contained within the minute seed
of egoism; which bursts out in the branches forming the several parts of
the universe.
13. As the small seed is seen by every one, to contain within it a large
tree, which develops itself into a hundred branches, bearing all their
leaves, flowers and abundance of fruits; so doth the big body reside
with the atomic seed of egoism, with all its endless parts of corporeal
organs and mental faculties, which are discernible to the sight of the
intelligent.
14. Egoism is not to be had in the body by reasoning, which points out
the mind of everybody, to seek it in the sphere of the vacuous
Intellect; the seed of egoism does not spring from the bosom of
unreality, and the blunder of the reality of the world, is destroyed by
the fire proceeding from the spirituality of the wise.