Chapter VI · NOTES.
Reading edition
“Tarangâ hi udadher yadvat pavanapratyaya îritâ, Nṛtyamânâh pravartante vyucchedaç ca na vidhyate: Âlayodhyas tathâ nityam viṣayapavana îritaḥ, Cittâis tarangavijñânâir nṛtyamânâḥ pravartate.”
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“Nîle rakte ‘tha lavaṇe çankhe kṣîre ca çârkare, Kaṣayâiḥ phalapuṣpâdyâih kiraṇâ yatha bhâskare: No ‘nyena ca nânanyena tarangâ hi udadher matâ; Vijñânâni tathâ sapta, cittena saha samyuktâ. Udadheḥ pariṇâmo ‘sâu tarangânâm vicitratâ, Âlayam hi tathâ cittam vijñânâkhyam pravartate; Cittam manaç ca vijñânam lakṣaṇârtham prakalpyate; Âbhinna lakṣanâ hi aṣtâu na lakṣyâ na ca lakṣaṇâ. Udadheç ca tarangânâm yathâ nâsti viçeṣanâ. Vijñânânam tathâ citte pariṇâmo na labhyate. Cittena cîyate karmaḥ, manasâ ca vicîyate, Vijñânena vijânâti, dṛçyam kalpeti pañcabhiḥ.”
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Again, “Tat tvam asi” (thou art it) or “I am the Buddha”—this assertion, though arrogant it may seem to some, is perfectly justifiable in the realm of absolute identity, where the serene light of Suchness alone pervades. But when we descend on earth and commingle in the hurly-burly of our practical, dualistic life, we cannot help suffering from its mundane limitations. We hunger, we thirst, we grieve at the loss of the dearest, we feel remorse over errors committed. Mahâyânism does not teach the annihilation of those human passions and feelings.
There was once a recluse-philosopher, who was considered by the villagers to have completely vanquished all natural desires and human ambitions. They almost worshipped him and thought him to be superhuman. One day early in Winter, a devotee approached him and reverentially inquired after his health. The sage at once responded in verse:
“A hermit truly I am, world-renounced; Yet when the ground is white with snow, A chill goes through me and I shiver.”
A false conception of religious saintliness as cherished by so many pious-hearted, but withal ignorant, minds, has led them into some of the grossest superstitions, whose curse is still lingering even among us. Our earthly life has so many limitations and tribulations. The ills that the flesh is heir to must be relieved by some material, scientific methods. (return)