The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom

by Shankaracharya

  Yet, once more, just a hundred years ago when a group of Europeans full of love for the East, sought from the Brâhmans some knowledge of their learning, the Brâhmans, with singular generosity, made these Europeans in some degree sharers in their heritage. From the knowledge thus freely given to these Europeans, whose chiefs were William Jones and Thomas Colebrooke, the first foundations of Orientalism were laid; and a field of matchless fertility was opened to a growing band of workers who enrolled themselves under the banner of the East.

  But the last and finest insight, the master-key to the records was still treasured in the East itself; somewhat of that insight has since been freely offered to us; on our ability to use it most probably depends the further insight that the future holds in promise.

  02. The Awakening To The Self

  THE awakening to the Self is recorded for those whose inner darkness has been worn away by strong effort, who has reached restfulness, from whom passion has departed, who seek perfect Freedom.

  Among all causes, wisdom is the only cause of perfect Freedom; as cookery without fire, so perfect Freedom cannot be accomplished without wisdom.

  Works cannot destroy unwisdom, as these two are not contraries; but wisdom destroys unwisdom, as light the host of darkness.

  At first wrapped in unwisdom, when unwisdom is destroyed the pure Self shines forth of itself, like the radiant sun when the clouds have passed.

  When life that was darkened by unwisdom is made clear by the coming of wisdom, unwisdom sinks away of itself, as when water is cleared by astringent juice.

  This world is like a dream, crowded with loves and hates; in its own time it shines like a reality; but on awakening it becomes unreal.

  This passing world shines as real, like the silver imagined in a pearl-shell, as long as the Eternal is not known, the secondless substance of all.

  In the real conscious Self, the all-penetrating everlasting pervader, all manifested things exist, as all bracelets exist in gold.

  Just like the ether, the Lord of the senses, the Radiant, clothed in many vestures, seems divided because these are divided, but is beheld as one when the vestures are destroyed.

  Through this difference of vesture, race, name, and home are attributed to the Self, as difference of taste and color to pure water.

  Built up of fivefold-mingled elements through accumulated works is the physical vesture, the place where pleasure and pain are tasted.

  Holding the five life-breaths, mind, reason, and the ten perceiving and acting powers, formed of unmingled elements, is the subtle vesture, the instrument of enjoyment.

  Formed through the beginningless, ineffable error of separateness, is the causal vesture. One should hold the Self to be different from these three vestures.

  In the presence of the five veils, the pure Self seems to share their nature; like a crystal in the presence of blue tissues.

  The pure Self within should be wisely discerned from the veils that surround it, as rice by winnowing, from husk and chaff.

  Though ever all-present, the Self is not everywhere clearly beheld; let it shine forth in pure reason like a reflection in a pure mirror.

  The thought of difference arises through the vestures, the powers, mind, reason, and nature; but one must find the Self, the witness of all this being, the perpetual king.

  Through the busy activity of the powers, the Self seems busy; as the moon seems to course through the coursing clouds.

  The vestures, powers, mind, and reason move in their paths under the pure consciousness of the Self, as people move in the sunshine.

  The qualities of vestures, powers, and works are attributed to the spotless Self through undiscernment, as blue to the pure sky.

  Through unwisdom, the mental vesture's actorship is attributed to the Self, as the ripple of the waves to the moon reflected in a lake.

  Passion, desire, pleasure, pain move the mind; but when the mind rests in deep sleep they cease; they belong to the mind, not to the Self.

  Shining is the sun's nature; coldness, the water's; heat, the fire's; so the Self's nature is Being, Consciousness, Bliss, perpetual spotlessness.

  The Self lends Being and Consciousness, and mind lends activity. When these two factors are joined together by undiscernment, there arises the feeling that 'I perceive.'

  The Self never changes; and mind of itself cannot perceive; but the Self through error believes itself to be the habitual doer and perceiver.

  The Self is believed to be the habitual life, as a rope is believed to be a snake; and thus fear arises. But when it is known that 'I am not the habitual life but the Self' then there can be no more fear.

  The Self alone lights up the mind and powers, as a flame lights up a jar. The Self can never be lit by these dull powers.

  In the knowledge of the Self, there is no need that it should be known by anything else. A light does not need another light; it shines of itself.

  Putting all veils aside, saying 'it is not this! it is not this!' one must find the real unity of the habitual Self and the Supreme Self, according to the words of wisdom.

  All outward things, the vestures and the rest, spring from unwisdom; they are fugitive as bubbles. One must find the changeless, spotless 'I am the Eternal.'

  As I am other than these vestures, not mine are their birth, weariness, suffering, dissolution. I am not bound by sensuous objects, for Self is separate from the powers of sense.

  As I am other than mind, not mine are pain, rage, hate, and fear. The Self is above the outward life and mind, according to the words of wisdom.

  From this Self come forth the outward life and mind, and all the powers; from the Self come ether, air, fire, the waters, and earth upholder of all.

  Without quality or activity, everlasting, free from doubt, stainless, changeless, formless, ever free am I the spotless Self.

  Like ether, outside and inside all, I am unmoved; always all-equal, pure, unstained, spotless, unchanged.

  The ever-pure lonely one, the partless bliss, the secondless, truth, wisdom, endless, the Supreme Eternal; this am I.

  Thus the steadily-held remembrance that 'I am the Eternal' takes away all unwisdom, as the healing essence stills all pain.

  In solitude, passionless, with powers well-ruled, let him be intent on the one, the Self, with no thought but that endless one.

  The wise through meditation immersing all outward things in the Self, should be intent on that only Self, spotless as shining ether.

  Setting aside name, color, form, the insubstantial causes of separateness, the knower of the supreme rests in perfect Consciousness and Bliss.

  The difference between knower, knowing, and known exists not in the Self; for through its own Consciousness and Bliss it shines self-luminous.

  Thus setting the fire-stick of thought in the socket of the Self, let the kindled flame of knowledge burn away the fuel of unwisdom.

  By knowledge, as by dawn, the former darkness is driven away; then is manifest the Self, self-shining like the radiant sun.

  Yet the Self, though eternally possessed, is as though not possessed, through unwisdom. When unwisdom disappears, the Self shines forth like a jewel on one's own throat.

  Separate life is conceived in the Eternal by error, as a man is imagined in a post. But the pain of separation ceases when the truth about it is perceived.

  By entering into real nature, wisdom swiftly arises. Then the unwisdom of 'I' and 'mine' disappears, as when a mistake about the position of north and South is set right.

  The seeker after union, possessed of all knowledge, sees with the eye of wisdom that all things rest in the Self; and this Self is the One, the All.

  Self is all this moving world; other than Self is naught. As all jars are earth, so he beholds all as the Self.

  Perfect Freedom even in life is this, that a man should shake himself free from all the limits of his disguises, through the essence of Reality, Consciousness, Bliss, just as the grub becomes the bee.

  Crossi
ng the ocean of glamor, and slaying the monsters, passion and hate, the seeker for union, perfect in peace, grows luminous in the garden of the Self.

  Free from bondage to outward, unlasting pleasures, and returning to the joy of the Self, he shines pure within like the flame in a lamp.

  Even when hidden under disguises, let the Sage stand free from them, like pure ether. Though knowing all, let him be as though he knew nothing; moving untrammelled like the air.

  Let the Sage, shaking off his disguises, merge himself utterly in the all-pervading One; as water in water, ether in ether, flame in flame.

  The gain above all gains, the joy above all joys, the wisdom above all wisdoms; let him affirm that it is the Eternal.

  When this is seen, there is no more to see; when this is attained, there is no more to attain; when this is known, there is no more to know;--let him affirm that this is the Eternal.

  Upward, downward, on all sides perfect; Being, Consciousness, Bliss; the secondless, endless, everlasting One;--let him affirm that this is the Eternal.

  Through the knowledge that nothing is but the Eternal, the unchanging One is beheld by the wise; the aboriginal, partless joy; let him affirm that this is the Eternal.

  As partakers in the bliss of that partless, blissful One, the Evolver and all the powers enjoy their bliss as dependents.

  Every being is bound to the Eternal; every movement follows the Eternal; the all-embracing Eternal is in all, as curd is in all milk.

  Nor small nor great nor short nor long, nor born nor departing, without form, attribute, color, name;--let him affirm that this is the Eternal.

  Through whose shining shine the sun and all lights; but who shines not by any's light; through whom all this shines;--let him affirm that this is the Eternal.

  All present within and without, making luminous all this moving, the Eternal shines forth glowing of red-hot iron.

  The Eternal is different from the moving world yet other than the Eternal is naught! What is other than the Eternal shines insubstantial, like the mirage in the desert.

  Things seen and heard are not other than the Eternal. Knowledge of reality teaches that all this is the Eternal, the Being, Consciousness, Bliss, the secondless.

  The eye of wisdom beholds the ever-present Consciousness, Bliss, the Self, the eye of unwisdom beholds not, as the blind beholds not the shining sun.

  The personal life, refined through and through by the fire of wisdom, which right learning and knowledge kindle, shines pure as gold, freed from every stain.

  The Self, rising in the firmament of the heart--sun of wisdom, darkness-dispersing, all-present, all-supporting--shines forth and illumines all.

  He who, drawing away from space and time, faithfully worships in the holy place of the divine Self--the ever-present, the destroyer of heat and cold and every limit, the stainless, eternally happy--he all-knowing, entering the All, becomes immortal.

  (Thus the Awakening to the Self is completed.)

  03. The Awakening To Reality

  INTRODUCTORY BY CHARLES JOHNSTON

  IN the "Awakening to the Self," and, still more, in the, "Crest Jewel of Wisdom," Śankara the Teacher uses many words in a clear, precise, and consciously exact sense, which is not always to be gathered from the context of these two works. In the "Awakening to the Self," this is hardly an impediment, as the expression of this excellent poem is so perfect and universal; nor is there any great impediment in the first part of the "Crest Jewel of Wisdom," which has been translated under the title "First Steps on the Path." But further on in the "Crest Jewel," this is not the case. It becomes more strict and technical in meaning; and without precise definitions, much is hardly intelligible. But in the "Crest Jewel" itself these definitions are not always to be found. What is to be done then, if we really want to understand the Teacher precisely?

  Happily Śankara has left us a Key in his own work, the "Awakening to Reality," where nearly every special word of his philosophy is exactly defined. We have only to try to find the best English translation of his definitions, and we shall have a clear clue and outline to the larger work, the "Crest Jewel," and, indeed, to the whole of Śankara's philosophy.

  One thing must be remembered. This "Awakening to Reality" is what we have called it--a catechism. And in a catechism we can hardly expect the perfect poetical form and splendid imagery of works like the "Awakening to the Self." What we shall find, is lucidity, accuracy, grasp, coherence; but not poetical beauty. Thus is begun:

  I

  To the Master, the World-Soul, the Master of seekers for union, obeisance; to the teacher, the giver of wisdom. To fulfill love for those who would be free, this Awakening to Reality is addressed to them.

  THE FOUR PERFECTIONS

  We shall tell of the way of discerning reality, the perfection of freedom, for those who are fitted by possessing the Four Perfections.

  What are the Four Perfections?

  --The Discerning between lasting and unlasting things; No Rage for enjoying the fruit of works, either here or there; the Six Graces that follow Peace; and then the Longing to be free.

  What is the Discerning between lasting and unlasting things?

  --The one lasting thing is the Eternal; all, apart from it, is unlasting.

  What is No Rage?

  --A lack of longing for enjoyments here and in the heaven-world.

  What is possession of the Perfections that follow Peace?

  --Peace; Self-Control; Steadiness; Sturdiness; Confidence; Intentness.

  What is Peace?

  --A firm hold on emotion.

  What is Self-Control?

  --A firm hold on the lust of the eyes and the outward powers.

  What is Steadiness?

  --A following out of one's own genius.

  What is Sturdiness?

  --A readiness to bear opposing forces, like cold and heat, pleasure and pain.

  What is Confidence?

  --Confidence is a reliance on the Voice of the Teacher and Final Wisdom.

  What is Intentness?

  --One-pointedness of the imagination.

  What is the Longing to be free?

  --It is the longing: "That Freedom may be mine."

  THE DISCERNING OF REALITY,

  These are the Four Perfections. Through these, men are fitted to discern Reality.

  What is the Discerning of Reality?

  --It is this: the Self is real; other than it, all is fancy.

  SELF, VESTURES, VEILS, MODES

  What is the Self?

  --He who stands apart from the Physical, the Emotional, and the Causal Vestures; who is beyond the five Veils; who is witness of the three Modes; whose own nature is Being, Consciousness, Bliss--this is the Self.

  THE THREE VESTURES

  What is the Physical Vesture?

  --Being formed of the five creatures fivefolded, born through works, it is the house where opposing forces like pleasure and pain are enjoyed; having, these six accidents: it is, is born, grows, turns the corner, declines, perishes; such is the Physical Vesture.

  What is the Emotional Vesture?

  --Being formed of the five creatures not fivefolded, born through works, the perfection of the enjoyment of opposing forces like pleasure and pain, existing with its seventeen phases: the five powers of knowing; the five powers of doing; the five lives; emotion, one; the soul, one; this is the Emotional Vesture.

  The five powers of knowing are: Hearing, Touch, Sight, Taste, Smell. Hearing's radiation is Space; Touch's, Air; Sight's, the Sun; Smell's, the Twin Physicians; these are the powers of knowing.

  Hearing's business is the seizing of sounds; Touch's business, the seizing of contacts; Sight's business, the seizing of forms; Taste's business, the seizing of tastes; Smell's business, the seizing Of odors.

  The five powers of doing are: Voice, Hands, Feet, Putting-forth, Generating. Voice's radiation is the Tongue of Flame; Hands', the Master; Feet's, the Pervader; Putting-forth's, Death; Generating's, the Lord of B
eings; thus the radiations of the powers of doing. Voice's business is speaking; Hands' business is grasping things; Feet's business is going; Putting-forth's business is removing waste; Generating's business is physical enjoying.

  What is the Causal Vesture?

  --Being formed through ineffable, beginningless unwisdom, it is the Substance and Cause of the two Vestures; though unknowing as to its own nature, it is yet in nature unerring; this is the Causal Vesture.