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Speech, eyes, ears, limbs, life, energy, come to my help. These books have Spirit for theme. I shall never deny Spirit, nor Spirit deny me. Let me be in union, communion with Spirit. When I am one with Spirit, may the laws these books proclaim live in me, may the laws live.
The enquirer asked: 'What has called my mind to the hunt? What has made my life begin? What wags in my tongue? What God has opened eye and ear?'
The teacher answered: 'It lives in all that lives, hearing through the ear, thinking through the mind, speaking through the tongue, seeing through the eye. The wise man clings neither to this nor that, rises out of sense, attains immortal life.
'Eye, tongue, cannot approach it nor mind know; not knowing, we cannot satisfy enquiry. It lies beyond the known, beyond the unknown. We know through those who have preached it, have learnt it from tradition.
'That which makes the tongue speak, but needs no tongue to explain, that alone is Spirit; not what sets the world by the ears.
'That which makes the mind think, but needs no mind to think, that alone is Spirit; not what sets the world by the ears.
'That which makes the eye see, but needs no eye to see, that alone is Spirit; not what sets the world by the ears.
'That which makes the ear hear, but needs no ear to hear, that alone is Spirit; not what sets the world by the ears.
'That which makes life live, but needs no life to live, that alone is Spirit; not what sets the world by the ears.'
2
'If you think that you know much, you know little. If you think that you know It from study of your own mind or of nature, study again.'
The enquirer said: 'I do not think that I know much, I neither say that I know, nor say that I do not.'
The teacher answered: 'The man who claims that he knows, knows nothing; but he who claims nothing, knows.
'Who says that Spirit is not known, knows; who claims that he knows, knows nothing. The ignorant think that Spirit lies within knowledge, the wise man knows It beyond knowledge.
'Spirit is known through revelation. It leads to freedom. It leads to power. Revelation is the conquest of death.
'The living man who finds Spirit, finds Truth. But if he fail, he sinks among fouler shapes. The man who can see the same Spirit in every creature, clings neither to this nor that, attains immortal life.'
3
Once upon a time, Spirit planned that the gods might win a great victory. The gods grew boastful; though Spirit had planned their victory, they thought they had done it all.
Spirit saw their vanity and appeared. They could not understand; they said: 'Who is that mysterious Person?'
They said to Fire: 'Fire! Find out who is that mysterious Person.'
Fire ran to Spirit. Spirit asked what it was. Fire said: 'I am Fire; known to all.'
Spirit asked: 'What can you do?' Fire said: 'I can burn anything and everything in this world.'
'Burn it,' said Spirit, putting a straw on the ground. Fire threw itself upon the straw, but could not burn it. Then Fire ran to the gods in a hurry and confessed it could not find out who was that mysterious Person.
Then the gods asked Wind to find out who was that mysterious Person.
Wind ran to Spirit and Spirit asked what it was. Wind said: 'I am Wind; I am the King of the Air.'
Spirit asked: 'What can you do?' and Wind said: 'I can blow away anything and everything in this world.'
'Blow it away,' said Spirit, putting a straw on the ground. Wind threw itself upon the straw, but could not move it. Then Wind ran to the gods in a hurry and confessed it could not find out who was that mysterious Person.
Then the gods went to Light and asked it to find out who was that mysterious Person. Light ran towards Spirit, but Spirit disappeared upon the instant.
There appeared in the sky that pretty girl, the Goddess of Wisdom, snowy Himalaya's daughter. Light went to her and asked who was that mysterious Person.
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The Goddess said: 'Spirit, through Spirit you attained your greatness. Praise the greatness of Spirit.' Then Light knew that the mysterious Person was none but Spirit.
That is how these gods—Fire, Wind and Light—attained supremacy; they came nearest to Spirit and were the first to call that Person Spirit.
Light stands above Fire and Wind; because closer than they, it was the first to call that Person Spirit.
This is the moral of the tale. In the lightning, in the light of an eye, the light belongs to Spirit.
The power of the mind when it remembers and desires, when it thinks again and again, belongs to Spirit. Therefore let Mind meditate on Spirit.
Spirit is the Good in all. It should be worshipped as the Good. He that knows it as the Good is esteemed by all.
You asked me about spiritual knowledge, I have explained it.
Austerity, self-control, meditation are the foundation of this knowledge; the Vedas are its house, truth its shrine.
He who knows this shall prevail against all evil, enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven, yes, for ever enjoy the blessed Kingdom of Heaven.