The Song of the Self
One verse a day. Hindu wisdom that crossed 2,500 years, turning today's gaze inward.
My Limbs Give Way, My Mouth Goes Dry
🪷 All Verses
My Limbs Give Way, My Mouth Goes Dry
My limbs sink down, my mouth goes dry, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.
He Sets Down His Bow and Sinks Down
Overwhelmed with sorrow, he let his bow and arrows slip from his hands and sank down where he stood.
Shake Off This Faint-Heartedness
Do not yield to faint-heartedness — it does not become you. Cast off this small weakness of heart and rise.
The Wise Do Not Drown in Grief
You grieve for what needs no grief, yet speak words of wisdom. The wise do not drown in sorrow.
Cold and Heat Come and Go — Endure Them
Cold and heat, pleasure and pain, are brought and carried off by the senses — they come and go and do not stay. Endure them.
The One Unshaken by Joy and Pain
The steady one whom these do not disturb, who meets pleasure and pain alike, is fit for a peace that does not fade.
As One Sheds Worn-Out Clothes
As a person sheds worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so life lets go of what has grown old.
No Effort on This Path Is Wasted
On this path no effort begun is lost, and no step becomes a setback. Even a little of this way guards you from great fear.
Your Right Is to the Work, Not Its Fruit
Yours is the right to the work alone, never to its fruits. Do not make the fruit your aim, yet do not withhold your hand.
Evenness of Mind Is Yoga
Set in balance, do your work, letting go of attachment, alike in success and failure. This evenness of mind is called yoga.
Yoga Is Skill in Action
One who works with attachment released rises above both merit and fault. So hold to this way — yoga is skill in action.
Those Who Release the Fruit Are Freed
The wise, their minds steadied, release the fruit that action bears, and so, freed from bondage, reach a place without blemish.
Content Within, Letting Go of Cravings
When one lets go of every craving that stirs the mind, and is content within, by the self alone — such a one is called steady in wisdom.
Unshaken in Pain, Unhungry in Pleasure
Unshaken in pain, unhungry in pleasure, freed of attachment, fear, and anger — such a one is called steady in wisdom.
Neither Elated nor Repelled
One who clings nowhere in excess, who neither exults at the good nor loathes the bad that comes — in such a one wisdom stands firm.
Objects Recede, but the Taste of Craving Lingers
For one who abstains, the objects fall away, yet the taste for them remains. Only when even that lingering taste is released does craving fully subside.
From Attachment Springs Desire, from Desire Anger
Dwelling on an object breeds attachment to it; from attachment springs desire, and from thwarted desire, anger is born.
Anger Breeds Delusion, Delusion Breeds Ruin
From anger comes delusion, from delusion a clouded memory; when memory is lost, judgment collapses, and when judgment collapses, the person is undone.
Meet the World with a Governed Mind, and Calm Follows
Moving among the objects of the world with senses freed from craving and aversion, a self-governed mind arrives at clear serenity.
Without Peace of Mind, No Happiness
The ungoverned have no clear judgment, and without judgment, no peace of mind. And where there is no peace, how can there be happiness?
A Mind Chasing the Senses Is the Wind That Capsizes the Boat
As wind sweeps a boat off course on the water, so the mind that follows the wandering senses is robbed of its judgment.
Wisdom Stands Firm When the Senses Are Reined In
One who can fully draw the senses back from their objects — in such a one wisdom stands firm and unshaken.
Awake in the Night Where All Others Sleep
Where all beings see night and sleep, the self-governed one is awake; and what all others see as day and chase, to that one is like night.
Rivers Pour In, yet the Sea Stays Calm
As the sea stays full and unmoved though all rivers pour into it, so peace comes to the one whom desires enter without stirring — not to the one who chases them.
The One Who Lets Go of Craving Reaches Peace
The one who lets go of all cravings and walks free of longing, without the grip of 'mine' and 'I' — that one reaches peace.
Freedom Is Not Won by Refusing to Act
One does not attain freedom from action by refusing to begin, nor reach fulfillment merely by casting work aside.
No One Stays Even a Moment Without Acting
No one can remain for even a moment doing nothing; everyone is driven to act, helplessly, by the nature they are made of.
Better the One Who Works with Senses Reined and Heart Unattached
The one who reins in the senses with the mind and does the work at hand without attachment far surpasses the one who only pretends to abstain.
Do the Work That Is Yours to Do
Do the work that falls to you; acting is better than not acting. With hands idle, you could not even keep your own body going.
Work Without Attachment, and the Work Will Not Bind You
Work done for its own worthy sake does not bind; only work clutched with attachment chains the world. So do your work with attachment released.
Do What Must Be Done, Without Clinging
So, unattached, keep doing steadily the work that must be done; for one who works without clinging reaches the highest state.
The World Follows What the Leading One Does
Whatever the one who leads does, others do the same; the standard such a person sets, the world goes on to follow.
The Wise Work for the World, Without Attachment
The unwise work bound to results; the wise do the same work but unattached — only for the good of the world.
Nature Acts, yet the Ego Thinks 'I Am the Doer'
All deeds are in truth carried out by the workings of nature, yet one clouded by ego thinks, 'I alone am the doer of all this.'
Even the Wise Move According to Their Nature
Even the wise act in accord with their own nature. All beings follow their nature — what use is forcing it down?
Better to Walk Your Own Path Poorly Than Another's Perfectly
Better one's own path walked imperfectly than another's path walked flawlessly. Even hardship on your own road is worth more than ease on someone else's.
Desire and Anger Are the True Enemy
What drives a person to go wrong is desire, which turns to anger when thwarted. Know this to be the true enemy within.
Beyond Senses the Mind, Beyond Mind the Self
The senses are said to be high, but higher is the mind; higher than the mind is discerning reason, and beyond even that lies the self.
Steady the Self by the Self, and Conquer Desire
Knowing the self that lies beyond reason, steady yourself by your own self, and so overcome desire, that enemy so hard to conquer.
One Who Sees Stillness Within Action
One who sees stillness within action, and action within apparent stillness — that one is truly wise.
Content Always, Free of Clinging to Fruit
Having let go of clinging to the fruits of action, ever content and leaning on nothing, one may be deep in work yet in truth is bound by none of it.
Content with What Comes, Beyond the Pairs of Opposites
Content with what chance brings, beyond the pairs of opposites, free of envy, alike in success and failure — such a one, whatever they do, is not bound.
The Freed One's Work Dissolves Without a Trace
For one freed from attachment, whose mind rests in wisdom, work done in pure devotion dissolves quietly, leaving no trace behind.
Learn by Humble Asking and Service
That knowledge is gained through humble reverence, earnest questioning, and willing service; those who truly know will teach it to you.
The Boat of Wisdom Carries You Across Any Wrong
Even were you the greatest wrongdoer of all, by the single boat of wisdom you could cross the whole sea of your faults.
Nothing Purifies Like Wisdom
Nothing in this world purifies like wisdom; one ripened by long practice comes to find that wisdom within.
Cut Away Doubt with the Sword of Wisdom, and Rise
Cut away the doubt that has lodged in your heart with the sword of wisdom, and rise up, unwavering.
Free of Like and Dislike, Truly Released
One who neither hates nor craves is called ever-released; free of the pull of like and dislike, such a one is easily freed from bondage.
The Self-Governed Work yet Stay Unstained
One steadied in balance, self-conquered, senses mastered, who sees the self in all beings — such a one acts, yet is not stained by the action.
Seeing, Hearing, Touching — 'I Do Nothing'
One who knows the truth, though seeing, hearing, touching, walking, sleeping, and breathing, calmly holds, 'It is not I who clutches and does all this.'
Unstained, Like a Drop on a Lotus Leaf
One who works with attachment laid down at the source is untouched by any fault, as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.
Working Without Attachment, to Clear the Self
Those who cultivate themselves work with body, mind, and reason, attachment set aside — only to make the self clear.
Releasing the Fruit, One Reaches Steady Peace
The steadied one, releasing the fruit of action, reaches an unshaken peace; but the unsteady, craving the fruit, is bound by that very desire.
Unbound by Outer Touch, One Finds Joy Within
One whose self is unbound by outer contacts finds the joy that wells up within — a joy that does not run dry.
Pleasures of the Senses Are Wombs of Sorrow
Pleasures born of sensory contact have a beginning and an end, and so become the very wombs of sorrow; the wise do not set their heart on them.
Happy Is the One Who Withstands the Surge of Desire and Anger
One who, here in this life, can withstand the surge that rises from desire and anger — that one is truly steadied, and truly happy.
One Who Has Found Joy and Light Within
One who finds joy within, rest within, and light within — such a one becomes one with the source and enters deep stillness.
Only When All Attachment Is Released Do You Rise
When one no longer clings to the objects of sense or to the fruits of action, having laid down every grasping design — then one is said to have risen high.
You Are Your Own Friend
Lift yourself up by your own self; do not let yourself sink. For you alone are your own friend, and your own foe.
To the Self-Conquered, the Self Becomes a Friend
To one who has conquered oneself, the self becomes a steadfast friend; but to one who has not, the self stands opposed, like an enemy.
Calm in Heat and Cold, in Joy and Sorrow
In one who is self-governed and at peace, the true self rests undisturbed through heat and cold, joy and sorrow, praise and blame.
Neither Too Much nor Too Little
Balance of mind comes neither to the one who eats too much nor to the one who fasts entirely, neither to the one who sleeps too much nor to the one who stays awake all night.
Fitting Measure in Food, Sleep, and Work Eases Sorrow
For one measured in food and movement, measured in effort at work, measured in sleep and waking, the way of the balanced mind eases sorrow.
Like a Lamp in a Windless Place
As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker but burns steady and upright, so is the mind of one who has gathered it inward.
Grow Still, Little by Little
With a mind held firm, grow still little by little; rest the mind in the self, and grasp at nothing.
Each Time the Mind Wanders, Bring It Back
Whenever the restless, unsteady mind wanders off, each time gently rein it in and bring it back to the seat of the self.
Seeing the Self in All, and All as Equal
The steadied one sees the same self in all beings, and all beings within the self, beholding one and the same everywhere.
Feeling Others' Joy and Pain as One's Own
One who, measuring by oneself, feels others' joy and pain as one's own everywhere — that one is held to have reached the highest state.
The Mind Is as Hard to Hold as the Wind
The mind is restless, turbulent, stubborn, and strong; to hold it, I feel, is as hard as holding the wind.
By Steady Practice and Detachment, the Mind Is Held
The mind is indeed hard to hold, yet by steady practice and by detachment it can, in the end, be held.
Every Trait Springs from One Root
Discernment and knowledge, freedom from confusion, patience and truth, restraint and calm, harmlessness and equanimity, contentment and self-denial, giving, honor and dishonor — all these traits within a person branch out from a single root.
The Lamp of Knowledge Dispels the Dark
The darkness born of ignorance is driven out by the shining lamp of knowledge, lit deep within the heart.
If Nothing Else, Let Go of the Fruit
If the higher practice is still beyond you, then do at least this — master yourself, and let go of your grip on the fruit of everything you do.
A Heart That Hates No One
One who hates no living thing, who is friendly and compassionate, freed from the grip of 'mine' and 'I,' who meets pain and pleasure alike and endures — such a person stands near to peace of mind.
Neither Troubling the World nor Troubled by It
One by whom the world is not made anxious, and who is not made anxious by the world, freed from elation, envy, fear, and agitation — such a one is at peace.
Impartial, Free of Anxious Scheming
One who wants nothing, is pure and capable yet takes no side, free of worry, having laid down the anxious urge to launch schemes — such a one is calm.
Neither Exulting nor Hating
One who does not exult in good news nor hate the bad, who does not grieve and cling at loss nor crave at gain, who has released the grip on good fortune and ill — such a one is serene.
The Same to Friend and Foe
The same toward friend and foe, toward honor and contempt, standing level in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, freed from clinging — unmoved by praise or blame, content with whatever comes, and still.
Knowledge Begins in Humility
Freedom from conceit, freedom from pretense, harmlessness, patient endurance, uprightness — this is the first soil in which true knowledge grows.
Eyes That Look Straight at Aging and Illness
Non-attachment to the objects the senses crave, freedom from ego, and looking straight at birth and death, aging and illness, and the suffering woven into them — this is wisdom.
To Love Without Clutching
Not clinging or clutching even to children, spouse, and home, keeping the mind even amid the wished-for and the unwished-for — this is wisdom.
The Power of Time Alone
A mind steady and unwavering, a love of quiet places and no taste for noisy crowds, and a constant watching over the knowledge of one's true self — this is wisdom.
Never Letting Go of Knowing the Self
Keeping the knowledge of the true self ever near, and never losing sight, through the vision of truth, of where a life should go — this is wisdom; all else, the old teacher says, is ignorance.
The Same Dwells in All That Lives
One who sees the same undying ground dwelling equally in all perishing things — that one truly sees.
Seeing the Same, One Does Not Harm Oneself
One who sees the same everywhere, evenly, does not harm oneself by one's own hand, and so reaches the highest state.
No Deed Is Mine Alone
One who sees that all deeds are worked by nature's forces woven together, and lets go of the thought 'I alone did it' — that one truly sees.
The Three Temperaments Within
Clarity, restlessness, and heaviness — these three temperaments, born of nature, each bind the embodied mind with a thread of its own.
Even Clarity, Clutched, Becomes a Chain
Clarity is spotless, luminous, and free of ailment — yet the moment one clutches at its joy and its knowing as 'this is me,' even that brightness becomes a chain.
Restlessness Is Born of Craving
Know that restlessness is born of thirst and attachment — it binds a person to the hand that endlessly launches deeds.
Heaviness Binds with Sloth and Delay
Heaviness is born of dullness and clouds the mind; it binds a person with sloth, delay, and lethargy.
Where Each Temperament Pulls Me
Clarity binds one to pleasure, restlessness to endless doing, and heaviness veils knowing and binds one to confusion.
The Weather of the Mind Keeps Turning
Sometimes clarity rises, pressing down restlessness and heaviness; sometimes restlessness, sometimes heaviness prevails over the other two — the three keep rising and falling in turn.
A Temperament Is Known by Its Fruit
When the light of knowing brightens at every gate of the body, clarity has grown; when greed, agitation, and endless scheming arise, restlessness has; when dullness, sloth, and confusion cover over, heaviness has.
One Who Neither Hates nor Longs
When brightness, or busyness, or fog arises, one who does not hate its coming nor crave its return when it goes — that one has passed beyond the three temperaments.
The Same to Clod and Gold
The same in pain and pleasure, firm within oneself, seeing clod, stone, and gold with one eye, unmoved by praise or blame, honor or contempt — such a one has passed beyond the temperaments.
Unwavering Steadiness Is the Crossing
One who walks the right path steadily, with an unwavering and constant heart, passes beyond the three temperaments and reaches the unshaken ground.
The Unshaken Ground Is Already Within
Beneath the passing waves of the three temperaments lies an undying, inexhaustible, quiet ground, already there.
The Tree of Life Whose Roots Are Unseen
Like a tree with roots above and branches spreading below — our life is rooted in what the eye cannot see, and drapes its leaves into the visible world.
Fell the Tree of Clinging with the Axe of Release
This deeply rooted tree of clinging — cut it down with the firm axe of non-attachment, and seek the quiet ground from which one wanders no more.
The Calm Beyond Pride and Delusion
Free of pride and delusion, having conquered the flaw of clinging, with cravings stilled, released from the seesaw of the pairs — pleasure and pain — the unclouded reach that quiet ground.
Fearlessness and Purity of Heart
Fearlessness, purity of heart, standing firm in knowledge, giving and self-restraint, offering oneself in work, study and discipline, and uprightness — these are the marks of a bright nature.
Harmlessness, Truth, Freedom from Anger
Harmlessness, truth, freedom from anger, letting go, tranquility, speaking no ill of others, compassion for the wretched, freedom from greed, gentleness, and a sense of shame — these are a bright nature.
The Strength to Forgive, Without Excess Pride
Vigor and the strength to forgive, steadfast endurance, purity, freedom from malice, and not exalting oneself too much — these are the marks of a bright nature.
The Three Gates That Ruin the Self
There are three gates of ruin that undo a person from within — insatiable craving, blazing anger, and unquenchable greed. Therefore let these three go.
Free of the Three Gates, One Works One's Own Good
One freed from these three gates of darkness at last does what is truly good for oneself, and so reaches the highest state.
The Discipline of the Body — Cleanness and Harmlessness
The discipline of the body is this — keeping body and place clean, uprightness, self-restraint, harming nothing, and honoring the wise and one's teachers.
The Discipline of Speech — True Words That Do Not Wound
The discipline of speech is this — words that unsettle no one, words that are truthful yet kind and beneficial, and the steady reading and repeating of good writings.
The Discipline of the Mind — Serenity and Gentleness
The discipline of the mind is this — a clear serenity of mind, gentleness, silence that looks within, self-mastery, and purity of heart.
When Discipline Seeks No Reward
When these three disciplines — of body, speech, and mind — are practiced with deep sincerity and no craving for reward, that is the purest discipline.
A Gift That Expects No Return
A gift given because it ought to be given, to one who cannot repay, at the right time and place, with no expectation of return — that is the purest giving.
The Trap of Discipline Done for Show
Discipline performed to impress others by tormenting oneself, austerity that abuses the body out of foolish obstinacy — this springs not from light but from darkness.
Do Not Abandon Service, Giving, and Self-Mastery
Offering oneself in service, giving, and self-mastery — these are not to be abandoned but done; for these three refine a person.
Act, but Act Without Clinging
Even these deeds must be done with clinging and the expectation of their fruit laid aside — this, the old teacher says, is the attitude one ought to hold.
The Work Done Because It Must Be Done
Work done simply because it must be done, with clinging and expectation of fruit laid aside — that, the old teacher says, is the purest form of letting go.
You Cannot Drop All Action, but You Can Drop the Fruit
No one who wears a body can renounce all action utterly. But one who releases the clinging to its fruit — that one has truly let go.
Five Hands Meet in Every Deed
Five things come together for any deed to be done — the body as its ground, the doer, the instruments and powers used, the many kinds of effort, and the circumstance beyond one's will. These five, woven together, make a single deed.
The Illusion of 'I Did It Alone'
Yet one who, despite all this, sees oneself alone as the sole author of a deed — that one, with an unripe mind, does not truly see.
The Clear Deed — Done Without Like or Dislike
A proper task done without clinging, unswayed by like and dislike, seeking no fruit — this is action of the clearest grain.
The Restless Deed — Driven by Craving and Ego
A deed done out of craving for what one wants, or out of the ego of 'I am the doer,' with much fret and strain — that is action of the restless grain.
The Clouded Deed — Done Blind to Consequence
A deed begun in a clouded mind, heedless of the consequence to follow, the loss, the harm to others, and even one's own capacity — that is action of the dark grain.
The Worker Unmoved by Success or Failure
Free of clinging and the ego of 'I,' full of firm resolve and zeal, yet unshaken whether the work succeeds or fails — such a one is a worker of the clearest grain.
The Eye That Knows What to Do and What to Shun
To know when to go forward and when to stop, what to do and what to shun, what to fear and what not to, what binds and what frees — this is the clearest discernment.
The Steadiness That Holds Mind, Breath, and Sense
The firm steadiness that, through unwavering practice, evenly holds the movements of mind, breath, and senses — this is the clearest fortitude.
The Joy Bitter at First, Sweet in the End
A joy that is like poison at first but like sweet nectar in the end — this is the deepest joy, welling up from a mind made clear and self-governed.
The Pleasure Sweet at First, Bitter in the End
A pleasure that, when sense meets its object, is like sweet nectar at first but like poison in the end — this is joy of the restless grain.
No Work Is Flawless, as No Fire Is Without Smoke
As no fire is free of smoke, no undertaking is free of flaw. So do not abandon the work that is properly yours merely because it seems somewhat wanting.
Holding Oneself Firm with a Clear Mind
One who holds a cleansed mind, governs oneself with firm steadiness, lays down the pull of the senses, and casts off both attraction and aversion — that one draws near to freedom.
The Peace Beyond Ego and Grasping
Having laid down the ego of 'I,' the force that pushes by will, vanity, craving and anger, and the urge to grasp, and freed from clinging to 'mine' — such a one is at peace.
Reflect Deeply, Then Do as You Will
Having weighed all this fully and deeply — then do as you yourself see fit. I do not decide the path for you.
Open Every Clenched Hand, and Do Not Grieve
Open every hand clenched on rules of right and wrong and on their results, and give yourself over to the flow of life. And grieve no more.
Enjoy Through Letting Go
All this moving world, whatever moves within it — enjoy it by letting go, and do not covet what belongs to no one.
Work Without Being Stained
Doing your work, wish to live a hundred years. There is no other way — then action does not cling to you.
Still, Yet Outrunning All
The unmoving One — swifter than the mind. The senses never catch what has already gone ahead. Standing still, it outruns all who run.
Far, and Also Near
It moves, and moves not. It is far, and also near. It is within all this, and also outside all this.
All in the Self, the Self in All
Whoever sees all beings in the self, and the self in all beings — such a one recoils from no one.
Where Is Grief for One Who Sees Oneness
To the one who knows, all beings have become the self. For one who sees this oneness, where is delusion, where is grief?
Cross by Both Knowing and Unknowing
Whoever knows both knowledge and non-knowledge together — by non-knowledge crosses death, and by knowledge tastes the deathless.
Between the Pleasant and the Good
The good and the pleasant both approach a person. The wise sift them apart and choose the good; the foolish choose the pleasant for the sake of ease.
Neither Born Nor Dying
The knower is neither born nor dies. It came from nowhere and became nothing. Unborn, constant, ancient — it is not slain when the body is slain.
Smaller Than Small, Greater Than Great
Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest, the Self dwells in the cave of the heart of each living thing. Only one who lays down craving, whose mind is cleared, sees its greatness and is freed of grief.
The Bodiless Amid the Bodies
The bodiless dwells amid bodies, the abiding amid the unabiding. Having grasped the Self, great and all-pervading, the wise do not grieve.
Not Won by Much Reading
The Self is not won by eloquence, nor by cleverness, nor by much hearing. To the one who seeks it with whole heart, it reveals its own form.
The Chariot of the Body, the Rider Within
Know the Self as the rider in the chariot, the body as the chariot itself, the discerning intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins.
The Senses Are Horses, the Mind the Reins
The senses are the horses, the sages say, and their objects the fields they run. When the Self is joined to senses and mind, they call it the one who tastes life.
Beyond the Senses, Beyond the Mind
Above the senses are their objects, above the objects the mind. Above the mind is discernment, and above discernment the great Self.
Hidden in All, Unshining
This Self, hidden in all beings, does not shine forth of itself. Yet it is seen by a keen and subtle discernment, by those who see the subtle.
Arise, Awake
Arise, awake. Seek out the great teachers and learn. The path is narrow as a razor's edge and hard to cross — so the wise declare.
Turn the Outward Eye Inward
The senses were bored outward, so one looks outside, not within. But some wise soul, longing for the deathless, turned the eyes around and beheld the Self within.
By Its Light All Things Shine
There the sun does not shine, nor moon and stars, nor the lightning — much less this fire. It alone shining, all things shine after it; by its light all this is lit.
When the Senses and Mind Grow Still
When the five senses grow still together with the mind, and even discernment stirs no more — that, they say, is the highest state.
Steady Holding They Call Yoga
That steady holding of the senses they consider yoga. Then one becomes vigilant — for yoga comes and it also goes.
The Ear of the Ear, the Mind of the Mind
It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the breath of breath. The wise, going beyond, let go of the senses and become deathless.
Where the Eye Cannot Go
The eye does not reach there, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know it, nor do we know how one could teach it.
What the Mind Cannot Think, Yet Thinks By
It is other than the known, and beyond the unknown — so we heard from the ancients who explained it to us.
Unspoken, Yet That by Which Speech Speaks
That which is not spoken by speech, but by which speech is spoken — know that as the source, not these things people revere here.
Think You Know It Well, and You Know but Little
If you think 'I know it well,' then what you know of the source is but very little.
Who Thinks He Knows Not, Knows
The one who does not think he knows, knows; the one who thinks he knows, knows not. To the truly knowing it is unknown; to those who say they know not, it is already known.
As a Spider Spins Its Thread
As a spider sends forth its thread and draws it back, as plants sprout from the earth, as hair grows from a living being — so from the imperishable source this whole world unfolds.
Seeing What Is Piled Up Is Fleeting, Seek a Teacher
The seeker examines the worlds piled up by action and grows weary of them — for what is made cannot reach the unmade. To know it, he goes, humbly bearing an offering, to a true teacher.
Stillness the Bow, the Self the Arrow
The deep silence is the bow, the Self the arrow, and the source the target. Aim without distraction and let fly, so that, like an arrow in its mark, you become one with it.
The Knot of the Heart Is Loosed
When one has seen that source, high and near — the knot of the heart is loosed, all doubts are cut, and the chains of action fall away.
Two Birds on One Tree
Two birds, companions bound together, cling to one tree. One eats the sweet fruit; the other, not eating, simply watches.
Seeing the Watcher, Grief Lifts
On the same tree one bird, sunk deep, grieves in helplessness, bewildered. But when it beholds the other — the watcher, and its greatness — its grief lifts.
The Seer Shakes Off Good and Evil
When the seer beholds that radiant source, the womb of all — the wise one, shaking off good and ill, becomes spotless and reaches the highest evenness.
Truth Alone Triumphs
Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. By truth the high path is opened, and the sages who have fulfilled their longing walk it to truth's deepest treasure-house.
Not Caught by the Eye, Shown to a Clear Heart
It is grasped not by the eye, nor by speech, nor by any other means. Only one whose knowing has cleared and whose heart is pure sees, in quiet contemplation, that undivided whole.
Not Won by a Weak Heart
The Self is not won by a weak heart, nor by heedlessness, nor by effort without direction. But for the wise who strives by these right means, the Self enters the home of the source.
All This Is One Ground
All this, truly, is one source. From it all things arise and into it they dissolve — so, with a calm mind, hold it before you.
In the Beginning, Being Alone
In the beginning, dear one, this was Being alone — one only, without a second.
That Thou Art
This subtle essence — all this has it for its ground; it is the true, it is the Self. Svetaketu, that thou art.
The Honey Does Not Say Which Flower
Dear one, as bees gather nectar from many trees into one honey, the drops cannot say 'I am from this tree, I from that.'
Split the Seed, and You See Nothing
Bring that banyan fruit. Split it. What do you see? Tiny seeds. Split one. What do you see? Nothing at all. Dear one, from that subtle thing you cannot see, this great banyan tree stands.
Salt Unseen, Yet Everywhere in the Water
Put this salt in water. Next day: bring back the salt. He could not — it had dissolved. Taste the water. How is it? Salty. You do not see the salt, yet it is everywhere in it. So too the true is here, unseen.
I Know the Words, but Not Myself
Narada said: I know all the texts, yet I do not know myself. I have heard that one who knows the Self crosses grief — but I still grieve. Master, carry me to the far shore of sorrow.
Joy Is in the Vast, Not the Small
The vast — there is joy. In the small there is no joy. Only in the vast is there joy.
Where One Sees No Other, That Is the Vast
Where one sees no other, hears no other, knows no other — that is the vast. But where one sees another, hears another — that is the small.
In the Small Space of the Heart, the Whole Sky
Within this city of the body is a small lotus dwelling, and within it a small space. What lies within that — that is what one should seek, what one should long to know.
Walking Daily Over Buried Treasure
As people who do not know the spot walk daily over buried gold and never find it, so all beings pass over that source-place each day and never notice it.
The Self Worth Seeking
The Self, untouched by fault, unaging, undying, free of grief, hunger, and thirst — that is what one should seek, what one should long to know.
From Darkness to Light
Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from the fading to the unfading.
Dearest of All Is the Self Within
This Self is dearer than a child, dearer than wealth, dearer than all else — and more inward than them all.
All Is Dear for the Sake of the Self
The husband is dear not for the husband's own sake, but for the sake of the Self. The Self, truly, is what one should see, hear, ponder, and deeply contemplate.
Not This, Not This
That Self is 'not this, not this.' Ungraspable, for it is never grasped.
As One Embraced Knows Nothing Outside
As one embraced by a beloved knows nothing outside or within, so a person, wholly embraced by the deep Self, forgets outside and within and rests in peace alone.
As You Act, So You Become
As one's desire is, so is one's will; as the will, so the deed; and as the deed, so one becomes.
When the Heart's Desires Fall Away
When all the desires clinging to the heart fall away — the mortal becomes immortal, and here, in this very place, tastes the source.
Calm and Composed, One Sees the Self in the Self
Therefore, knowing this, one becomes calm, composed, quietened, patient, and collected — and so sees the Self within the self.
See the Self, and All Is Known
When the Self is truly seen, heard, pondered, and known — all this is known together.
By What Could You Know the Knower
That by which all this is known — by what could you know it? By what could you ever know the knower?
Speak the Truth, Walk the Right Path
Speak the truth. Walk the right path. Do not neglect your own learning.
Truth, Knowing, and the Infinite
The source is truth, knowing, and the infinite.
Where Words Turn Back
That from which words, together with the mind, turn back, unable to reach it.
It Is Essence; Tasting It, One Becomes Joy
It is truly the essence, the taste of things. Having gained that taste, one becomes filled with joy.
Who Knows It Fears Nothing
One who knows the joy of the source is never, at any time, afraid.
Seek to Know That from Which All Is Born
That from which all beings are born, by which they live, and into which they return when they depart — seek to know that. That is the source.
When There Was Neither Nothing Nor Something
Then there was neither nothing nor something. No sky, no vast space beyond it. What covered it all — and where, and in whose keeping?
The One That Breathed Without Breath
Then was neither death nor deathlessness, no mark dividing night from day. That One breathed, windless, by its own power — and beyond it, nothing at all.
Darkness Hidden in Darkness
At first, darkness lay hidden in darkness. All this was a signless flood. That which was veiled in emptiness was born, at last, as One by the power of heat.
Desire, the First Seed of Mind
In the beginning, desire arose — the first seed of mind. Sages, searching with the heart, found in non-being the root of being.
Who Truly Knows
Who truly knows, and who can say — whence this world came, whence this creation arose? The sages came after all things were made; who then has seen the beginning?
Perhaps Even That One Knows Not
Whence this creation came, whether one shaped it or did not — the one who watches it from the highest heaven surely knows. Or perhaps even that one knows not.
Truth Is One, the Names Are Many
People call it by many names. But what is, is One — the wise merely speak of that One in many ways.
Two Birds in One Tree
Two fair-winged birds, bound in friendship, nest in the same tree. One eats the sweet fruit; the other, not eating, only watches.
I Do Not Clearly Know What I Am
I do not clearly know what I am. Fettered in mind, I wander as something I cannot grasp.
Where Is the Center of the World
I ask you: where is the farthest edge of the earth? Where lies the center of the world? I ask you: where is the highest heaven of the word?
Let Noble Thoughts Come From Every Side
Let noble thoughts come to us from every side — unchecked from anywhere, unclouded from any source.
Order and Truth, Born of Ardor
From kindled ardor were born cosmic order and truth. From there came the night, and the surging sea.
Sun and Moon, Ordered as Before
The shaping power fashioned sun and moon as before, and set in order the heavens and the earth, the wide air and the world of light.
Come Together, Speak Together
Walk together, speak together. Let your minds come to know one another — as the people of old shared their purpose.
One Purpose, One Assembly
Let your purpose be one, your assembly one. Gather your minds as one, your thoughts as one — I set before you a single aim.
Let Your Hearts Be as One
Let your intention be one, your hearts be one. Let your minds gather as one, that you may truly dwell together.
Hunger Is Not the Only Death
Hunger alone is not ordained as our death: even to the well-fed comes death in many shapes.
The Giver's Wealth Never Wastes Away
The wealth of the one who gives freely never wastes away. But the one who will not give finds no one to comfort him.
No Friend Is He Who Will Not Give
He who offers nothing to a friend who comes imploring food — that one is no friend.
He Who Eats Alone Eats His Sin Alone
He who eats alone, with none to share, eats his sin alone. Truly I say: such food, in the end, becomes his ruin.
The Plowing Foot Makes the Food
The plowing share makes the food, and the walking foot reaches the goal. The one who speaks surpasses the silent, and the giving friend outdoes the stingy one.
For a Single Die I Drove My Wife Away
She never scolded me, never grew angry; to me and my friends she was ever kind. Yet for the sake of one final die, I drove my devoted wife away.
What the Gambler Leaves Behind
The gambler's forsaken wife grieves alone, and the mother mourns the son who roams from home. Chased by debt, at night he creeps near strangers' doors — the dice have made him so.
Play No More; Plow Your Field
Play no more with dice — plow your own field instead. Find joy in what you have, and deem it enough. There are your cattle, there is your wife.
The Fairest of All Lights
This light, the fairest of all lights, has come. A radiant dawn is born, bringing brightness that spreads far.
Rise — Breath and Life Have Reached Us Again
Rise up! Breath, and life, have reached us once more. Darkness withdraws, and light draws near. The dawn has opened wide the path of the sun.
Many Dawns Have Broken, and More Will Come
Those who watched the dawns of old are gone; we now behold this dawn. And those who will watch the dawns to come will come in their turn.
Dawn Shines, Wearing Away Our Days
Dawn shines as it always has, yet with each breaking it wears away a little of our lifespan — as it did with the countless dawns before.
Dawn, Rising Like the Eye of the Sky
The dawn breaks, opening light to all the world. Rising like the eye of the sky, it wakes the sleeping one by one and sends each on its own way.
Night Has Filled the Sky With Stars
Night comes on, looking about in every direction, lighting her many eyes — the stars. With all that light, she quietly fills the heights and depths of the whole sky.
O Night, Carry Us Safely to the Far Shore
O Night, today we have nestled into your keeping — as a tree gives shelter to its birds, let us rest, and carry us safely to the shore of morning.
O Waters, You Are the Spring of Gladness
O Waters, you who bring forth gladness — grant us the strength to live, and the eyes to behold what is great and good.
In the Waters Lies All Healing
The people of old said all healing dwells within the waters. Water cleanses the body, soothes the weary, and gives strength to begin anew.
Its Voice Is Heard, Its Shape Unseen
The wind moves through the world as it wills. Its voice is heard, yet none has ever seen its shape — this, like the very breath of the world.
The Light That Grows Bright Within the Heart
My ears unclose to hear, my eyes unclose to see. This light set deep within my heart grows brighter — my mind flies far, yet I do not yet know what to say.
When We First Gave Names to Things
When people first sent forth the beginnings of speech, giving names to each thing — then what was purest and hidden within them was, through love, at last brought to light.
One Who Looks at Speech Yet Does Not See
One looks at speech yet does not see its meaning; one hears yet never truly hears. But to another, speech opens itself fully — as a well-robed wife opens to her husband.
When Friend Fails to Hear Friend
When friends fail to understand each other's words, though side by side, each stands alone. Only those who know how to share true speech truly walk together.
Loosen the Knot of Anxiety
Loosen this knot that binds me; strip away the anxiety pressing me down. As a river overflows its bank, let what weighs on my mind flow past and away.
By Trust the Fire Is Kindled
By trust the fire is kindled; by trust the offering is made. Trust is the threshold of every good thing — let us set trust within our hearts.
On Breath All This World Rests
Honor to the breath — in it all this world rests. Breath becomes the lord of all things, and on it all things are set.
Time, a Steed With Seven Reins
Time bears us onward like a steed with seven reins. Thousand-eyed, ageless, tireless, it moves ever forward and never stops.
Time Brings Forth the Earth and Burns the Sun
Time brought forth all these worlds; within Time the sun burns. In Time all beings exist; within Time the eye sees far.
May We See a Hundred Autumns
May we see a hundred autumns, live a hundred autumns, hear a hundred autumns — seeing with clear eyes, hearing with sharp ears, with an unshaken mind.
Truth and Order Uphold the Earth
Truth and vast order, firm strength and ardor, and wholehearted labor uphold this earth. Standing on all these, the earth gives us a wide place to dwell.
The Earth That Holds Many Tongues
People of many tongues, of many differing customs — the earth holds them all in one body, each in its own home, like an unshaken mother.
On the Earth We Breathe and Live
O Earth, on whom people of many forms dwell — on you we eat, we breathe, we walk. Grant us breath and life, and length of days.
Set Me Firm in Your Keeping
O Earth, set me at your center, within your steadfast keeping. From you flow purifying powers — with them, make me pure.
May What I Take Grow Back Again
O Earth, whatever I dig from you, may it soon grow again. May I never wound your heart, your vital center.
Shaken, the Earth Holds Firm Again
O Earth, ringed with hills and mountains and snow-capped peaks — bearing shaking things upon you, you do not fall but stand firm again, upholding lands of every hue in one body.
Knowledge Breeds Humility, Humility Builds Character
Learning gives rise to humility, humility to worthiness, worthiness to due reward, reward to right conduct, and right conduct at last to peace.
The Wealth No One Can Steal
No thief can steal it, no king can seize it, no sibling can divide it away, and it burdens no one — the more it is spent, the more it grows: learning is the foremost of all wealth.
How the Wise Spend Time, How Fools Waste It
The wise spend their time in the delight of poetry and learning; the foolish, in vice, sleep, or quarrel.
Learning Is the Eye of All
Learning cuts through many doubts and reveals what lies beyond sight — it is the eye of all. One without it is blind, though the eyes are open.
What Good Is a Book Without Wisdom of Your Own?
What can a book do for one who has no wisdom of his own? What can a mirror do for one who has no eyes?
A Scholar Is Honored Everywhere, a King Only at Home
A scholar and a king are never truly equal — a king is honored only in his own country, but a scholar is honored everywhere.
Where No Trees Grow, Even a Castor Plant Passes for a Tree
Where no learned person is found, even the shallow-minded are praised — in a land stripped of trees, even the castor plant passes for a great tree.
Four Tests for Gold, Four Tests for Character
As gold is tested by rubbing, cutting, heating, and hammering, so a person's character is known through generosity, conduct, quality, and action.
Learning Is a Person's Hidden True Form
Learning is a person's truer form — a hidden, secretly kept wealth.
A Little Knowledge Made Me Proud, More Learning Showed Me My Folly
When I knew a little, I was blind with pride like an intoxicated elephant, my mind swollen with 'I know everything.' But as I learned a little more from the wise, that pride left me like a fever breaking, and I realized: I was the fool.
A Crow on a Palace Roof Does Not Become an Eagle
It is one's qualities that make one great, not a lofty seat — does a crow perched on a palace roof become an eagle?
Five Things Already Set: Lifespan, Deeds, Wealth, Learning, Death
Lifespan, deeds, wealth, learning, and death — these five are already set even while one is still in the womb.
Knowledge Left in a Book, Wealth Left in Another's Hand
Knowledge that stays only in a book, and wealth that sits in another's hand — when the moment of need arrives, neither is truly yours.
The Hand's Ornament Is Giving, the Throat's Ornament Is Truth
The ornament of the hand is giving, the ornament of the throat is truthful speech, the ornament of the ear is learning — what use are other ornaments?
What Is Here Exists Elsewhere Too, What Is Not Here Exists Nowhere
What exists here exists elsewhere too; what does not exist here exists nowhere at all.
Learning Is a Friend on the Road, Good Deeds a Friend Beyond Death
Learning is a friend on unfamiliar roads, a spouse a friend at home, medicine a friend to the sick, and right conduct a friend even after death.
Avoid the Wicked, Even When Adorned With Learning
The wicked should be avoided, even when adorned with learning — is a snake decorated with a jewel any less dangerous?
The Same Drop of Water Becomes Different Things
A drop of water on hot iron vanishes without a trace; the same drop on a lotus leaf gleams like a pearl; the same drop falling into an oyster becomes a true pearl — a person's low or high nature, too, mostly comes from the company they keep.
Good Company Loosens the Grip of Attachment
Good company loosens attachment; loosened attachment frees the mind from delusion; and a freed mind at last stands unshaken.
No One Is Born a Fixed Friend or Foe
No one is anyone's friend by birth, nor anyone's enemy — friendships and enmities alike are bound only by interest.
Too Much Familiarity Breeds Contempt
Too much familiarity breeds contempt, too frequent visiting breeds neglect — the woman at the foot of the Malaya hills uses even sandalwood as firewood.
Patience in Adversity, Wise Words in Company
Patience in adversity, restraint in prosperity, eloquence in company, courage in battle, a love of honor paired with devotion to learning — these come naturally to great souls.
Leave the Company of the Wicked, Seek the Company of the Good
Give up the company of the wicked, draw near to the company of the good; do good day and night, and always remember impermanence.
Friendship With the Wicked Is a Morning Shadow, With the Good an Evening Shadow
Friendship with the wicked is like the morning shadow, large at first and shrinking; friendship with the good is like the evening shadow, small at first but growing.
Not Every Mountain Holds a Jewel, Not Every Forest Sandalwood
Not every mountain holds a jewel, not every elephant a pearl — just so, not every place holds a good person, nor every forest sandalwood.
Rare in This World Are Those Who Help Without Self-Interest
Rare in this world are those who consistently help others without self-interest.
Speak Truth, But Speak It So It Does Not Wound
Speak the truth, speak it pleasantly, but do not speak an unpleasant truth, nor speak a pleasant falsehood — this is the ancient rule of right conduct.
Speech Alone Is the True Ornament
Bracelets do not adorn a person, nor moon-bright necklaces, nor bathing, nor perfume, nor flowers, nor elegant hair — only well-cultivated speech adorns a person. Every other ornament wears away, but the ornament of speech remains forever.
There Is No Reason to Be Stingy With a Kind Word
By simply offering a kind word, every living being is pleased.
Convincing Only Until He Opens His Mouth
A fool draped in fine robes looks impressive from afar — but he looks impressive only until he opens his mouth.
Even Animals Understand Spoken Words; the Wise Understand the Unspoken
A clearly spoken instruction even an animal can follow; horses and elephants obey when driven. But the wise infer even what is left unsaid — the true fruit of intelligence is reading another's unspoken signals.
Do Deer Walk Into a Sleeping Lion's Mouth?
Tasks are accomplished only by effort, not by mere wishing — deer do not walk into the mouth of a sleeping lion.
The Great Do Not Abandon What They Have Begun
The lowly do not even begin, fearing obstacles; the average begin but abandon it once struck by obstacles; but the great, though struck again and again, never give up what they have begun.
Laziness Is the Greatest Enemy Living Within the Body
Laziness is the greatest enemy dwelling within the human body — there is no friend equal to effort; whoever keeps effort close never falls into ruin.
Learn as if Immortal, Act as if Death Already Grips You
The wise pursue learning and wealth as though they will never age or die, yet practice right conduct as though death has already seized them by the hair.
Guard the Moment and Learning Grows, Guard the Grain and Wealth Grows
One should build learning and wealth moment by moment, grain by grain — if we let moments slip, where would learning come from; if we let grains slip, where would wealth come from?
Time Cooks All Beings, Time Wakes the Sleeping
Time ripens all beings, time gathers all people away, time alone stays awake even among the sleeping — time is truly what cannot be overcome.
The Body Is the First Instrument of Right Conduct
The body is, indeed, the very first instrument for accomplishing right conduct.
Fortune Comes to the One Who Strives Boldly
Fortune comes to one who strives like a lion — only the cowardly say 'it is fate's to give.' Strike down fate and exert your own strength; if, having truly tried, you still fail, whose fault is that?
Choose Comfort or Learning — You Cannot Keep Both
If you want comfort, give up learning; if you want learning, give up comfort — how can comfort-seekers have learning, or learning-seekers have comfort?
Patience Is the Tool That Works Everywhere
Patience is the instrument that works in every situation.
Good Undertakings Naturally Meet Many Obstacles
Auspicious undertakings naturally meet many obstacles, and even great souls are no exception.
Amid 'I Will, I Will,' We Forget That Death Draws Near
Caught up in 'I will do it, I will do it, I will do it,' we forget that 'I will die, I will die, I will die.'
Five Animal Virtues Every Student Needs
The crow's persistent effort, the heron's steady focus, the dog's light sleep, eating little, and leaving the comfort of home — these five mark a true student.
The Peace of Those Steeped in the Nectar of Contentment
The peace enjoyed by those steeped in the nectar of contentment, their minds calm — where would one chasing wealth here and there ever find that?
We Did Not Enjoy Pleasures — Pleasures Consumed Us
We did not enjoy pleasures — we ourselves were consumed by them. We did not practice austerity — we ourselves grew weary. Time did not pass — we ourselves passed by. Craving has not aged — only we have aged.
Three Things to Be Content With, Three Things Never to Be
Contentment should be kept only in three things — one's spouse, one's food, one's honestly earned wealth. But in three other things — learning, practice, and giving — one must never be content.
Wealth Goes One of Three Ways: Given, Used, or Lost
Wealth has only three destinies — giving, spending, or vanishing. For one who neither gives nor spends, wealth takes the third path: it simply disappears.
Wealth Brings Pain, Both in Earning and in Guarding
Earning wealth is painful, and guarding what is earned is painful too — gain brings pain, loss brings pain; shame on wealth, forever wrapped in hardship.
Craving Has No End — Contentment Alone Is Supreme Bliss
There is no end to craving for more — contentment alone is the highest happiness, and so the wise regard contentment itself as the true wealth of this world.
Hope, the Strange Chain That Binds
Craving is truly a strange chain that binds people — those bound by it keep running endlessly, while those freed from it can rest content anywhere.
Not Even the Gods Can Block What Is Destined to Be Mine
A person eventually receives what is destined to be theirs — not even the gods can prevent it. So I neither grieve nor marvel — what is truly mine can never belong to another.
Do Not Grieve the Past, Do Not Fret the Future
Do not grieve over what has passed, and do not worry over what is yet to come — the wise live only by the present moment.
Five Marks of a Fool
Pride, harsh speech, anger, belittling one's own people, and quarreling even with the humble — these five are the marks of a fool.
Guard Wealth, But Guard Yourself Before Wealth
Guard wealth for times of crisis; guard family even at the cost of wealth; but guard your own self always, even at the cost of family and wealth.
Excess in Anything Turns Into Harm
Excess, in anything, should be avoided everywhere.
A Snake Adorned With a Jewel Is Still Frightening
A snake is cruel, and a wicked person is cruel — but the wicked person is crueler than the snake. A snake can be tamed by charm or medicine; by what can a wicked person be tamed?
With Wealth, Even Missing Virtues Seem to Appear
Whoever has wealth is seen as well-born, learned, widely read, discerning, eloquent, and even handsome — every virtue, it seems, gathers around gold.
Easy to Advise Others, Forgotten When It Is Our Own Turn
When advising others, everyone becomes proper and wise — but when their own affairs arrive, they seem to entirely forget that propriety.
Anyone Gripped by Anger Ends Up Sinning
Who, gripped by anger, does not commit some wrong? The angry are capable of striking even their own teachers, and of insulting even the good with harsh words.
A Calf Finds Its Mother Even Among a Thousand Cows
Just as a calf finds its own mother even among a thousand cows, so a deed once done eventually finds its way back to the one who did it.
The Real Jewels on Earth Are Water, Food, and Wise Words
There are only three true jewels on this earth — water, food, and wise words. Yet the foolish give the name 'jewel' to mere pieces of stone.
Different Land, Different Water; Different Seed, Different Sprout
As the land, so the water; as the seed, so the sprout — as the region, so the language; as the ruler, so the people.
Both Crow and Cuckoo Are Black, but Spring Reveals the Difference
The crow is black and the cuckoo is black — what difference is there between them? But when spring arrives, the crow shows itself as a crow, the cuckoo as a cuckoo.
Foolishness Stays Hidden Only Until the Mouth Opens
A fool in fine flowing robes looks impressive from a distance — but he looks impressive only for as long as he says nothing.
Yoga Is the Stilling of the Mind
Yoga is the stilling of the ceaseless waves that rise in the mind.
When the Waves Still, the True Self Appears
Then the seer comes to rest in its own true nature.
Otherwise, We Take the Shape of the Waves
Otherwise, the seer takes on the very shape of the mind's waves.
The Waves Are Fivefold — Some Wound, Some Do Not
The mind's waves are of five kinds, and each either wounds us or does not.
Knowing, Erring, Imagining, Sleeping, Remembering
The five are: right knowing, error, imagination, sleep, and memory.
Two Wings Still the Mind — Practice and Letting Go
The waves are stilled by two things — steady practice and non-attachment.
Practice Is the Steady Effort to Stay Rooted
Of the two, practice is the sustained effort to abide in stillness.
Long, Unbroken, and Earnest — Then the Ground Holds
That practice becomes firm ground only when kept up long, without break, and with earnest care.
Letting Go Is Mastery Over Craving
Non-attachment is the mastery by which craving for what we have seen or heard no longer drags us.
Five Stepping-Stones — Faith, Vigor, Memory, Focus, Wisdom
For the rest, that stillness comes by five steps — faith, vigor, mindful memory, concentration, and wisdom.
For the Earnest, Stillness Is Already Near
For those whose earnestness burns intense, that stillness is already near.
Another Way — Surrendering to What Is Larger
Or the mind reaches stillness by laying itself down before what is larger than the self.
The Nine Obstacles That Scatter the Mind
Nine things scatter the mind — illness, dullness, doubt, heedlessness, laziness, craving, false seeing, failing to find footing, and losing what was gained.
A Shaken Mind Leaks First Into Body and Breath
When the mind scatters, four things come with it — pain, gloom, a trembling body, and ragged breath.
To Stop the Scattering — Gather on One Thing
To prevent that scattering, practice gathering the mind on one single thing.
Four Attitudes for a Clear Mind — Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity
Kindness to the happy, compassion to the suffering, gladness at the good, and calm toward the wayward — cultivating these clears the mind.
Simply Steadying the Breath Settles the Mind
Or, by slowly breathing out and gently pausing, the mind grows clear and calm.
A Clear Mind, Like Crystal, Takes the Color It Rests Beside
A mind whose waves have thinned is like a flawless crystal, taking on the color of whatever it rests beside.
The Yoga of Action — Discipline, Self-Study, Surrender
Discipline, self-study, and surrender to what is larger — these three are the yoga of action.
The Five Roots of Suffering
Five roots afflict the mind — ignorance, ego-clinging, attraction, aversion, and clinging to life.
Ignorance Is the Field Where the Rest Grow
Ignorance is the field where the other four grow — whether dormant, thinned, interrupted, or in full bloom.
Ignorance Is Mistaking the Fleeting for the Eternal
Ignorance is taking the impermanent for the eternal, the impure for pure, pain for pleasure, and the not-self for the Self.
The Ego Confuses the Seer With the Seen
Ego-clinging is mistaking the power that sees for the instrument through which it sees.
Attraction Trails the Memory of Pleasure
Attraction is the mind that clings to the memory of past pleasure and chases it again.
Aversion Trails the Memory of Pain
Aversion is the mind that clings to the memory of past pain and comes to hate and avoid in advance.
The Surfaced Afflictions Dissolve in Quiet Watching
The active waves of these afflictions can be quieted through steady meditative watching.
The Suffering Not Yet Come Can Still Be Prevented
The suffering that can be avoided is the suffering not yet come.
As Practice Deepens, the Haze Lifts and Knowing Dawns
By steadily practicing the limbs of yoga, the mind's impurity thins and the light of knowing brightens.
The Eight Limbs — a Path to Stillness
The path to stillness has eight limbs — restraint, observance, posture, breath, sense-withdrawal, focus, meditation, and absorption.
Five Restraints — Non-Harm, Truth, Non-Stealing, Moderation, Non-Grasping
The five restraints toward others are: non-harm, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, and non-grasping.
These Five Are a Great Vow, Bound by No Rank or Time
These five, bound by no birth, place, time, or circumstance, are a great and universal vow.
Five Observances — Purity, Contentment, Discipline, Self-Study, Surrender
The five observances toward oneself are: purity, contentment, discipline, self-study, and surrender.
When Dark Thoughts Press In, Cultivate Their Opposite
When troubling thoughts disturb the mind, deliberately cultivate their opposite.
Harmful Thoughts Breed Endless Pain — So Turn and Look
Harmful thoughts — whether done, caused, or condoned — bear endless fruit of pain and delusion. To weigh this is itself to cultivate the opposite.
Where Non-Harm Takes Root, Hostility Fades
When non-harm is firmly established, hostility dissolves in that person's presence.
When Truth Takes Root, Words Carry Weight
When truthfulness is firmly established, one's words and deeds come to bear fruit.
Where Coveting Ends, Abundance Draws Near
When non-stealing is firmly established, all manner of riches gather before one.
Moderation Gathers Scattered Energy Into One
When moderation is firmly established, scattered energy gathers into great vigor.
When We Stop Grasping, the Why of Life Comes Clear
When non-grasping grows steady, an understanding dawns of the how and why of one's very life.
As Purity Deepens, We Are Freed From Surfaces
From purity comes a loosening of obsession with one's own surface, and a release from clinging to appearances.
The Fruits of Purity — Clarity, Cheer, Focus, Mastery
A purified mind bears fruit — clear brightness, inner cheer, one-pointedness, mastery of the senses, and readiness to behold the Self.
From Contentment Comes Unsurpassed Happiness
From contentment comes a happiness beyond compare.
Discipline Tempers Body and Senses
Through discipline, impurity falls away, and body and senses are tempered to their full power.
Self-Study Connects Us to Our Highest Ideal
Through self-study, one comes into communion with the ideal one most reveres.
A Posture Is Steady, and Yet at Ease
A posture is that which is steady, and at the same time at ease.
Loosen the Effort, and Rest the Mind in the Vast
That posture is attained by relaxing effort and resting the mind in the boundless.
Then the Pairs of Opposites No Longer Shake Us
Then one is no longer struck by the pairs of opposites — heat and cold, praise and blame.
Regulating the Breath Is a Doorway Into the Mind
Once the posture is set, the gentle regulation of the flow of in-breath and out-breath is prāṇāyāma.
Focus Is Tethering the Mind to One Place
Focus is the gentle tethering of the mind to a single place.
Meditation Is an Unbroken Flow Toward That One Place
Meditation is the unbroken, single-threaded flow of the mind toward that one place.
Absorption Is When the Self Fades and Only the Object Shines
Absorption is when that meditation ripens so that the object alone shines, and the sense of 'I' fades as if empty.
Stillness Lives in the Brief Moment Scattering Subsides
The mind's turn toward stillness happens when, for a brief moment, the old habit of scattering is subdued and the mind aligns with a rising groove of quiet.
Repeated Stillness Becomes a Calmly Flowing River
As that stillness accrues into an ingrained groove, the mind flows on of itself, calm as a quiet river.
The Calm One's Action Is Neither White nor Black
The action of one who has reached stillness is neither white nor black, while for others it remains threefold — white, black, or mixed.
Remove the Root, and the Tangle Above It Falls Away
The traces of attachment hang on their cause, effect, and support; when that ground is gone, the traces vanish too.
