Who sends the
mind afar? Who first drives life to start on its journey? Who impels us
to utter these words? Who is the Spirit behind the eye and the ear?
They are the Ear of the ear, the Eye of the eye, and the Word of words,
the Mind of mind, and the Life of life. Those who follow Wisdom pass beyond
and, on leaving the world, become immortal...
What cannot be spoken with words, but that whereby words are spoken:
Know that alone to be Brahman, the Spirit, and not what the people of the
world adore.
What cannot be thought with the mind, but that whereby the mind can think:
Know that alone to be Brahman, the Spirit; and not what the people of the
world adore.
What cannot be seen with the eye, but that whereby the eye can see: know
that alone to be Brahman, the Spirit; and not what the people of the world
adore.
KATHA UPANISHAD
There is the Path of Wisdom and the path of ignorance. They are far apart
and lead to different ends...
Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned,
fools go hither and thither, like blind led by the blind.
What is beyond earthly life shines not to those who are childish, or careless,
or deluded by wealth. 'This is the only world: there is no other', they
say; and thus they go from death to death.
Not many hear of him; and of those not many reach him. Wonderful are they
who can teach about him; and wise are those who can be taught.Wonderful
are those who know him when taught.
He cannot be taught by one who has not reached him; and he cannot be reached
by much thinking. The way to him is through a Teacher who has seen him...
Not through much learning is the Atman reached, not through the intellect.
He is reached by the chosen of him--because they choose him. To his chosen
the Atman reveals his glory...
Those who have not right understanding and whose mind is never steady are
not the rulers of their life, like a bad driver with wild horses.
But those who have right understanding and whose mind is ever steady are
the rulers of their life, like good drivers with well-trained horses.
Those who have not right understanding, are careless and never pure, reach
not the End of the journey; but wander on from death to death.
But those who have understanding, are careful and ever pure, reach the
End of the journey, from which they never return.
The person whose chariot is driven by Reason, who watches and holds the
reins of their mind, reaches the End of the journey, the supreme everlasting
Spirit...
Awake, arise! Strive for the Highest, and be in the Light! Sages say the
Path is narrow and difficult to tread, narrow as the edge of a razor...
There is a Spirit who is Awake in our sleep and creates the wonder of dreams.
That is Brahman, the Spirit of Light, who in truth is called the Immortal.
All the worlds rest on that Spirit and beyond Him no
one can go...
As the sun that beholds the world is untouched by earthly impurities, so
the Spirit that is in all things is untouched by external sufferings.
They are the Eternal among things that pass away, pure Consciousness of
conscious beings, the ONE who fulfils the prayers of many. Only the wise
who see Them in their souls attain the peace eternal.