9. The Mind is known as the cause of the body, which is work of the mind; it is born and becomes extinct with the body, which the soul does not, nor has it any such quality which belongs to the mind.
10. The mind is found by right reasoning to be a perishable object, and no sooner doth it perish, than the living soul succeeds to obtain its final liberation. For the desires of the mind are the bondage of its transmigration, but the dissolution of the mind with its desires, secures its liberation. (Volition and velleity, are the active and inactive acts of the mind for its eternal bondage).
11. After decadence of the mental desires there is no more any exertion for acts. This state is called the liberation of living souls, from their release from trouble and care; and the mind thus released, never comes to be born and die again. (Free from desire, is freedom from deadly sin).
12. Ráma said:—Sir! You have said before, that human nature is principally of three kinds viz:—the good, the gentle and the base (Satva, rajas and tamas); and it is owing to the good or bad nature of their minds, that men differ from one another.
13. Now please tell me, how could the wondrous mind originate from the pure intellect with its good or bad propensities, which are wanting in the Divine Intellect.
14. Vasishtha replied:—Know Ráma, that there are three spheres of the infinite vacuity, at immense distances from one another: and these are the intellectual, mental, and the physical spheres.
15. These spheres are common to all mankind, and are spread out everywhere; and they have all sprung and come to being from the essence of the Chit or Divine Intellect. (The first is the space of Divine Infinity, the second is the spatium dunamia or potential space and may be filled by bodies; and the third is the place energeia or actually occupied by bodies).
16. That space which is both in the inside and outside of everything, and denotes its occupation or otherwise by some substance or its absence, and pervades through all nature, is called the inane sphere of the Intellect.
17. That is called the sphere of the Intellect, which embraces all space and time which has spread out the other spheres, and which is the highest and best of all.
18. The physical sphere contains all created beings, and extends to the circuit of the ten sides, all about and above and below us. It is a continued space filled with air, which supports the clouds and waters above the firmament.