CHAPTER XIII.
Anecdote of Indra, and an account of the
Atomic World.
Argument:—The acts of Delusion, and Deception of senses, and Indra’s Vision of the World in an Atom.
Bhusunda Said:—The universe which contains the totality of existence, and appears as a wide extended sphere; is not in need of any pre-existent place or time as recipients of its substance just as the etherial light (of the twilight), requires no prop or pillar in the heavens for its support. (The simultaneity of the seeming containers—time and space, and their apparent contents—the wide world and the broad light, disproves the priority of the receptacles with regard to their occupants, as it is commonly understood to be. So the verse:—Here there is no container or contained, nothing first or last; But all is one that fills and contains this all. Gloss).
2. The fabrication of this triple world (containing the celestial, terrestrial and infernal regions), is the mere thought or working of the mind; and all this is more quiet and calm, more minute and light, and much more translucent than the odor residing in the air.
3. The world is a wondrous phenomenon of the intellect, which though it is as minute as a particle of fragrance borne by the wind; appears yet as big as a mountain to the sensation of the outward organs of sense. (This is the effect of the deception of the senses).
4. Every one (animal being) views and thinks the world, in the same form and light as it presents unto him; just as the operations of the mind and visions in a dream, appear as they occur to their recipients and to no other besides. (The deceptive senses and dreams, depict objects in different aspects to different persons).
5. Here I will instance an old legend, of what happened to Indra—the lord of Gods, when he was confined in a minute particle in times of yore.
6. It came to pass once upon a time, that this world grew up as a small fig fruit on a branch of the Yuga tree, in the great arbour of a kalpa age. (The periods of a Yuga and kalpa are represented as a tree and forest by metaphor).
7. The mundane fruit was composed of the three compartments of the earth, sky and infernal regions, containing the gods and demigods of heaven, the hills and living creatures on earth, the marshy lands below, with troops of gnats and flies (fluttering about the fig tree of the world, and representing the diseases and dangers that hover over it).
8. It is a wondrous production of the intellect (which is its architect); and is as high as handsome full-blown buds with the juice of desire (i.e. it is full of all delights, that the heart can desire). It is odorous with all kinds of flavourous fragrances, that we can feel and tempting to the mind by the variety of its savours that are sweet to taste. (Does it allude to the forbidden fruit which was enticing to sight and sweet to taste, and meant the world itself that was to be avoided)?