Vasishtha continued:—Hear me Ráma, to tell you again for the perfection of your understanding (after what I have said already in praise of the virtue of equanimity); because the repetition of a lesson, serves to impress it the more in the memory of inattentive persons.
2. Ráma! I have told you before about the existence of the world, after I had related to you in length regarding its creation or production; whereby you have come to know, that both the appearance and subsistence of the world (i.e. its coming to and being in existence), are mere fallacies of our understanding.
3. I have next explained to you also, in the Upasama-Prakarana or my lecture on Insouciance, of the necessity of observing and maintaining a total indifference in regard to the whole creation (which is here repeated as leading to our nirvána or lukewarmness in this our living state).
4. In my discourse on indifference, I have described to you the different stages of nonchalance; the attainment of the highest pitch of which, will conduce ultimately to your obtaining the blissfulness of the nirvána numbness, which is treated of in this book on anæsthesia. (From the stage of Upasama or allaying of all excitements to that of upasánti or absence of excitability, there are some intermediate states spoken of before).
5. You shall have here to hear (or learn) from me, regarding the manner in which the learned are to conduct themselves in this phenomenal world, after they have learnt and obtained, whatever there is to be known and obtainable herein (i.e. after their attainment of divine knowledge and wisdom).
6. A man having received his birth in this world, should habituate himself from his boyhood, to view the phenomenals as they are of themselves, and without any concern with himself; in order to have his security and happiness apart from all others. (i.e. Constrain yourself to yourself, and without any concern of yours with any).
7. Regard all in the one and same light with yourself, and observe a universal benevolence towards all beings, and then placing your reliance in your own equanimity, conduct yourself safely and securely every where.
8. Know the plan of your even-mindedness, to be productive of the fruits of purest and most delicious taste; and bearing the blossoms of unbounded prosperity, and the flowers of our unfading good fortune.
9. Meekness of disposition, yields the fruit of universal benevolence, and makes the prosperity of the whole world wait at its service. (Blessed are the meek; for they shall enjoy all the blessing &c.).
10. Neither the possession of a kingdom on earth, nor the enjoyment of the best beauties herein; can yield that undecaying and essential happiness, which is derived from the equanimity of the meek.