23. The knowledge of these vacuous principles, their qualities and attributes, which is preserved in the soul in the forms of their abstract ideas; is expressed afterwards by certain symbolical sounds or words, which are also as void as air. (A word is a breath, and the breath is air).
24. It is thus the formless and vacuous principle of the ego, entertains in itself or its soul, the notions or knowledge of times and space in their ideal forms.
25. This universe which appears as the réchauffé or reflex of the ideal of the ego, and seems as the visible and substantial world, is in reality but the intangible Brahma, and appearing as the tangible non Brahma to view.
26. The world is verily the quiet spirit of Brahma, it is one with Him, and without its beginning, middle or end; it is verily the void of Brahma, who assumes to himself the titles of Ego and the living soul, vacuous himself in his own vacuous self, as this vast and extensive phenomenon, and as something otherwise than what He is. (The world is the mirror of the divine Mind and its thoughts).
CHAPTER CCXIII.
Narration of Ráma’s prior pupilage under Vasishtha.
Argument:—Vasishtha’s relation of a lecture delivered to Ráma in a former birth.
Vasishtha continued:—O Ráma, the destroyer of thy enemies, this very question that you have asked me today, was put to me once before, when you had been a pupil under my discipline.
2. In a former age, there was once this spiritual discourse betwixt ourselves, when you had been a pupil of mine in a certain forest (according to Metempsychosis), the present is but a repetition of a past life. The wheel of life rolls and revolves incessantly from age to age.
3. As I sat there as your preceptor, and your sitting in my presence as my pupil; you then had put this very question to me, with the gravity of your understanding.
4. The Pupil said:—You sir that know all things, now deign to remove this doubt and difficulty of mine, regarding what things die and perish at the great deluge, and what things are not liable to destruction.