Abiding in the Self


Janaka said:

12.1
Becoming first intolerant of action,
then of excessive speech,
then of thought itself,
I come to be here.

12.2
Neither sounds nor other sense perceptions
attract my attention.
Even the Self is unperceived.
The mind is free, undistracted, one-pointed.
And here I am.

12.3
Effort is required
to concentrate a distracted mind
superimposed with illusion.
Knowing this, I remain here.

12.4
Nothing to reject, nothing to accept.
No joy, no sorrow.
Lord God I am here.

12.5
The four stages of life, life without stages,
meditation, renunciation, objects of mind —
nothing but distractions.
I am forever here.

12.6
Doing and not-doing
both arise from ignorance.
I know this.
And I am here.

12.7
Thinking of the unthinkable One
unavoidably conjures thought.
I choose no-thought
and remain here.

12.8
Blessed is he who attains this by effort.
Blessed is he who is such by nature.