Chapter 2 (The Seekers Joy at Self-Cognizance): Verse 4
यथा न तोयतो भिन्नास्तरंगाः फेनबुद्बुदाः ।
आत्मनो न तथा भिन्नं विश्वमात्मविनिर्गतम् ॥ २-४॥
यथा न तोयतो भिन्नास्तरंगाः फेनबुद्बुदाः ।
आत्मनो न तथा भिन्नं विश्वमात्मविनिर्गतम् ॥ २-४॥
PURPORT:
Just as waves, foam and bubbles
are no different than water;
so too, does the universe,
emerge from our self-model
and is not different from it.
Just as waves, foam and bubbles
are no different than water;
so too, does the universe,
emerge from our self-model
and is not different from it.
TRANSLITERATION:
यथा न तोयतः भिन्नाः तरङ्गाः फेनबुद्बुदाः ।
yathā na toyataḥ bhinnāḥ taraṅgāḥ phenabudbudāḥ ।
आत्मनः न तथा भिन्नम् विश्वम् आत्मविनिर्गतम् ॥ २-४॥
ātmanaḥ na tathā bhinnam viśvam ātmavinirgatam ॥ 2-4॥
यथा न तोयतः भिन्नाः तरङ्गाः फेनबुद्बुदाः ।
yathā na toyataḥ bhinnāḥ taraṅgāḥ phenabudbudāḥ ।
आत्मनः न तथा भिन्नम् विश्वम् आत्मविनिर्गतम् ॥ २-४॥
ātmanaḥ na tathā bhinnam viśvam ātmavinirgatam ॥ 2-4॥
MEANING:
yathā (यथा) = just as
na (न) = not
toyataḥ (तोयतः) = from water
bhinnāḥ (भिन्नाः) = different
taraṅgāḥ (तरङ्गाः) = waves
phenabudbudāḥ (फेनबुद्बुदाः) = foam and bubbles; compound of phena (फेन) meaning 'foam/froth' and budbudāḥ (बुद्बुदाः) meaning 'bubbles'।
ātmanaḥ (आत्मनः) = from the self [in this context it is meant to be 'emanating from the perception of oneself']
na (न) = not
tathā (तथा) = in the same way
bhinnam (भिन्नम्) = different
viśvam (विश्वम्) = universe
ātmavinirgatam (आत्मविनिर्गतम्) = coming forth or liberated or freed from the self; compound of ātma (आत्म) meaning 'from the self' and vinirgatam (विनिर्गतम्) meaning 'to come forth/emanate/freed from'॥ 2-4॥
yathā (यथा) = just as
na (न) = not
toyataḥ (तोयतः) = from water
bhinnāḥ (भिन्नाः) = different
taraṅgāḥ (तरङ्गाः) = waves
phenabudbudāḥ (फेनबुद्बुदाः) = foam and bubbles; compound of phena (फेन) meaning 'foam/froth' and budbudāḥ (बुद्बुदाः) meaning 'bubbles'।
ātmanaḥ (आत्मनः) = from the self [in this context it is meant to be 'emanating from the perception of oneself']
na (न) = not
tathā (तथा) = in the same way
bhinnam (भिन्नम्) = different
viśvam (विश्वम्) = universe
ātmavinirgatam (आत्मविनिर्गतम्) = coming forth or liberated or freed from the self; compound of ātma (आत्म) meaning 'from the self' and vinirgatam (विनिर्गतम्) meaning 'to come forth/emanate/freed from'॥ 2-4॥
COMMENT:
There are two subtle truths hidden within this beautiful verse: the first of them points to the fact that shapes and forms (waves, foam, water and bubbles) that we experience and the names we attribute to these shapes and forms are products of our perceptual experience as we navigate the universe; the second truth is a restatement of the fact that the perceptual experience of the universe that emerges from our cognitive self-model is no different from our selves.
The waves, the foam, bubbles, water, our self-models, the universe - all of these - are products of experience fabricated by our sense faculties and assigned names and forms for our common navigational ease.
In essence, given the absence of an enduring essential self, the continuity of experience that we repeatedly traverse is primarily due to the flux of patterns with the names and forms and shapes we encounter. Both the continuity of experience as well as the flux with the names, forms and shapes are simply the result of the arising of interdependent causal factors and conditions. There is no permanency associated with either the experience nor the names, shapes and forms.
As a gentle aside, the names, forms and shapes we assign to objects encountered within our collective experience are guarded and cherished by society (and in turn individual egos that comprise society) so much so that instances of humans seen as deviating from these commonly agreed upon designations are deemed unfit to function within the structures of society.
There are two subtle truths hidden within this beautiful verse: the first of them points to the fact that shapes and forms (waves, foam, water and bubbles) that we experience and the names we attribute to these shapes and forms are products of our perceptual experience as we navigate the universe; the second truth is a restatement of the fact that the perceptual experience of the universe that emerges from our cognitive self-model is no different from our selves.
The waves, the foam, bubbles, water, our self-models, the universe - all of these - are products of experience fabricated by our sense faculties and assigned names and forms for our common navigational ease.
In essence, given the absence of an enduring essential self, the continuity of experience that we repeatedly traverse is primarily due to the flux of patterns with the names and forms and shapes we encounter. Both the continuity of experience as well as the flux with the names, forms and shapes are simply the result of the arising of interdependent causal factors and conditions. There is no permanency associated with either the experience nor the names, shapes and forms.
As a gentle aside, the names, forms and shapes we assign to objects encountered within our collective experience are guarded and cherished by society (and in turn individual egos that comprise society) so much so that instances of humans seen as deviating from these commonly agreed upon designations are deemed unfit to function within the structures of society.
NOTES:
From the Phena Sutra (verses to foam) translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu*:
Now suppose that in the autumn — when it's raining in fat, heavy drops — a water bubble were to appear & disappear on the water, and a woman with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a water bubble?
In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any feeling that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in feeling?
Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage were shimmering, and a woman with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a mirage?
In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any perception that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in perception?
From the Phena Sutra (verses to foam) translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu*:
Now suppose that in the autumn — when it's raining in fat, heavy drops — a water bubble were to appear & disappear on the water, and a woman with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a water bubble?
In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any feeling that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in feeling?
Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage were shimmering, and a woman with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a mirage?
In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any perception that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near.
To her — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in perception?
*I took the liberty to change the masculine references in the original to feminine. Because....
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