72 The SpiritualLife.
alone exists, who is the One and the only
Reality,That is realisedas the Selfof each,
as the one Life of which all forms are only
transient manifestations. Thus the recognition
oftheabsenceofseparatenessmustbeastepon
thisPathofKnowledge. Untilabsenceofsepar-
atenessisrealisedthesoulpassesfrom deathto
death.* Butmorethanthisrealisationofnon-
separateness is needed. There is the distinct
andthedeliberateeffortto realisethatthe Self
of the Universeisthe Selfof man dwelling in
theheart,thatthatSelf,aswesawafewweeks
ago,clothesitself insheathaftersheathforthe
purposeofgatheringexperience,andonthePath
ofKnowledgesheathaftersheathisstrippedfrom
off the Self,untiltheverySelf ofall isfound.
For this, knowledge is necessary. First the
knowledgeof theexistenceof thesheaths,then
the knowledgeof the Self working within the
sheaths, then therealisation that those sheaths
can be laid aside one after another, that the
sensescanbestilled and silenced,thatthe Self
canwithdrawitselffromthesheathofthesenses
until theyno longer function savebythe will,
andthevoiceoftheSelfmaybeheardwithout
theintrusionof theouterworld.Andthenthesheathof the mind-thatalso
*"Kathopanishad."ValliIv.10.