the consciousness—is superior to objects. The superiority has been undermined by
the impetuousness of the senses. They have been completely adulterated. The
turbidity that has been caused by the activity of the senses has prevented the lustrous
manifestation of consciousness within, even as the brilliancy of the sun that is seen
reflected in water can be completely made to look otherwise by shaking the water,
especially when it is muddy.
The pure nature of consciousness is not an object of direct experience on account of
the turbidity of the mind due to the preponderance of tamasic qualities, and also the
shaking of the mind due to the rajas in it. There is dirt due to tamas, and also
shaking due to rajas. Both these put together make it impossible for consciousness to
reflect itself purely in the mind, and it has become what the mind itself is—turbid and
shaking.
Thus it is that there is agony and a restlessness that is attributed to pure
consciousness itself, while in fact it is drisimatrah, pure awareness, inclusive of the
contents of its awareness. Hence it should be unbelievable that there should be a
necessity for it to run after objects. On the other hand, as the sutra puts it, the
objects should run after it—because they subserve this existence of the seer. The
knowledge that the objects subserve the seer and that, therefore, there is a need to
reverse the process of thinking is the condition of yoga that is pondered over in this
sutra.
Chapter 68THE CAUSE OF EXPERIENCEEvery experience in the world is intended to bring enlightenment to the soul. The
purpose of experience is not harassment or punishment of any kind; it is a process of
training and education for higher knowledge. Sva svāmi śaktyoḥ svarūpopalabdhi hetuḥ
saṁyogaḥ (II.23) is the sutra which makes out that experience is for the purpose of
ultimate wisdom and freedom. The continuous experiences provided to the soul by
means of its contact with the objects of sense provide occasions for newer and newer
types of enlightenment because every experience is a revelation of the circumstances
of the experience, so that if one is careful enough to observe what actually takes place
at the time of an experience, one would be enlightened in respect of it and gain an
insight in regard to it. Experience is not supposed to create bondage; it is intended to
bring liberation. The bondage aspect of it is an unfortunate consequence that arises
due to one not being able to take advantage of this occasion provided by the means of
experience.
The contact of consciousness with objects is not merely an experience of pleasure and
pain. It is also an occasion for gaining new insight into the circumstances of this
contact, as it is the case with every type of experience at any time whatsoever. An
experience is a reaction produced in consciousness by conditions outside. These
reactions are teachers and not merely instruments of punishment or infliction of
pain. The question of enlightenment in regard to experience arises on account of
there being an occasion to enter into the causes of the experience. An experience