sattva-puruṣāyoḥ atyantā-saṁkīrṇayoḥ pratyayāviśeṣo-bhogaḥ parārthāt-sva-arthasaṁyamāt puruṣa-jñānam
Experience of the world is an ordinary mental impression coming from the absence of distinction between completely non-identical entities; the purified mind and the Internal Principal. Through saṁyama on the distinction between ‘that which exists for itself’ and ‘that which exists for Other’, knowledge of the Essential Being is gained.
This sutra highlights the key difference between your mind – which remains changeable (even after it has been cleansed) – and the Essential Being (puruṣa) which does not.
Life is full of highs and lows. Pleasant and painful experiences are both helpful when they cause awareness, to the point where you realise that the inner bliss within simply does not emerge from the material world. Therefore, the function of your life is to discover this spiritual awakening.
Damian Cadman-Jones is an authorised teacher of Prana Vashya Yoga™