1. From the beginning to the end, the expanse of the universe has been explained in many ways. These explanations should be reflected upon again and again until there is a withdrawal from all mental states and they are dissolved in the Primal Illusion.
2. All of the four types of speech, and all of the 8.4 millions species of living beings arising from the four streams of birth have been born from the Earth.
3. All beings that are formed from the Earth get destroyed and return to the Earth. Many beings come and go, but the Earth remains as it is.
4. This is the third part of creation that is the Earth, which is like the tips of the branches of the Primal Illusion. The vast expanse of the five elements is the second aspect of creation. The first aspect of creation is very subtle and has many names.
5. Whatever is gross must be given up and left off to fall away. Then one must look with subtle vision into the nature and qualities of the three gunas.
6. The three gunas are in the forms of Knowledge (sattva), of Ignorance (tamas), and a mixture of both (rajas). One must look repeatedly into the thought of this. From here, subtle vision must be applied with skill in order to understand further.
7. Pure Ignorance is the quality of tamas (tamoguna). Pure Knowledge is the quality of sattva (sattvaguna), and the quality of rajas (rajoguna) is the mixture of Knowledge and Ignorance.
8. When one begins to understand correctly that the form of the three gunas is like this, one can go to the origin of the three gunas. This is the homogeneous intermingled mixture that is called the stirring of the three gunas (Gunakshobhini; the stimulation or arousal of the three manifest attributes).
9. Understand that here, the three qualities of rajas, tamas and sattva exist in a homogeneous form known as the "Principle Element" (Mahat Tattva; also called the Cosmic Intelligence).
10. This is called Purusha/Prakriti, or Shiva/Shakti that is the half-male and half-female principle. However, its true nature is a state of a homogeneous intermixture of attributes in Oneness.
11. There, the gunas are intermingled in balance in subtle form, This is called the equilibrium of the gunas (Gunasamya). This is the Life-Energy, or Chaitanya, which exists in a very subtle form and is difficult to comprehend.
12. The Primal Illusion contains many things. It is the Great Causal Body of the universe. It must be seen correctly with subtle vision.
13. The four streams of living beings, the five elements, and the fourteen subtle indications of Brahman are what are seen here. One must look with subtle vision and see this for oneself.
14. By looking superficially, this cannot be understood. If one only casually thinks about this for a short time, it cannot understood. The common people look superficially like this, and many doubts arise in their minds.
15. The fourteen names of the Primal Illusion60 together with the five elements make nineteen, and when the four types of living beings are added, it becomes twenty-three. Among these twenty-three, the fourteen Brahmans must be seen again and again as being the origin.
16. One who analyzes this understands and becomes doubtless. Any talk that is without understanding is meaningless and only causes confusion.
17. The seed of all of creation spontaneously arises in the Primal Illusion. When all of this is understood, spiritual life is fulfilled.
18. The one who has understood will never be confused, and because of his firm conviction he will never hold on to any imagination. Such a person can never be confused or fall into speculation about "Supreme Truth" (Paramartha).
19. When one uses words to speak about That which is beyond words, it is called the word meaning. The pure untainted Reality that is being indicated, is not an object that can be perceived. It can only be understood through the power of discrimination.
20. The primary premise (purvapaksha) presented in the Vedas is that everything is Illusion. The "final conclusion" (siddhanta) is the dissolution of Illusion. What can be said about That which exists when Illusion is not present?
21. The discrimination regarding the appearance and disappearance of objects is the primary premise of the Vedas. The final conclusion, or siddhanta, means that there is only the oneness of "Pure Reality" which admits to nothing "other."
22. By looking downwards, the distinctions in duality increase, while looking upwards, duality falls away. The great yogi who gives up everything remains attributeless.
23. When one understands that Illusion is false, why does one get caught up in Illusion? The attraction to Illusion is what makes one feel that one has slipped down from the state of one's True Form (Swaroopa).
24. What a wonder it is that one would give up the firm determination about Absolute Reality because of being attracted to Illusion.
25. There are many people in the world, and among them, there are some good and virtuous people. However, only a true sage can recognize another sage.
26. Therefore attachment to worldly life must be given up, and one should search for a sage. By going from place to place, one should find a true sage.
27. One must seek out many saintly people and find one who is experienced, and a great leader (Mahanta). If a teacher who is without any experience is found, there will not be any true benefit for one's best self-interest.
28. Whether in worldly life or in spiritual life, if there is no experience everything is useless. One whose Knowledge is based in experience is the most "Powerful" (Samartha) among all.
29. One who looks day and night, and sees "Supreme Meaning" is the one who is Samartha. One’s own best interest is secured when one stands beyond the world.
30. Therefore, one must look and see, and find out what is true. When the entire truth is known, all doubt is effortlessly destroyed.