RECOGNITION (PERCEPTION) OF 'OBJECTS' GIVES RISE TO DESIRES

There is a terrible elephant roaming around in a forest wreaking havoc. If that elephant is killed, one attains success in liberation, not otherwise.

Desire is that elephant. It roams the forest known as the body. It is maddened by sensuousness. It is restless with conditioning and tendencies (vasana). This elephant destroys everybody in the world.

It is known by different names: desire, vasana (tendency or mental conditioning), mind, thought, feeling, attachment, etc. It should be slain by the weapon known as courage or determination born of the realization of oneness.

Only as long as one believes in objective existence does desire arise! This alone is samsara (bondage): the feeling 'This is'. Its cessation is liberation (moksa). This is the essence of jnana or wisdom.

Recognition of 'objects' gives rise to desire. Non-recognition of objects ends desire. When desire ends, the jiva (individual) drops its self-limitation. The great man therefore abandons all thoughts concerning what has been experienced and what has not been experienced.

I declare with uplifted arms that the thought-free notionless state is the best. It is infinitely superior to the soveriegnty of the world.

Non-thinking is known as yoga (awareness of awarenesss).

Remaining in that state, perform appropriate actions or do nothing! As long as thoughts of 'I' and 'mine' persist, sorrow does not cease. When such thoughts cease, sorrow ceases.

Knowing this, do as you please.

(Concise Yoga Vasistha pg 416 to 417 - ISBN: 087395954X)