Imaginary Waves Arise in an Imaginary Ocean

Lo and behold! I have realized that it is the Self, which is pure consciousness that dwells as the jiva (individual), because consciousness becomes aware of itself as its own object.

This object is insentient and unreal; because the Self identifies itself with this object, it apparently clothes itself with insentience, having aparently (but not in truth) abandoned its essential nature as consciousness.

For such is the nature of consciousness: whatever it conceives itself to be, whether real or imaginary, that it becomes, apparently having abandoned its own nature.

Thus, though the Self is pure consciousness, it imagines itself to be insentient and unreal on account of its perception of objects.

Even the mind and the senses are but the reflections of consciousness, though they are unreal independently of consciousness.

This supreme consciousness alone exists.

It is the supreme truth, untainted by any impurity, forever in a state of perfect equilibrium and devoid of ego-sense. Once this truth is realized, it shines constantly without setting.

It is this consciousness that is known by various names - Brahman, supreme Self, etc. In it there is no division into subject-object and their relationship (knowledge).

Consciousness becomes conscious of its own consciousness; it cannot be realized otherwise (as an object of consciousness).

It is this consciousness alone that is manifest as the mind, intellect and the senses. This world appearance, too, is but consciousness, apart from which nothing is.

Consciousness does not undergo any change, the only apparent change is the illusory appearance, which is illusory and therefore not real!

In an imaginary ocean, imaginary waves arise.

The mind-stuff (consciousness) itself is the ocean and the waves (consciousness) are of the mind-stuff too.

Even so the world appearance arises in consciousness and is therefore not different from it.

There is neither birth nor death for this consciousness. It is not subject to destruction, for it is like space. It cannot be cut or burnt. It is pure light of consciousness, without defect.

All the gods, demons and numerous beings are essentially unmade (imagined), for they are not different (separate) from the consciousness.

The appearance is illusory, even as soldiers made of clay are clay, not soldiers.

The seer (subject) and the seen (object) are in reality the one pure consciousness.

How has this delusion which gives rise to concepts like "This is oneness" and "There is duality" come into being? In whom does this delusion exist?

Whose is it? All that is, whether sentient or insentient - is pure consciousness.

There is no 'this' or 'I' or the 'other'; there is no being or non-being. All this is peace (pure consciousness, awareness).

The Concise Yoga Vasistha - pg 335 to - 336. ISBN 0-87395-954-X.
World's 2nd longest poem (20'000 verses), a treatsie on consciousness.