netherworld arise and fall, like waves on the ocean. Even as in the ocean the big fish eat the small ones, all these countless beings feed upon one another and are helplessly blown around in space on account of their conditioning. And the stars in space move in their own orbits because of conditioning. Now rising, now setting, now bright, now dark (and said to have several spots or defects), the moon continues to revolve around the earth and is not abandoned, because of conditioning.
Oh Rama, behold this mysterious creation brought into being by who-knows-who in response to the mental concepts of beings. This universe has been conjured up in empty space merely by mental conditioning. It is not a reality. And in this uni- verse, craving for pleasure gnaws at the very vitals of all beings who are attached to the world, the body etc. No one can count their number any more than the num- ber of particles of sand along the ocean beaches. The Creator of this universe has brought this universe into being, as it were, only in response to the mental condition- ing of these countless beings. These beings are indeed excellent dry fuel for the flaming fire of hell here. Whatever suffering is found in this world, know that it is meant only for those beings. Even as rivers flow rapidly towards the ocean, suffering flows towards those who are mentally conditioned. This whole creation is thus pervaded by ignorance. However, if one cuts asunder this craving for plea- sure, the limitation of mental conditioning yields to a great expansion. Mental con- ditioning (or attachment to the finite and the perishable) is burning pain to the limbs, O Rama; but infinite expansion (or devotion to the infinite) is the magic cure for the burning pain. That mind which is unattached to anything, which is established in the peace of infinite expansion, is conducive to delight. He who stands rooted in self-knowledge is liberated here and now.
Note: In this chapter the real significance of ‘conditioning’ is brought out, though the word used again is samsangam which may also be translated as ‘contact’ or ‘attachment’. It is ‘identification’ or ‘conditioning’ that is really implied.