SIKHIDHVAJA said
Pray, tell me the exact nature of this citta (mind) and also how to abandon it so that it does not arise again and again.
KUMBHA (THE BRAHMANA — CUDALA) replied:
Vasana (memory, subtle impressions of the past, conditioning) is the nature of this citta (mind). In fact they are synonymous. Its abandonment or renunciation is easily accomplished, more delightful than even the sovereignty over a kingdom and more beautiful than a flower. It is certainly very difficult for a foolish person to renounce the mind, even as it is difficult for a simpleton to rule the kingdom.
The utter destruction or extinction of the mind is the extinction of samsdra (the creation-cycle). It is also known as the abandonment of the mind. Therefore up- root the tree whose seed is the ‘I’-idea with all its branches, fruits and leaves, and rest in the space in the heart.
What is known as ‘I’ arises in the absence of the knowledge of the mind (self- knowledge); this ‘I’ is the seed of the tree known as mind. It grows in the field of the supreme self which is also pervaded by the illusory power known as Maya. Thus a division is created in that field and experience arises. With this, the determining faculty known as the buddhi arises. Of course it has no distinct form, as it is but the expanded form of the seed. Its nature is conceptualisation or notional; and it is also known as the mind, jiva and void.
The trunk of this tree is the body. The movement of energy within it that results in its growth, is the effect of psychologice’ conditioning. Its branches are long and they reach out to great distances; they are the finite sense-experiences which are characterised by being and non-being. Its fruits are good and evil (pleasure and pain, happiness and unhappiness).
This is a vicious tree. Endeavour every moment to cut down its branches and to uproot it. Its branches, too, are of the nature of conditioning, of concepts and of percepts. They (the branches) are endowed with the fruits of all these. If you remain unattached to them, unconcerned about them and without identifying your- self with them, through the strength of your intelligence (consciousness) these vasana are creatly weakened. You will then be able to uproot the tree altocether.