Tripura Rahasya.

 Jnana (Supreme Wisdom) is the state devoid of thoughts, will and desire, and is unimpeded by ignorance.

It is certainly the primal state of the knower, but remains unrecognised for want of acquaintance with it.

The Guru and sastras alone can make the individual acquainted with the Self.

The Self is Abstract Intelligence free from

thought. The knower, knowledge and the known are not real as different entities. When differentiation among them is

destroyed, their true nature is evident in the resulting non-dual consciousness, which is also the state of emancipation.

There is in fact no differentiation among the knower, etc. The differences are simply conventions retained for the smooth working of earthly life.

Emancipation is eternal and, therefore, here and now; it is nothing to be acquired.

The Self manifests as the knower, knowledge and the known. The cycle of births and deaths endures with all the apparent reality of a mountain so long as this manifestation lasts. As soon as

the manifestation is realised to consist of the Self alone without any admixture of non-self, the cycle of births and deaths comes to a standstill, and is broken down to fragments like clouds dispersed by strong winds.