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MYSTICISM IN INDIA
being clouded, obscured or entirely covered over by the nature or property of the representation. This is the root of the evil. The act of the mind cognizing objects, or technically speaking taking the shape of objects presented to it is called Vritti or transformation. It is the Vritti which being coloured by the presentation, imparts the same colour by representation to Sattva and causes evil, misery, ignorance and the like. All objects are made of three Gunas or properties; and when the Vritti sees everywhere nothing but Sattva, to the exclusion of the other two, presentation and representation become purely Sattvika, and the internal Sattva of the cognizer realizes itself everywhere and in everything. In the clear mirror of Sattva is reflected the bright and blissful image of the ever present Purusha who is beyond change and supreme bliss follows. This state is called Sattvapathi or Moksha or Kaivalya. For every Purusha who has thus realized himself Prakriti has ceased to exist; in other words has ceased to cause disturbance and misery. The course of nature never ceases but one who receives knowledge remains happy throughout by understanding the Truth. The Sankhya tries to arrive at this result by a strict mode of life accompanied with analysis and contemplation.
This state of peace, besides being conducive to eternal calm and happiness is most favourable to the apprehension of the truths of nature. That intuitive knowledge which is called Taraka puts the student in possession of almost every kind of knowledge he
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