First Khanda

Query: Who is the real Agent behind a person?

1 By whom impelled soars forth the mind projected?

By whom enjoined goes forth the earliest breathing?

By whom impelled do people utter this speech?

The eye, the ear: what Lord, pray, enjoins them?

God, the all-conditioning, yet inscrutable Agent

2 He who is the hearing of the ear, the thought of the mind,

the voice of speech, as also the breathing of the breath,

and the sight of the eye, is God, who gives them all.

Having recognized this, the wise,

on departing from this world, find life everlasting.

3 There the eye goes not;

speech goes not, nor the mind.

We know not, we understand not

how one would teach it.

Other, indeed, is He than the known,

and moreover above the unknown.

Thus have we heard from those of old

who have explained it to us.

4 That which is unexpressed with speech,

that by which speech is expressed,

that indeed know as God,

not these things that people worship.

5 That which one thinks not with the mind,

that by which, they say, the mind is thought,

that indeed know as God,

not these things that people worship.

6 That which one sees not with the eye,

that by which one sees sights,

that indeed know as God,

not these things that people worship.

7 That which one hears not with the ear,

that by which hearing here is heard,

that indeed know as God,

not these things that people worship.

8 That which one breathes not with breath,

that by which breathing is conducted,

that indeed know as God,

not these things that people worship.

Second Khanda

The paradox of His inscrutability

9 [Teacher:] If you think "I know well," only very slightly do you know! What part of this is you, and what part is among the angels? So it is to be pondered upon indeed by you.

[Pupil:] I think it is known.

10 I think not "I know well";

yet I know not that I know not.

He of us who knows it, knows it;

yet he knows not that he knows not.

11 [Teacher:]

He grasps it who grasps that it cannot be grasped.

He who thinks he has grasped it, knows it not.

It is not understood by those who say they understand it.

It is understood by those who say they understand it not.

The value of this knowledge

12 When known through awakening, it is conceived of;

truly it is life everlasting one finds.

Through God one finds strength;

through knowledge one finds the life to come.

13 If one have known it here, then there is truth.

If one have known it not here, great is the loss.

Discerning God's signs in every single being, the wise,

on departing from this world, find life everlasting.

Third Khanda

A parable of the angels' ignorance

14 Now, God won a victory for the angels. In the victory of God the angels were exulting. They thought: "Ours indeed is this victory! Ours indeed is this greatness!"

15 Now, God knew this of them. He sent a wonderful being to appear before them. They did not understand. "What wonderful being is this?" they said.

16 They said to the Fire: "O Knower, find out what this wonderful being is."

"So be it."

17 He ran unto it.

To him it spoke: "Who are you?"

"I am the Fire," said he. "I am the Knower."

18 "In such as you what power is there?"

"Indeed, I might burn everything here, whatever there is in the earth!"

19 It put down a straw before him. "Burn that!"

He went forth at it with all speed. He was not able to burn it. Thereupon he returned, saying: "I have not been able to find out what this wonderful being is."

20 Then they said to the Wind: "O Wind, find out what this wonderful being is."

"So be it."

21 He ran unto it.

To him it spoke: "Who are you?"

"I am the Wind," he said. "I am the Swift-moving."

22 "In such as you what power is there?"

"Indeed, I might carry off everything here, whatever there is in the earth."

23 It put down a straw before him. "Carry that off!"

He went at it with all speed. He was not able to carry it off. Thereupon he returned, saying: "I have not been able to find out what this wonderful being is."

24 Then they said to the Mighty: "O Generous one, find out what this wonderful being is."

"So be it."

He ran unto it. It disappeared from him.

25 In that very space he came upon a radiant being of exceeding beauty, an angel of knowledge.

To it he said: "What is this wonderful being?"

Fourth Khanda

Knowledge of God, the ground of superiority

26 "It is a sign from God," it said. "In that victory of God, verily, you exult."

Thereupon indeed he knew it was from God.

27 Therefore, verily, these angels, namely the Fire, the Wind, and the Mighty, are above the other angels, as it were; for these came nearest to understanding, and he especially first knew it was from God.

28 Therefore the Mighty is above the other angels, as it were; for he came nearest, for he first knew it was from God.

God in the signs of creation and in the person

29 Of it there is this teaching:

In the lightning which flashes forth, which makes one blink and say "Ah!", that "Ah!" refers to the divine.

30 Now with regard to oneself:

That which comes, as it were, to the mind, by which one repeatedly remembers, that conception is His gift.

God, the great object of desire

31 He is the One to be longed for. As the One to be longed for, He should be worshipped. For him who knows this, all beings together yearn.

Concluding instruction and benefits

32 "Sir, tell me the doctrine."

"The doctrine has been declared to you. We have told you the doctrine concerning God."

33 Austerity, restraint, and good works are the foundation of it. The scriptures are all its limbs. Truth is its abode.

34 He, verily, who knows this, striking off evil, becomes established in the most excellent, endless Garden; yea, he becomes established!