4.21 – If the contents of one’s consciousness could be observed by another, there would be endless perceptions of perceptions, and memories would be confused.
चित्तान्तर दृश्ये बुद्धिबुद्धेः अतिप्रसङ्गः स्मृतिसंकरश्च ॥२१॥
chitta antara drishye buddhi-buddheh atiprasangah smriti sankarah cha
- chitta – consciousness; field of consciousness; reflecting; mind; thought
- antara – another; different
- drishye – seen; observed; perceived
- buddhi-buddheh – perception of perceptions
- atiprasangah – endless; excessive; abundance
- smriti – memory; recollection; remembrance
- sankarah – confusion; mixed together
- cha – and; also; both
This sutra gives us an interesting visual, like a carnival exhibit of mirrors that reflect an infinite line of distorted images.
As much as we may wish to peer into the contents of another’s consciousness, we would quickly become confused and disoriented. Likewise, if we could simultaneously see inside the minds of many souls, we would instantly become lost in the chaos.
We may all share a universal Awareness, but we are each individualized expressions of that Awareness. Like rays of sunshine, we are only aware of the contents within the range of our beam.
