Alan Watts

…"by whose direction is the mind aware of objects? By whose command does life first move? By whose will is this speaking uttered? And what god empowers the eye and the ear? “It” is the hearing of the ear, the awareness of the mind, the very sound of speech, the life of the breath, and the sight of the eye. Therefore the wise, surrendering themselves, go beyond this world, and are immortal.

But “it” is beyond the reach of sight, speech, and thought and we neither know or understand how “it” can be taught. “It” is other than the known and beyond the unknown; thus we have heard from the wise.

“It” is that which cannot be spoken, but by which we speak. “It” is that which cannot be thought, but by which we think. “It” is that which cannot be seen, but by which we see. “It” is that which cannot be heard, but by which we hear. “It” is the breath which cannot be held, but by which we breathe. “It” is known to those who do not know it. To those who know it, it is unknown. “It” is not understood by those who understand it. “It” is understood by those who understand “it” not.

There was never a time when I was not, nor you, nor these others. Nor will there ever be a time to come when we shall cease. As one passes in this body, through childhood, youth, and old age; even so is the taking on of other bodies. This does not trouble the wise. Of the non existent there is no coming to be. Of the existent, there is no ceasing to be. That by which all this is pervaded, cannot be destroyed.

As one casts off worn out clothes and puts on others that are new; even so the self casts off worn out bodies and assumes others that are new. Weapons cannot cut this self, fire cannot burn it, water does not make it wet, nor the wind dry. “It” is eternal, all pervading, changeless, and unmoved, “it” is the same forever, “it” is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable and without change; knowing “it” thus, you should not breathe.

The Noah, the central self, is not born and does not die. “It” is not produced from anything, and produces nothing apart from itself. “It” is unborn, eternal, enduring, primordial.

“It” is not slain when the body is slain. If the slayer thinks he sleighs or if the slain thinks he is slain, neither understands. “It” neither sleighs nor can be slain.

Smaller than the small, greater than the great, “it” is the self in the heart of all beings.

Bring here a fruit from that fig tree!
Here it is Sir.
Break it.
Sir, it is broken.
What do you see inside.
There are Sir, these minute seeds.
Break one of them.
It is broken Sir.
What do you see there.
Sir, I see nothing at all.
My son, that subtle essence which you do not see, is the self of the whole universe.
That is the real, that is the self, and you are
“it.”