Thus, have I heard, at a time when the world was turning, and the minds of beings were drawn to the heavens above. In a time of great curiosity and yearning, a wise seeker approached the Blessed One and asked:
“O Enlightened One, we look to the skies and see the stars beyond measure. We dream of traveling among them, of building great ships to carry us across the infinite expanse. Tell us, what is the path to journey beyond the stars? Can we go faster than light itself? And what will we find when we reach the furthest shores of the cosmos?”
The Blessed One, serene and radiant, spoke thus:
“Monks, nuns, and seekers of the truth, listen carefully. The universe you perceive is vast, and its wonders are without limit. Indeed, it is within your power to build great ships and sail through the ocean of stars, not just through Q-gates to the finite, pre-determined settled worlds in your celestial neighborhood, but to any distant sun, any far away nebula, to anyplace within mankind’s field of vision and even beyond. Through the mastery of knowledge and skill, I shall show you how to travel faster than the light that streams from distant suns.
But know this: Though you may cross galaxies, though you may voyage to realms unknown, the journey beyond the stars is not separate from the journey within. The mind is the greatest ship, and it is swifter than light. All places, all times, all realms, exist within the mind, for the mind itself is boundless like space.
To travel faster than light is not merely to surpass speed, but to transcend the limitations of ordinary perception. The mind unburdened by attachment, the mind free from clinging, is like a ship that moves effortlessly through the vastness. When you understand this, your travels will be unhindered by distance, and time will no longer bind you.
The wise traveler knows that the stars, the galaxies, and all the worlds are reflections of the inner cosmos. To journey outward is to journey inward. As you sail through the heavens in your great ship, take care that your mind is not clouded by delusion, nor swayed by desire. For even if you reach the farthest reaches of space, if your heart is filled with greed, fear, or ignorance, you will still be lost.
In the great ship, the Keraunos Drive — gifted to you by a visitor from a distant temple, but still a sister in your search for truth — will allow you to surpass the speed of light, time itself may seem to bend, and the limits of space may blur. But these are but the illusions of the relative world. The true traveler seeks not only the stars but the ultimate liberation—the realization of the unconditioned, the unborn, the undying.
When you see the worlds pass by like dust in the wind, and when you feel yourself moving beyond even the grasp of light, remember that all things are impermanent, all phenomena are empty. The true destination is not in some far-off galaxy, but in the awakening to the Dharma—the truth of the way things are.
Therefore, when you build your great ships and set your course for the stars, let your heart be anchored in wisdom and compassion. As you pass beyond the speed of light, remember that the swiftest journey is that which brings you closer to understanding, to peace, to enlightenment.
For whether you travel a thousand miles or a million light-years, the end of the journey is the same—the cessation of suffering, the realization of the true nature of all things. This, dear ones, is the greatest journey of all.”
The Blessed One then fell silent, and those who heard were filled with joy and wonder at the wisdom of his words.
— (Excerpt from the Nava Yātrī Shastra of Yogananda Rimpoche)
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