Ashtavakra said:
Beggar or
king, he excels who is without desire, and whose opinion
of things is rid of "good" and "bad." 18.91
There is
neither dissolute behaviour nor virtue, nor even discrimination
of the truth for the sage who has reached the goal and is the
very embodiment of guileless sincerity. 18.92
That which
is experienced within by one who is desireless and
free from pain, and content to rest in himself -- how could it be
described, and of whom? 18.93
The wise man
who is contented in all circumstances is not
asleep even in deep sleep, nor sleeping in a dream, nor waking
when he is awake. 18.94
The seer is
without thoughts even when thinking, without senses
among the senses, without understanding even in
understanding,
and without a sense of responsibility even in the ego. 18.95
Neither
happy nor unhappy, neither detached nor attached, neither
seeking liberation nor liberated, he is neither something
nor nothing. 18.96
Not
distracted in distraction, in mental stillness not poised, in stupidity
not stupid, that blessed one is not even wise in his wisdom. 18.97
The
liberated man is self-possessed in all circumstances and free
from the idea of "done" and "still to do." He is the same wherever
he is and without greed. He does not dwell on what he has
done or not done. 18.98
He is not
pleased when praised nor upset when blamed. He is not
afraid of death nor attached to life. 18.99
A man at
peace does not run off to popular resorts or to the forest.
Whatever and wherever, he remains the same. 18.100
[Translation by John Richards]