After the valley of unity comes that of astonishment, where one is prey to sorrow and groaning. There sighs are like swords, and every breath is a bitter lament. There is nothing but lamentation, pain, burning ardour; it is both day and night, and it is neither day nor night. There, from the tip of every hair, though it be not even cut, blood is seen to drip. There is fire, and man is struck down by it, burned and consumed. How, in his astonishment, can man advance to this place? He will remain stupefied and lose himself upon this path. But he who has unity engraved upon his heart forgets all things and forgets himself. If one asks him,
“Art thou or art thou not; hast thou or hast thou not a sense of existence; art thou in the midst, or art thou not there, or art thou upon the edge; art thou visible or hidden; art thou perishable or immortal; art thou both, or neither; dost thou, in fine, exist, or dost thou not exist?” He will answer affirmatively: “I know nothing of it; I am ignorant of it, and ignorant of myself. I am in love, but I know not with whom; I am neither faithful nor unfaithful. What, then, am I? I know not even my love; my heart is at once full and empty of love.”
“Art thou or art thou not; hast thou or hast thou not a sense of existence; art thou in the midst, or art thou not there, or art thou upon the edge; art thou visible or hidden; art thou perishable or immortal; art thou both, or neither; dost thou, in fine, exist, or dost thou not exist?” He will answer affirmatively: “I know nothing of it; I am ignorant of it, and ignorant of myself. I am in love, but I know not with whom; I am neither faithful nor unfaithful. What, then, am I? I know not even my love; my heart is at once full and empty of love.”