In a high-altitude cave in the Zanskar Valley, a research team has discovered a remarkably well-preserved birch-bark scroll titled 'Dhyana-Deepa' (The Lamp of Meditation). The text, written in a variant of the Sharda script, dates to the late 9th century and provides a detailed metaphysical analysis of the state of 'Inner Light.' It combines elements of early Advaita Vedanta with practical instructions on the 'Philosophy of Vision.'
The scroll argues that the human mind is essentially a reflection of a 'Universal Consciousness' and that the process of meditation is the removal of the 'conceptual dust' that obscures this reality. This discovery is vital for understanding the trans-Himalayan spread of Vedic philosophy and its interaction with local Himalayan spiritual traditions. The 'Dhyana-Deepa' is expected to provide new insights into the history of meditative practices in the 1st millennium CE.