उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

34-38] 'THOU ART THAT' 229 of Pure Consciousness in it is the individual soul. Others again think that it is the independent ego, (neither a part nor a modification,) which is the experiencer of this mundane existence. अहंकारादिसंतानः संसारी, नान्वयी क्वचित् । इत्येवं सौगता आहुस्तत्र न्यायो विचार्यताम् ॥ ३६ ॥ 36. The¹ Buddhists say that the series of the momentary² consciousnesses, 'I' and so on, is the individual soul. There is no witness³ (distinct from the series to see the beginning and the end of these momentary phenomena). Now examine which of these doctrines⁴ is reasonable. संसारिणां कथा त्वास्तां प्रकृतं त्वधुनोच्यते । मुखाभासो य आदर्शे धर्मो नान्यतरस्य सः । द्वयोरेकस्य चेद्धर्मो वियुक्तेऽन्यतरे भवेत् ॥ ३७ ॥ 37. Let us now stop discussing the different doctrines about the transmigratory soul. Let us go on with the present subject.⁵ The reflection of the face in the mirror is a property neither of the face nor of the mirror. For if it were the property of either of the two, it would continue even if the other were removed. मुखेन व्यपदेशात्स मुखस्यैवेति चेन्मतम् । नादर्शानुविधानाच्च मुखे सत्यविभावतः ॥ ३८ ॥ ¹ See verse 23, Chapter 16. ² Produced and destroyed every moment. ³ See footnote 1, verse 14, Chapter 16. ⁴ Including that of the author. See footnote 1, p. 228. ⁵ Viz., the reflection. Five alternatives are discussed. Verses 37, 38, 39 (first line), 39 (second line) to 42, and 43. The last one is the conclusion according to this book.