उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

140-145] 'THOU ART THAT' 261 भूतिर्येषां क्रिया सैव कारकं सैव चोच्यते । सत्त्वं नाशित्वमस्याश्चेत्सकर्तृत्वं तथेष्यताम् ॥ १४३ ॥ 143. Actions, agents etc. consist, according to us, (Idealists), of knowledge only. (Reply). You must accept an agent of this know- ledge if you admit its existence and destruction (every moment).¹ न कश्चिच्चेष्यते धर्म इति चेत्पक्षहानता । नन्वस्तित्वादयो धर्मा नास्तित्वादिनिवृत्तयः । न भूतेस्तर्हि नाशित्वं स्वालक्षण्यं मतं हि ते ॥ १४४ ॥ 144. Your own conclusion is given up if you do not admit any quality² (belonging to knowledge). (Objection). The qualities of existence etc. are nothing but the nega- tion of their non-existence and so on. (Reply). Even then knowledge cannot be liable to destruction (every moment) as it is self-existent (and known by itself ³) according to you. स्वलक्षणावधिर्नाशो नाशोऽनाशनिवृत्तिता । अगोरसत्त्वं गोत्वं ते न तु तद्गोत्वलक्षणम् ॥ १४५ ॥ 145. Destruction has for its ultimate limit something which is self-existent.⁴ (You say that) destruction ⁵ is ¹ See verse 23, Chap. 16. ² Such as, existence and destruction every moment. ³ In being born and known by itself it requires more than one moment. It cannot, therefore, be called momentary. ⁴ The appearance and disappearance of things are impossible on account of the absence of a permanent entity (according to you) which must be their ultimate limit. Existence and destruction are, therefore, not possible in your philosophy. ⁵ Destruction being impossible, non-destruction also is so.