उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 67 also depend on evidences like sense-perception etc. in order to be known. I have said that Knowledge,¹ the result produced by evidences, is the same ² as the self-evident, self-effulgent and changeless Self. That is which I mean by knowledge." अत्राह चोदकः—अवगतिः प्रमाणानां फलं, कूटस्थनित्या- त्मज्योतिःस्वरूपेति च विप्रतिषिद्धम् । इत्युक्तवन्तमाह—न विप्रतिषिद्धम् । कथं तर्हि अवगतेः फलत्वम् ? कूटस्था नित्यापि सती प्रत्यक्षादिप्रत्ययान्ते लक्ष्यते, तादर्थ्यात् । प्रत्यक्षादिप्रत्ययस्य अनित्यत्वे अनित्येव भवति । तेन प्रमाणानां फलं इति उपचर्यते ॥ १०८ ॥ 108. The objector (the disciple) says, “It is contra- dictory to state that Knowledge is the result of evidences and (at the same time) it is the self-effulgent Self which is changeless and eternal.” The reply given to him is this : “It is not a con- tradication.” “How then is knowledge a result ?” “(It is a result in a secondary sense :) though change- less and eternal, It is noticed in the presence of mental modifications called sense-perception etc. as they are instrumental in making It manifest. It appears to be transitory as mental modifications called sense-percep- tion etc. are so. It is for this reason that It is called the result ³ of proofs in a secondary ⁴ sense.” ¹ Knowledge, according to the Chârvâkas, is an effect produced in the body, a combination of the elements, like the effect of a chemical combination. ² See paras 103 and 108. ³ See para 103 above. ⁴ The same pure Consciousness is thus called, in a secondary sense, a knower, an agent, or the result of proofs. This is the gist of the paragraphs from 94 onwards.