उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 69 mental modifications giving rise to pleasure, pain and delusion that the non-Self serves the purpose of another.¹ And it is as the same Knowledge and noth- ing else that it has an existence.² So it does not really exist at all. Just as a rope-snake, the water in a mirage and such other things are found to be non-existent except only as the Knowledge by which they are known ; so, the duality experienced during waking and dream has reasonably no existence except as the Know- ledge by which it is known. So, having a continuous ³ existence pure Consciousness, the Self, is eternal and immutable, and, never ceasing ³ to exist in any mental modification. It is one without a second. The modifica- tions themselves cease to exist, the Self continuing to do so. Just as in dream the mental modifications appearing to be blue, yellow, etc. are said to be really non-existent as they cease to exist while the Knowledge by which they are known has an uninterrupted con- tinuous existence ; so, in the waking state also they are reasonably really non-existent as they cease to exist while the very same Knowledge continues to do so. As that Knowledge ⁴ has no ⁵ other knower it cannot be accepted or rejected by Itself. As there is nothing else (except Myself the aim of my life is fulfilled by your grace).”

¹ Consciousness, the Self. ² The non-Self has no existence in- dependent of knowledge unlike that of Prakriti (the material cause of the universe) spoken of in the Sânkhya philosophy. ³ In all experiences such as ‘ jar consciousness ’, ‘ cloth con- sciousness ’, etc., consciousness persists and is therefore real while jar, cloth, etc. do no persist and so are unreal. ⁴ The Self. ⁵ Because It is Self-evident.