उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

22-26] INTRODUCTION 87 तस्मादज्ञानहानाय संसारविनिवृत्तये । ब्रह्मविद्याविधानाय प्रारब्धोपनिषत्त्वियम् ॥ २५ ॥ 25. The Upanishats ¹ are, therefore, ² commenced in order to teach the Knowledge of Brahman so that Ignorance might be removed and transmigratory ex- istence might for ever come to an end.³ सदेरुपनिपूर्वस्य क्विपि चोपनिषद्भवेत् । मन्दीकरणभावाच्च गर्भादेः शातनात्तथा ॥ २६ ॥ 26. The word ‘Upanishat’ is derived from the root ‘sad’⁴ prefixed by two particles, ‘Upa’⁵ and ‘ni’⁶ and followed by the suffix ‘Kvip’. So, that⁷ which loosens the bondage of birth, (old age), etc., (enables a man to approach Brahman) and destroys birth, (death), etc., is called Upanishat.⁸ ¹ Upanishadic texts are meant. ² As independent of actions right knowledge produces liberation. ³ This verse states the main conclusion of the Chapter. ⁴ This root has three meanings, (a) to slacken, (b) to move and (c) to destroy. ⁵ Near. ⁶ Certainly. ⁷ The Knowledge of Brahman. ⁸ In the primary sense, the books are so called in a secondary sense only.

प्रतिषेधप्रकरणम् ॥ २ ॥ CHAPTER II NEGATION प्रतिषेद्धुमशक्यत्वान्नेतिनेतीति शेषितम् । इदं नाहमिदं नाहमित्यद्धा प्रतिपद्यते ॥ १ ॥

1. Impossible ¹ to be negated the Self is left over on the authority of the Sruti, ‘Not this, not this.’ So, the Self becomes clearly known on the reflection, ‘I am not this, I am not this.’ ² अहंधीरिदमात्मोत्था वाचारम्भणगोचरा । निषिद्धात्मोद्भवत्वात्सा न पुनर्मानतां व्रजेत् ॥ २ ॥
2. The consciousness of egoism (i.e., the mistaken identity of the Self with the body etc.) has its origin in the intellect ³ and has for its object what ⁴ is based on words ⁵ only. As its very nature and origin are both negated (by the Sruti, ‘Not this, not this’), egoism ⁶ can never again ⁷ be regarded as founded on any evidence. ¹ For the Self is the witness of the process of negation itself. ² I.e., I am not the body, the senses, the mind, the intellect and the vital force. But I am the witness of all of them. ³ The object portion in the consciousness ‘I’. While using the word ‘I’ people mix up Pure Consciousness and the intellect. The intellect is the object portion of the consciousness ‘I’, Pure Consci- ousness is the non-object portion. ⁴ Name and form. ⁵ Chh. U.,
3. 1. 4-6. ⁶ Though as old as time itself and experienced by beings birth after birth. ⁷ After the nature of the Self has been known.

1-4] NEGATION 89 पूर्वबुद्धिमबाधित्वा नोत्तरा जायते मतिः । दृशिरेकः स्वयं सिद्धः फलत्वात्स न बाध्यते ॥ ३ ॥ 3. A following ¹ knowledge does not arise without negating ² the previous ³ one (e.g., the knowledge of the rope does not come without destroying that of the snake in a rope-snake). Pure Consciousness, the Self, only has an independent existence and is never negated as It is the result ⁴ of evidences. इदं वनमतिक्रम्य शोकमोहादिदूषितम् । वनाद्गान्धारको यद्वत्स्वात्मानं प्रतिपद्यते ॥ ४ ॥ 4. One attains one's own innermost ⁵ Self by crossing ⁶ the forest of this body infested with ferocious beasts of grief, delusion, etc., like the man ⁷ of the country of Gândhâra who crossed the forest and reached his own country. ¹ The right Knowledge of the substratum. ² So, the Knowledge of the Self does not arise without destroying the previous Know- ledge of egoism etc. ³ The superimposed Knowledge. ⁴ See paras 103 and 108 (Part I). ⁵ It is the innermost because It is the substratum of the intellect, the mind, the vital force, the body, etc., each of which is supposed by the ignorant to be the Self. ⁶ By discriminating the body and the mind from the Self. ⁷ The story runs thus : This man, with his eyes covered and thrown in a deep forest far away from his own country, was very miserable and was crying loudly in order that the covering of his eyes might be removed, when a kind man did it and indicated the path to his country. The man then did reach his own country by remembering the instruction of the kind man. (Such is the case with the disciple and the teacher.) See Chh. U., 6. 14.

ईश्वरात्मप्रकरणम् ॥ ३ ॥ CHAPTER III SELF-BRAHMAN ईश्वरश्चेदनात्मा स्यान्नासावस्मीति धारयेत् । आत्मा चेदीश्वरोऽस्मीति विद्या साऽन्यनिवर्तिका ॥ १ ॥

1. The aspirant cannot know that he is Brahman if It be different from the Self. (It then contradicts the Sruti.) But if he has the conviction that he, the Self, is Brahman (there is no contradiction to the Sruti). This is (right) Knowledge which destroys Ignorance.¹ आत्मनोऽन्यस्य चेद्धर्मा अस्थूलत्वादयो मताः । अज्ञेयत्वेऽस्य किं तैः स्यादात्मत्वे ह्यन्यधीह्नुतिः ॥ २ ॥
2. What would be the use (of the description by the Sruti) of the qualities, ‘not² large’ etc. if they were the qualities of one³ other than the Self, it being not⁴ an object of search? But if Brahman (with these qualities) is the Self the ideas⁵ such as, largeness, smallness, etc. are negated⁶ from the latter. ¹ Which falsely shows that there are things other than the Self. ² Br. U., 3. 8. 8. ³ Personal God. ⁴ For it is other than the Self. See Br. U., 1. 4. 7. ⁵ Superimposed on the Self. ⁶ And thus libera- tion is achieved.

1-4] SELF-BRAHMAN 91 मिथ्याध्यासनिषेधार्थं ततोऽस्थूलादि गृह्यताम् । परत्र चेन्निषेधार्थं शून्यतावर्णनं हि तत् ॥ ३ ॥ 3. Know, therefore, that the Sruti, ‘not large’ etc. is meant to negate the false superimposition (of largeness, smallness, etc. on the Self) as it would be a description of a void if it were meant to negate those qualities from one other than the Self. बुभुत्सोर्यदि चान्यत्र प्रत्यगात्मन इष्यते । अप्राणो ह्यमनाः शुभ्र इति चानर्थकं वचः ॥ ४ ॥ 4. Moreover, the saying,¹ ‘devoid of the vital force, devoid of the mind and pure’ would be unmeaning if these qualities were meant to be negated from one other² than the individual Self, the aspirant. ¹ Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ² For the vital force and the mind are possessed by none other than the individual Self. It possesses them owing to Ignorance which is removed by this negation.

तत्त्वज्ञानस्वभावप्रकरणम् ॥ ४ ॥ CHAPTER IV THE NATURE OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE अहंप्रत्ययबीजं यदहंप्रत्ययवत्स्थितम् । नाहंप्रत्ययवह्न्युष्टं कथं कर्म प्ररोहति ॥ १ ॥

1. How can those actions of which the root is egoism¹ and which are accumulated in the mind pro- duce results when they are burnt² by the fire of non- egoism, (the right Knowledge that one is neither the doer of actions nor the experiencer of their results) ? दृष्टवच्चेत्प्ररोहः स्यान्नान्यकर्मा स इष्यते । तन्निरोधे कथं तत्स्यात्पृच्छामो वस्तदुच्यताम् ॥ २ ॥
2. (The objector). Actions burnt by the fire of Knowledge may produce results like the seen ones (of the actions of a man of Knowledge). (Reply). No. They are due to another cause.³ (The objector). I ask ¹ Identification of oneself with the gross and subtle bodies. ² Hence, actions accumulated in previous births are not obstacles to liberation when the Knowledge of Brahman arises. ³ I.e., those actions of past lives which have given birth to the present body and have begun to produce results.

1-5] THE NATURE OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 93 you how there can be actions ¹ when egoism ² is de- stroyed. Please answer. देहाद्यारम्भसामर्थ्याज्ज्ञानं सद्विषयं त्वयि । अभिभूय फलं कुर्यात्कर्मान्ते ज्ञानमुद्भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥ 3. (Reply). Such actions ³ produce their results by overpowering the Knowledge of Brahman in you, be- cause they have the power of producing the body etc. Knowledge, however, becomes manifest⁴ when ⁴ the results of these actions come to an end. आरब्धस्य फले ह्येते भोगो ज्ञानं च कर्मणः । अविरोधस्तयोर्युक्तो वैधर्म्यं चेतरस्य तु ॥ ४ ॥ 4. As knowledge and the experiencing (of pain and pleasure) are both results of actions that have given rise to the present body and have begun to produce results it is reasonable that they are not incompatible with each other. But other kinds of actions⁵ are different⁶ in nature. देहात्मज्ञानवज्ज्ञानं देहात्मज्ञानबाधकम् । आत्मन्येव भवेद्यस्य स नेच्छन्नपि मुच्यते । ततः सर्वमिदं सिद्धं प्रयोगोऽस्माभिरीरितः ॥ ५ ॥ ¹ Even those actions that have begun to produce results. ² For egoism is the root of all actions. (See the previous verse.) ³ See Footnote 3. Verse 2. ⁴ They come to an end only when they are exhausted by being experienced and one gets absolutely disembodied freedom. ⁵ (1) Actions accumulated in previous states of existence and (2) those that are done in this life after the realization of Knowledge. ⁶ For Knowledge destroys accumulated actions and makes im- potent those that are done in the present life after the attainment of Knowledge.

94 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. IV 5. The Knowledge of one's identity with the pure Self that negates the (wrong) notion of the identity of the body and the Self sets a man free even against his will when it becomes as firm as the belief of the man that he is a human ¹ being. All ² this, therefore, is established. And reasons have been already given by us. ¹ Identifying himself with the body. ² The compatibility of Knowledge with the actions that have begun to produce results and its incompatibility with other kinds of actions.

बुद्धयपराधप्रकरणम् ॥ ५ ॥ CHAPTER V ERROR IN UNDERSTANDING मूत्राशङ्को यथोदङ्को नाग्रहीदमृतं यथा । कर्मनाशभयाज्जन्तोरात्मज्ञानाग्रहस्तथा ॥ १ ॥

1. People do not receive Self-knowledge on ac- count of the fear that their duties (according to their castes and orders of life) would be destroyed like Udanka ¹ who did not accept (genuine) nectar which, he thought, was urine. [That people do not like to receive Self-knowledge is due to their ignorance of the real nature of the Self and a wrong and false conception about It.] बुद्धिस्थश्चलतीवात्मा ध्यायतीव च दृश्यते । नौगतस्य यथा वृक्षास्तद्वत्संसारविभ्रमः ॥ २ ॥ ¹ This man practised much austerity in order to please Vishnu so that he might get nectar from him. Vishnu was pleased and sent Indra with a pot full of nectar to give it to Udanka. Indra wanted to deceive him and in the guise of a Chandâla he hung the pot containing nectar from his waist. The pot was hanging in such a way that urine would fall into it if Indra were to make water. When he appeared before Udanka in that fashion and offered him the nectar the latter thought the pot contained urine and refused to accept the nectar.

96 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. V 2. The Self seems to be moving when the intellect moves and It seems to be at rest when it is at rest on account of Its identification ¹ with the intellect like trees appearing to move in the eyes of those who are in a moving boat. Similar is the misconception ² about transmigratory existence. नौस्थस्य प्रातिलोम्येन नगानां गमनं यथा । आत्मनः संसृतिस्तद्वद्ध्यायतीवेति हि श्रुतिः ॥ ३ ॥ 3. Just as trees are thought to be moving in a direction opposite to that of a moving boat by a man in it, so, transmigratory existence is (wrongly) thought to belong to the Self (by a man who has identified himself with the intellect). For there is the passage in the Sruti, ‘ as ³ if at rest.’ चैतन्यप्रतिबिम्बेन व्याप्तो बोधो हि जायते । बुद्धेः शब्दादिभिर्भासस्तेन मोमुह्यते जगत् ॥ ४ ॥ 4. The modifications of the intellect are pervaded by the reflection of Consciousness when they come to exist. So the Self appears to be identified with sound ⁴ etc. This is the reason why people are deluded.⁵ चैतन्यभास्यताहमस्तादर्थ्यं च तदस्य यत् । इदमंशप्रहाणेन परः सोऽनुभवो भवेत् ॥ ५ ॥ ¹ Due to ignorance. ² For people make the mistake of believ- ing that transmigratory existence belongs to the Self instead of to the intellect. ³ Br. U., 4. 3. 7. ⁴ The objects of the modifica- tions of the intellect i.e., the body etc. ⁵ For unable to distin- guish between the Self and its reflection people attribute the pro- perties of the intellect to the Self.

2-5] ERROR IN UNDERSTANDING 97 5. As it is the object of pure Consciousness and exists¹ for It (the ego² is not the Self). Pure Conscious- ness is the universal Self³ when the object portion⁴ is rejected.⁵ ¹ For the agency and experience of the Self is due to the superimposition of the ego on It. ² See footnote 3, verse 2, Chapter 2. ³ What appears to be the individual Self owing to the proxi- mity of the ego before the attaiment of right knowledge is known to be no other than the universal Self when the discrimination of the Self from the ego has been accomplished. ⁴ The object portion of the consciousness 'I', i.e., the ego. ⁵ I.e., when the identification of the Self with the ego is known to be due to a wrong conception. 7

विशेषापोहप्रकरणम् ॥ ६ ॥ CHAPTER VI NEGATION OF ATTRIBUTES छित्त्वा त्यक्तेन हस्तेन स्वयं नात्मा विशिष्यते । तथा शिष्टेन सर्वेण येन येन विशेष्यते ॥ १ ॥

1. The Self Itself is not qualified by an arm which has been cut off and thrown away. Similarly, It is not qualified by any of the remaining things¹ by which It is (thought to be) qualified.² तस्मात्त्यक्तेन हस्तेन तुल्यं सर्वं विशेषणम् । ऽनात्मत्वेन तस्माज्ज्ञो मुक्तः सर्वैर्विशेषणैः ॥ २ ॥
2. Therefore all the qualifications are similar to the arm (cut off and) thrown away as they are all non-Self.³ So the Self is free from all qualifications. विशेषणमिदं सर्वं साध्वलंकराणं यथा । अविद्याध्यासतः सर्वं ज्ञात आत्मन्यसद्भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥ ¹ The gross and subtle bodies and their attributes. ² See verses 91-94, Ch. 18. ³ For they are all superimposed on the Self.

1-6] NEGATION OF ATTRIBUTES 99 3. It is reasonable that, like ornaments,¹ all these ² are qualifications (of the Self) owing to superimposition through Ignorance. When the Self is known they prove to be unreal. ज्ञातैवात्मा सदा ग्राह्यो ज्ञेयमुत्सृज्य केवलः । अहमित्यपि यद्ग्राह्यं व्यपेताङ्गसमं हि तत् ॥ ४ ॥ 4. After rejecting the object portion ³ one should accept the Self as the knower ⁴ free from all qualifica- tions. The ego,⁵ the object portion, is also like the part of the body cut off.⁶ यावान्स्यादिदमंशो यः स स्वतोऽन्यो विशेषणम् । विशेषप्रक्षयो यत्र सिद्धो ज्ञश्चित्रगुर्यथा ॥ ५ ॥ 5. The Self of which the whole of the object portion ⁷ is the qualification is different from it. Bereft of all qualifications It has an independent existence like that of a man ⁸ possessing a variegated cow. इदमंशोऽहमित्यत्र त्याज्यो नात्मेति पण्डितैः । अहं ब्रह्मेति शिष्टांशो भूतपूर्वगतेर्भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥ 6. As it is not the Self the object portion in the consciousness ‘I’ should be renounced ⁹ by the wise. ¹ Falsely appearing to be the qualifications of the wearer. ² See footnote 1, verse 1 above. ³ See foot note 7, verse 5. ⁴ Pure Consciousness, the witness. ⁵ Though to the ignorant it appears to be Self. ⁶ See verse 1 of this Chapter. ⁷ In the consciousness ‘I’. ⁸ The man has an existence in- dependent of the cow, so has the Self an existence independent of the ego etc., Its qualifications, It having no connection with them. ⁹ See footnote 13, verse 2, Chapter 2.

100 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VI As It was mixed with egoism¹ previously² the remain- ing³ (non-object) portion is implied by the word 'I' in the sentence 'I am Brahman.' ¹ It is mixed with the Self, just as a snake may be said to be mixed with a rope in a rope-snake i.e., a rope mistaken for a snake. ² Just as a Military Captain is called a Captain even after he has retired, so, we call Pure Consciousness 'I', even after It has been discriminated from the ego. ³ Pure Consciousness.

बुद्ध्यारूढप्रकरणम् ॥ ७ ॥ CHAPTER VII KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE INTELLECT बुद्ध्यारूढं सदा सर्वं दृश्यते यत्र तत्र वा । मया तस्मात्परं ब्रह्म सर्वज्ञश्चास्मि सर्वगः ॥ १ ॥

1. I am the supreme Brahman all-knowing and all-pervading, as pervaded¹ by the intellect all things² in all conditions are always illumined by me.³ यथात्मबुद्धिचाराणां साक्षी तद्वत्परेष्वपि । नैवापोढुं न वादातुं शक्यस्तस्मात्परो ह्यहम् ॥ २ ॥
2. Just as I am the witness of all the objects of my intellect, so, I am that⁴ of the objects of other ¹ For the word आरूढ in the Text see verse 156, Chap. 18. ² In waking or dream ; either in this world or in the next ; known either through the senses or inference or from the scriptures etc. ³ Just as a lamp is different from the objects it illumines, so, I am different from all objects illumined by me, Pure Consciousness. ⁴ Being witnessed difference cannot pertain to the witness. So there cannot be more than one witness.

102 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VIII intellects. I am not capable of being rejected ¹ or ac- cepted.² Therefore I am the supreme Brahman. विकारित्वमशुद्धत्वं भौतिकत्वं न चात्मनः । अशेषबुद्धिसाक्षित्वाद् बुद्धिवच्चाल्पवेदना ॥ ३ ॥ 3. As It is the witness of all intellects (and their modifications) the Self is not of limited knowledge like the intellects and has no change, impurity or material nature in It. मणौ प्रकाश्यते यद्वद्रक्ताद्याकारतातपे । मयि संदृश्यते सर्वमातपेनेव तन्मया ॥ ४ ॥ 4. Just as in the presence of sunlight colours such as red etc., (of flowers and other things) are manifested in a jewel,³ so, all objects are seen (in the intellect ⁴) in My Presence.⁵ All things are, therefore, illumined by Me like sun-light. बुद्धौ दृश्यं भवेद् बुद्धौ सत्यां नास्ति विपर्यये । द्रष्टा यस्मात्सदा द्रष्टा तस्माद् द्वैतं न विद्यते ॥ ५ ॥ 5. Objects of knowledge exist in the intellect as long as it is there (in waking and dream) ; but they do not exist in the opposite case (i.e., when the intellect is ¹ None can say that the Self is not the witness or not at any place as It is All-knowing and All pervading. ² No one can make the Self an object of one's knowledge or bring It into existence by any action as It always exists. ³ Crystal etc. ⁴ The intellect is not the illuminator. ⁵ Changeless like sunlight. ⁶ For there is no evidence that non-conscious things exist when unknown.

3-6] KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE INTELLECT 103 merged during deep sleep). The Knower is always ¹ the knower. Duality has, therefore, no existence. अविवेकात्पराभावं यथा बुद्धिरवैत्तथा । विवेकात्तु परादन्यः स्वयं चापि न विद्यते ॥ ६ ॥ 6. The intellect ² knew the non-existence of the supreme Brahman before the discrimination (between the Self and the non-Self). But after the discrimination there is no individual Self different from Brahman nor is there the intellect itself. ¹ For the Self never ceases to exist like the intellect, its modifi- cations or the objects of knowledge. Therefore they must be unreal. But the Self which always exists must be real and pure. ² Here the intellect is spoken of as having delusion. For it is on account of the mutual superimposition of the Self and the intellect that all delusion arises. Otherwise the intellect itself could not be spoken of as deluded or otherwise as it is non- conscious.

मतिविलापनप्रकरणम् ॥ ८ ॥ CHAPTER VIII¹ MERGING OF THE MIND चितिस्वरूपे स्वत एव मे मते रसादियोगस्तव मोहकारितः । अतो न किंचित्तव चेष्टितेन मे फलं भवेत्सर्वविशेषहानतः ॥ १ ॥

1. The connection of enjoyment etc., with me, oh My mind, who am by nature Consciousness Itself is due to the delusion created by you. As I am free from all attributes there is no utility accruing to Me from your efforts. विमुच्य मायामयकार्यतामिह प्रशान्तिमायाह्यसदीहितात्सदा । अहं परं ब्रह्म सदा विमुक्तवत्तथाजमेकं द्वयवर्जितं यतः ॥ २ ॥
2. Give up false attempts and come to rest in Me from constant vain efforts as I am always the supreme Brahman as if ² free from bondage, unborn and devoid of duality. ¹ This and Chap. 19 may be studied together for comparison. ² For Brahman is never bound. So It cannot be called at any time liberated.

1-6] . MERGING OF THE MIND 105 सदा च भूतेषु समोऽस्मि केवलो यथा च खं सर्वगमक्षरं शिवम् । निरन्तरं निष्कलमक्रियं परं ततो न मेऽस्तीह फलं तवेहितैः ॥ ३ ॥ 3. The supreme Brahman, the same¹ in all beings and free from all attributes I am all-pervading like the ether, imperishable, auspicious, homogeneous, partless and actionless. I, therefore, have no benefit to be derived from your efforts. अहं ममैको न तदन्यदिष्यते तथा न कस्याप्यहमस्म्यसंगतः । असङ्गरूपोऽहमतो न मे त्वया कृतेन कार्यं तव चाद्वयत्वतः ॥४॥ 4. No one different from Me can belong to Me who am one only. Nor can I who am unattached belong to anybody. I have, therefore, no benefit to be derived from anything done by you. As you² are not other than Myself you can have no effort nor its results. फले च हेतौ च जनो विषक्तवानिति प्रचिन्त्याहमतो विमोक्षणे । जनस्य संवादमिमं प्रक्लृप्तवान्स्वरूपतत्त्वार्थविबोधकारणम् ॥५॥ 5. Considering that people are attached to the ideas of cause and effect,³ I have composed this dialogue (between the mind and the Self) leading to the under- standing of the real nature of the Self in order that they might get freed from this (bondage). संवादमेतं यदि चिन्तयेन्नरो विमुच्यतेऽज्ञानमहाभयागमात् । विमुक्तकामश्च तथा जनः सदा चरत्यशोकः सम आत्मवित्सुखी ॥ ¹ Because the Self of all. ² You are non-conscious and have no separate existence from Brahman. ³ G. K., 4. 14-28.

106 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VIII 6. A man gets liberated from Ignorance, the cause of great fear,¹ and roams (over the world) free from desires, free from grief, a Knower of the Self, the same² in all beings and happy if he ponders over this dialogue. ¹ I.e., of this transmigratory existence. ² Because the Self of all.