उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

278 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII यथानुभूयते तृप्तिर्भुजेर्वाक्यान्न गम्यते । वाक्यस्य विधृतिस्तद्वद्गोशकृत्पायसीक्रिया ॥ २०१ ॥ 201. (Objection). The Bliss of liberation is not obtained by ascertaining the meaning of the sentence. It is not like the satisfaction which is felt by eating. Just as boiled milk-rice cannot be prepared from cow- dung, so, (the direct knowledge of Brahman cannot be produced) simply by ascertaining the meaning of the sentence. सत्यमेवमनात्मार्थे वाक्यात्पारोक्ष्यबोधनम् । प्रत्यगात्मनि न त्वेवं संख्याप्राप्तिवद्ध्रुवम् ॥ २०२ ॥ 202. (Reply). Indirect knowledge, it is true, is the result produced by the sentences regarding the non-Self, but it is not so in the case of those regarding the Innermost Self. It is, on the other hand (direct and certain knowledge) like that in the case of the tenth¹ boy. स्वयंवेद्यत्वपर्यायः स्वप्रमाणक इष्यताम् । निवृत्तावहमः सिद्धः स्वात्मनोऽनुभवश्च नः ॥ २०३ ॥ 203. Therefore accept the Self as self-evident which means the same thing as self-knowable. The know- ledge of the Innermost Self according to us thus be- comes possible when the ego² vanishes. बुद्धीनां विषयो दुःखं नो यस्य विषया मताः । कुतोऽस्य दुःखसंबन्धो दृशेः स्यात्प्रत्यगात्मनः ॥ २०४ ॥ ¹ See footnote 2, verse 3, chapter 12. ² It vanishes when one is taught 'Thou art That.'

201-207] 'THOU ART THAT' 279 204. Pain is a property belonging to the intellect.¹ How can it, therefore, belong to the Innermost Self which is of the nature of Pure Consciousness and not connected with pain ? दृशिरेवानुभूयेत स्वेनैवानुभवात्मना । तदाभासतया जन्म धियोऽस्यानुभवः स्मृतः ॥ २०५ ॥ 205. The Witness is known by Itself² which is of the nature of knowledge only. It is the birth of the modification of the intellect pervaded by the reflec- tion of Consciousness that is what is known to be the knowledge³ of the Self. अशनायादिनिर्मुक्तः सिद्धो मोक्षस्त्वमेव सः । श्रोतव्यादि तवेत्येतद्विरुद्धं कथमुच्यते ॥ २०६ ॥ 206. How can you speak of the hearing⁴ etc. (of the Self) on your part which is a contradiction⁵ when you are (taught to be) the eternally existing Liberation⁶ free from hunger etc. ? सेत्स्यतीत्येव चेत्तत्स्याच्छ्रवणादि तदा भवेत् । मोक्षस्यानित्यतैव स्याद्विरोधे नान्यथा वचः ॥ २०७ ॥ 207. Hearing etc. would be necessary if Liberation were to be brought about. But It would be transitory ¹ I.e., the ego. ² It requires, in order to be known, no other knowledge. ³ I.e., 'I am Brahman.' ⁴ Br, U., 2. 4. 5. ⁵ For a man cannot be the actionless Brahman and at the same time the agent of hearing etc. ⁶ I.e., Brahman.

280 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII in that case. The sentence, therefore, can have no other meaning ¹ which involves contradiction. श्रोतृश्रोतव्ययोर्भेदो यदीष्टः स्याद्भवेदिदम् । इष्टार्थकोप एवं स्यान्न युक्तं सर्वथा वचः ॥ २०८ ॥ 208. The repetition of the idea, ‘I am Brahman’ might be possible if there were a difference between the hearer (i.e. the aspirant) ² and what is to be heard (but) the desired meaning ³ would be wronged in that case. Therefore the sentence becomes unreasonable (i.e., loses authority according to that view). सिद्धो मोक्षोऽहमित्येवं ज्ञात्वात्मानं भवेद्यदि । चिकीर्षुर्यः स मूढात्मा शास्त्रं चोद्घाटत्यपि ॥ २०९ ॥ 209. Knowing that one is eternally existing Libera- tion one who desires to perform actions ⁴ is a man of clouded intellect and nullifies the scriptures. नहि सिद्धस्य कर्तव्यं सकार्यस्य न सिद्धता । उभयालम्वनं कुर्वन्नात्मानं वञ्चयत्यपि ॥ २१० ॥ 210. For knowing oneself to be Brahman one has no duty to perform; nor can one be a knower of Brahman when one has duties to perform. One deceives oneself by having recourse to both sides. ¹ E.g., the reiteration of the idea, ‘I am Brahman.’ ² The Self (i.e., Brahman) Br. U. p. 2, 4, 5. See also verse 111. ³ That the individual Self is Brahman. ⁴ E.g., the reiteration of the idea, ‘I am Brahman’. For the objector’s contention see Verses 12 and 18 above.

208-214] ' THOU ART THAT ' 281 सिद्धो मोक्षस्त्वमित्येतद्वस्तुमात्रं प्रदर्श्यते । श्रोतुस्तथात्वविज्ञाने प्रवृत्तिः स्यात्कथं त्विति ॥ २११ ॥ 211. (Objection).¹ A reality is only pointed to (but no injunction is given) when one is told 'Thou art eternally existing Liberation'²; how can the hearer apply himself to know that he is so (without being enjoined) ? कर्ता दुःख्यहमस्मीति प्रत्यक्षेणानुभूयते । कर्ता दुःखी च माभूवमिति यत्नो भवेत्ततः ॥ २१२ ॥ 212. It is known by perceptual evidence that one is an agent and experiencer of pain. And then there is an effort so that one may not remain so. तद्विज्ञानाय युक्त्यादि कर्तव्यं श्रुतिरब्रवीत् । कर्तृत्वाद्यनुवादेन सिद्धत्वानुभवाय तु ॥ २१३ ॥ 213, The Sruti,³ therefore, restates the agency etc.⁴ on the part of the people and enjoins duties such as reasoning etc. in order that they may know and feel that they are eternally existing (Brahman). निर्दुःखो निष्क्रियोऽकामः सिद्धो मोक्षोऽहमित्यपि । गृहीत्वैव विरुद्धार्थमादध्यात्कथमेव सः ॥ २१४ ॥ 214. (Reply). How can one accept a contradictory meaning⁵ after knowing⁶ that one is eternally existing ¹ Verses 211—213. ² Brahman. ³ Br. U., 2. 4. 5. ⁴ Which people are conscious of. ⁵ That one is an agent. ⁶ From the sentence which is the only right evidence.

282 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII Liberation which is free from unhappiness, activity and desires ? सकामः सक्रियोऽसिद्ध इति मेऽनुभवः कथम् । अतो मे विपरीतस्य तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ॥ २१५ ॥ 215. (Objection). You should say why I, though of¹ an opposite nature, should feel that I have desires and activities and am not Brahman. इहैव घटते प्रश्नो न मुक्तत्वानुभूतये । प्रमाणेन विरोधी यः सोऽत्रार्थः प्रश्नमर्हति ॥ २१६ ॥ 216. (Reply).² A question on this subject³ is reason- able, but it is not reasonable to ask why one is free. It is only a thing contrary to evidences⁴ that should be questioned. अहं निर्मुक्त इत्येव सदसीत्यन्यमानजः । प्रत्यक्षाभासजन्यत्वाद्दुःखित्वं प्रश्नमर्हति ॥ २१७ ॥ 217. The knowledge that one is free arises from a different⁵ evidence viz., the evidence, 'Thou art That.' Arising from fallacious perceptual evidence unhappiness deserves an explanation. पृष्टमाकाङ्क्षितं वाच्यं दुःखाभावमभीप्सितम् ॥ २१८ ॥ ¹ Of the nature of Brahman. ² Verses 216—228. ³ I.e., why one feels unhappy though one is Brahman according to the evidence of the sentence. ⁴ E.g., the sentence, 'Thou art That.' ⁵ Different from perceptual evidence and so on.

214-221] ‘ THOU ART THAT ’ 283 218. One should be told what one asks and wants to know; and the inquirer desires to know liberation, (the Self) which is free from unhappiness. कथं हीदं निवर्तेत दुःखं सर्वात्मना मम । इति प्रश्नानुरूपं यद्वाच्यं दुःखनिवर्तकम् ॥ २१९ ॥ 219. That¹ which removes unhappiness should be told (by the teacher to the disciple) according to his question inquiring how his unhappiness might be re- moved altogether. श्रुतेः स्वात्मनि नाशङ्का प्रामाण्ये सति विद्यते । तस्मादात्मविमुक्तत्वं प्रत्याययति तद्वचः । वक्तव्यः तत्तथार्थ स्याद्विरोधेऽसति केनचित् ॥ २२० ॥ 220. There can be no doubt about what the Srutis prove² as they are an independent source of know- ledge. The words of Srutis, therefore, produce the conviction that one is free. So it should be said that such is the meaning of the Srutis, as (it has been proved that) they do not contradict any other source of knowledge. इतोऽन्योऽनुभवः कश्चिदात्मनो नोपपद्यते । अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातारमिति श्रुतेः ॥ २२१ ॥ 221. The Knowledge of the Self different from what has been said before is unreasonable on the authority ¹ Liberation due to Self-Knowledge. ² Br. Sû. 1. 1. 3.

284 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII of the Srutis, 'It¹ is unknown to those who know It'² and 'Who³ will know the knower'? त्वंपदार्थविवेकाय संन्यासः सर्वकर्मणाम् । साधनत्वं व्रजत्येव शान्तो दान्तानुशासनात् ॥ २२२ ॥ 222. The renunciation of all actions in order to know the (implied) meaning of the word 'thou' be- comes the means (to Self-Knowledge) according to the teaching,⁴ 'controlling the internal and external senses.' त्वमर्थं प्रत्यगात्मानं पश्येदात्मानमात्मनि । वाक्यार्थं तत आत्मानं सर्वं पश्यति केवलम् ॥ २२३ ॥ 223. One should know the Self, the innermost One, the implied meaning of the word 'thou' in the combination⁵ of the body and the senses. One then knows the pure Self to be Brahman, the all-comprehen- sive principle. And that is the meaning of the sentence, 'Thou art That.' सर्वमात्मेति वाक्यार्थे विज्ञातेऽस्य प्रमाणतः । असत्त्वे ह्यन्यमानस्य विधिस्तं योजयेत्कथम् ॥ २२४ ॥ 224. How can one be enjoined to perform a duty when the meaning of the sentence, viz., one is Brahman, is known by one according to the right source of ¹ Ke. U., 2. 3. ² To be an object of Knowledge. ³ Br. U., 2. 4. 14. ⁴ Br. U., 4. 4. 23. ⁵ As its witness.

222-228] 'THOU ART THAT' 285 knowledge, the Srutis, inasmuch as no$^1$ other source of knowledge can then exist for one? तस्माद्वाक्यार्थविज्ञानान्नोर्ध्वं कर्मविधिर्भवेत् । नहि ब्रह्मास्मि कर्तेति विरुद्धे भवतो धियौ ॥ २२५ ॥ 225. No actions can, therefore, be enjoined on one when one has known the meaning of the sentence.$^2$ For the two contradictory ideas, 'I am Brahman' and 'I am an agent' cannot exist together. ब्रह्मास्मीति च विद्येयं नैत्र कर्तेति बाध्यते । सकामो बद्ध इत्येवं प्रमाणाभासजातया ॥ २२६ ॥ शास्त्राद्ब्रह्मास्मि नान्योऽहमिति बुद्धिर्भवेद्दृढा । यदाऽयुक्ता तदैवं धीर्यथा देहात्मधीरिरिति ॥ २२७ ॥ 226, 227. That one is Brahman is the right know- ledge. It is not negated by the false conceptions that one is an agent, has desires and is bound arising from fallacious evidences. This (false) knowledge (i.e., I am an agent), like the identification$^3$ of the Self with the body, becomes unreasonable when the knowledge that one is Brahman and not other than It is firmly grasped according to (the teaching of) the scriptures. सभयादभयं प्राप्तस्तदर्थं यतते च यः । स पुनः सभयं गन्तुं स्वतन्त्रश्चेन्न गच्छति ॥ २२८ ॥ 228. A man who tries to remain free from fear after going to a place devoid of it from one full of fear does not, if independent, go to a place of fear again. $^1$ They are then all proved to be unreal. $^2$ 'Thou art That.' $^3$ The idea, 'I am a man.'

286 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII यथेष्टाचरणप्राप्तिः संन्यासादिविधौ कुतः । पदार्थज्ञानबुद्धस्य वाक्यार्थानुभवार्थिनः ॥ २२९ ॥ 229. How can there be the possibility of wrong conduct¹ on the part of one on whom renunciation etc.² are enjoined and who is awakened on knowing the implied meanings of the words³ and aspiring⁴ after the comprehension of the meaning of the sentence⁵ ? अतः सर्वमिदं सिद्धं यत्प्रागस्माभिरीरितम् ॥ २३० ॥ 230. Everything, therefore, that we said before, is substantiated. यो हि यस्माद्विरक्तः स्यान्नासौ तस्मै प्रवर्तते । लोकत्रयाद्विरक्तत्वान्मुमुक्षुः किमितीहते ॥ २३१ ॥ 231. One does not try to attain anything in which one has lost interest. Why will a man seeking⁶ libera- tion make any effort at all who has lost interest in all the three worlds ? क्षुधया पीड्यमानोऽपि न विषं ह्यत्तुमिच्छति । मिष्टान्नध्वस्ततृड् जानन्नामूढस्तं जिघत्सति ॥ २३२ ॥ ¹ For objection see verses 12 and 16, chap. 18. ² Including the injunctions of hearing, reflecting and meditating on the Self. ³ The words, 'thou' and 'that.' ⁴ Therefore wrong conduct is impossible on one's part as one's mind is occupied with the attempt. For one again who has rightly comprehended the meaning of the sentence, wrong conduct is of course absolutely impossible. ⁵ 'Thou art That.' ⁶ Even one seeking liberation is free from desires and efforts; how much more free is one who has obtained it?

229-233] ‘ THOU ART THAT ’ 287 232. No one likes to eat poison even if pressed by hunger. So, no one who is not an idiot will knowingly wish to eat it when his hunger has been appeased by eating sweatmeats. वेदान्तवाक्यपुष्पेभ्यो ज्ञानामृतमधूत्तमम् । उज्जहारालिवद्यो नस्तस्मै सद्गुरवे नमः ॥ २३३ ॥ 233. I bow down to my Teacher, a knower of Brahman, who collected for us the nectar of knowledge from the Vedântas like a bee collecting the best honey from flowers.

अथात्ममनःसंवादप्रकरणम् ॥ १९ ॥ CHAPTER XIX A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE MIND प्रयुज्य तृष्णाज्वरनाशकारणं चिकित्सितं ज्ञानविराग- भेषजम् । न याति कामज्वरसन्निपातजां शरीरमालां शतयोगदुःखिताम् ॥ १ ॥

1. One does not meet with the distress caused by a series of hundreds of bodies, which has its origin in a swoon due to the fever of desires if one places oneself under the treatment in which medicines are Knowledge and dispassion, the causes of the destruc- tion of the fever of desires (mentioned before). अहं ममेति त्वमनर्थमीहसे परार्थमिच्छन्ति तवान्य ईहितम् । न तेऽर्थबोधो न हि मेऽस्ति चार्थिता ततश्च युक्तः शम एव ते मनः ॥ २ ॥
2. Oh my mind, you indulge in vain ideas like ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ Your efforts, according to others,¹ ¹ The Sânkhyas.

1-5] A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND MIND 289 are for one¹ other than yourself. You have no con- sciousness of things and I have no desire of having anything. It is, therefore, proper for you to remain quiet. यतो न चान्यः परमात्सनातनात्सदैव तृप्तोऽहमतो न मेऽर्थिता । सदैव तृप्तश्च न कामये हितं यतस्व चेतः प्रशमाय ते हितम् ॥ ३ ॥ 3. As I am no other than the Supreme Eternal One I am always contented and have no desires. Always contented I desire no welfare for myself, but I wish your welfare. Try to make yourself quiet, Oh mind. षडूर्मिमालाभ्यतिवृत्त एव यः स एव चात्मा जगतश्च नः श्रुतेः । प्रमाणतश्चापि मया प्रवेद्यते मुधैव तस्माच्च मनस्तवेहितम् ॥ ४ ॥ 4. One who is by nature beyond the six continual waves² is, according to the evidence of the Srutis, the Self of us and the universe. This is what I know from other³ sources of knowledge also. Your efforts are, therefore, all in vain. त्वयि प्रशान्ते नहि चास्ति भेदधीर्यतो जगन्मोहमुपैति मायया । ग्रहो हि मायाप्रभवस्य कारणं ग्रहाद्विमोके नहि सास्ति कस्यचित् ॥ ५ ॥ ¹ The Purusha, the Self (according to the Sânkhyas). ² (1) Hunger and (2) thirst, the properties of the vital force, (3) grief and (4) delusion, of the mind, (5) old age and (6) death, of the body. ³ E.g., Bh. Gîtâ, 10. 20. 19

290 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIX 5. There is no idea of difference left deluding people through wrong notions when you are merged.¹ For the cause of all wrong notions is the perception of (the reality of) difference. These wrong notions vanish as soon as one is free from this perception. न मेऽस्ति मोहस्तव चेष्टितेन हि प्रबुद्धतत्त्वस्त्वसितो ह्यविक्रियः । न पूर्वतत्त्वोत्तरभेदता हि नो वृथैव तस्माच्च मनस्तवेहितम् ॥ ६ ॥ 6. I am not deluded by your efforts. For I have known the Truth and am free from all bondage and change. I have no difference in the conditions preced- ing the knowledge of Truth and succeeding it. Your efforts, oh mind, are, therefore, useless. यतश्च नित्योऽहमतो न चान्यथा विकारयोगे हि भवेद्- नित्यता । सदा प्रभातोऽहमतो हि चाद्वयो विकल्पितं चाप्यसदित्यवस्थितम् ॥ ७ ॥ 7. As I am eternal I am not otherwise. Transitori- ness is due to the connection with changes. I am always self-effulgent and therefore without a second. It is ascertained that everything created (by the mind) is non-existent. अभावरूपं त्वमसीह हे मनो निरीक्ष्यमाणे न हि युक्तितो- ऽस्तिता । सतो ह्यनाशादसतोऽप्यजन्मतौ द्वयं च चेतस्तव नास्तितैष्यते ॥ ८ ॥ ¹ In Ignorance e.g., in deep sleep.

5-10] A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND MIND 291 8. Scrutinised through the reasoning that reality¹ is never destroyed and unreality never born you have no (real) existence. You are, therefore, Oh my mind, non-existent in the Self. Having both birth and death you are accepted as non-existent. द्रष्टा च दृश्यं च तथा च दर्शनं भ्रमस्तु सर्वस्तव कल्पितो हि सः । दृशेश्च भिन्नं न हि दृश्यमीक्ष्यते स्वप्नप्रबोधेन तथा न भिद्यते ॥ ९ ॥ विकल्पना वापि तथाद्वया भवेदवस्तुयोगात्तदलातचक्रवत् । न शक्तिभेदोऽस्ति यतो न चात्मनां ततोऽद्वयत्वं श्रुति- तोऽवसीयते ॥ १० ॥ 9, 10. As everything—the seer, seeing and the seen—is a false notion superimposed by you and as no object of perception is known to have an existence independent of that of the Self, (the Self is one only). When this is so, the Self in the state of deep sleep² does not differ from Itself when in waking (or dream). Unreal like the circular³ form of a burning torch superim- position also⁴ (has no existence independent of that of) the non-dual Self. The oneness of the Self is ascertained from the Srutis as the Self has no division within Itself on account of different powers⁵ and as It is not different (in different bodies). ¹ See Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 16. ² The non-dual Self only exists in deep sleep. See Br. U., 4. 3. 32. ³ When it is moved round. ⁴ Like the seer, seeing and the seen which are superimposed. ⁵ See Br. U. 4. 3. 23—30.

292 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIX मिथश्च भिन्ना यदि ते हि चेतनाः क्षयस्तु तेषां परि- माणयोगतः । ध्रुवो भवेद्भेदवतां हि दृष्टतो जगत्क्षय- श्चापि समस्तमोक्षतः ॥ ११ ॥ 11. If, according to you, souls were mutually dif- ferent and so·limited (by one another) they would meet with destruction as all such things are seen to come to an end. Again, all being liberated, the whole world would meet with extinction. न मेऽस्ति कश्चिन्न च सोऽस्मि कस्यचिद्यतोऽद्वयोऽहं न हि चास्ति कल्पितम् । अकल्पितश्चास्मि पुरा प्रसि- द्धितो विकल्पनाया द्वयमेव कल्पितम् ॥ १२ ॥ 12. There is no one who belongs to me nor is there anyone to whom I belong as I am without a second. The (world which is) superimposed does not exist. My existence¹ being known to be anterior to superimposition, I am not superimposed. It is duality only that is so. विकल्पना चाप्यभवे न विद्यते सदन्यदित्येवमतो न नास्तिता । यतः प्रवृत्ता तव चापि कल्पना पुरा प्रसिद्धेर्न च तद्विकल्पितम् ॥ १३ ॥ 13. The unborn Self² can never be regarded as non-existent because there cannot be the superimposi- tion of existence or non-existence on It. What exists ¹ The Final substratum of all superimposition. ² The Self, the substratum of all superimposition.

11-15] A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND MIND 293 prior to your coming into (apparent) existence and on which you yourself are superimposed cannot Itself be superimposed. असद्द्वयं तेऽपि हि यद्यदीक्ष्यते न दृष्टमित्येव न चैव नास्तिता । यतः प्रवृत्ता सदसद्विकल्पना विचारवद्द्वापि तथाद्वयं च सत् ॥ १४ ॥ 14. The duality pervaded by you is unreal. That It is not seen is no reason that the Self does not exist. That from which the wrong notions of existence and non-existence proceed¹ (must exist). And just as a deliberation ends in a conclusion, so, (all things super- imposed have a final substratum) in the really existing and non-dual Self. सदभ्युपेतं भवतोपकल्पितं विचारहेतोर्यदि तस्य नास्ति- ता । विचारहानाच्च तथैव संस्थितं न चेत्तदिष्टं नितरां सदिष्यते ॥ १५ ॥ 15. If the duality, created by you and assumed by us to be real so that an investigation of the Truth might be possible, were non-existent² Truth would remain unascertained owing to the investigation becoming impossible. The existence³ of a reality must be accepted as a matter of course if an un- ascertained nature of Truth is not desirable. ¹ I.e., are superimposed on It. See verse 16, chapter 16. ² A void. ³ Non-dual existence which is common to all dual phenomena must be accepted as real. But excluding one another, phenomena themselves are not persistent in their existence and are, therefore, unreal. See Sankara's Commentary on Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 16.

294 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIX असत्समं चैव सदित्यपीति चेदनर्थवत्त्वान्नृशृङ्गतुल्य- तः । अनर्थवत्त्वं त्वसति ह्यकारणं न चैव तस्मान्न विपर्ययेऽन्यथा ॥ १६ ॥ 16. (Objection). What is called real ¹ is, as a matter of fact, unreal like a human horn as it does not serve ² any purpose. (Reply). That a thing serves no purpose is no reason why it should be unreal and that a thing serves some purpose is no reason, on the other hand, why it should be real. असिद्धतश्चापि विचारकारणाद्द्वयं च तस्मात्प्रसृतिं च मायया । श्रुतेः स्मृतेश्चापि तथा हि युक्तितः प्रसिद्धय- तीत्थं न तु युज्यतेऽन्यथा ॥ १७ ॥ 17. Your inference is wrong (because reality serves some purpose) as It is the subject-matter of deliberation and also the source of all duality proceeding from It under the influence of Mâyâ, according to the Srutis,³ the Smritis⁴ and reason⁵. Thus it is reasonable (that the Self, though changeless, serves some purpose). Otherwise (i.e., as a matter of reality) it is not reason- able (that a thing, either permanent or momentary, serves any purpose). विकल्पनाचापि विधर्मकं श्रुतेः पुरा प्रसिद्धेश्च विकल्प- तोऽद्वयः । न चेति नेतीति यथा विकल्पितं निषिध्य- तेऽत्राप्यवशेषसिद्धये ॥ १८ ॥ ¹ In the Vedas. ² In the opposite case it becomes momentary according to the objector. ³ Sw. U., 4. 10. ⁴ Bh. Gîtâ., 9. 10. ⁵ Chh. U. 6. 1. 4—6.

16-20] A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND MIND 295 18. According to the Śruti¹ It is of a nature contrary to that of superimposition. This One is without a second as It is also known to have an eternal existence even prior to all superimposition. Unlike everything superimposed on It, which is negated on the evidence of the Śruti,² ‘Not this, not this’, It is not negated and, therefore, left over. अकल्पितेऽप्येवमजेऽद्वयेऽक्षरे विकल्पयन्तः सदसच्च जन्मभिः । स्वचित्तमायाप्रभवं च ते भवं जरां च मृत्युं च नियान्ति संततम् ॥ १९ ॥ 19. Those who, owing to false notions in their own minds, superimpose the ideas of existence, non-existence, etc.³ on the Self which is not Itself superimposed and is birthless, imperishable and without a second always meet with birth, old age and death as different kinds of beings. भवाभवत्वं तु न चेदवस्थितिर्न चास्य चान्यस्थिति जन्म नान्यथा । सतो ह्यसत्त्वादसतश्च सत्त्वतो न च क्रिया कारकमित्यतोऽप्यजम् ॥ २० ॥ 20. (Duality) can have no reality if both its birth and absence of birth are denied (owing to the possi- bility of contradictions). Again it cannot owe its origin⁴ to another thing either real or unreal. For in that case, (being the origin of duality) reality would become ¹ Sw. U., 6. 19. ² Br. U., 2. 3. 6. ³ Qualified, non-qualified, agent, non-agent and so on. ⁴ See G. K. 4. 22 and 4. 40.

296 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIX unreal¹ and unreality real.² Hence the nature of actions and their instruments³ also (cannot be as- certained). It is for these reasons that the Self is (ascertained to be) unborn. अकुर्वद्दिष्टं यदि वास्य कारकं न किंचिदन्यन्ननु नास्त्य- कारकम् । सतोऽविशेषादसतःश्च सच्छ्युतौ तुलान्त- योर्यद्वदनिश्चयान्न हि ॥ २१ ॥ 21. If the instruments in connection with the birth of duality be considered to be devoid of any action whatever there will be nothing (which will not be an instrument). (And if they are considered to have the power of action) they will not be instruments. (For they can be acting neither) in the state of reality nor of unreality as both these states are without any particulars (and will always produce effects or never produce any). Neither⁴ can they become instruments at the time⁵ of their deviation from their original states (of reality or unreality). For (in that case the distinction between the nature of the cause and that of the effect) cannot be ascertained like (the relation of cause and effect) between the two ends (moving up and down) of the beam of a balance. ¹ For all material causes are changeable and, therefore, unreal. ² For a material cause cannot but have some existence ; it cannot be a void. ³ Regarding the production of duality. ⁴ If you argue that reality or unreality may have the power of action when they deviate from the previous states (of reality or unreality). ⁵ Nor can they be instruments after such deviation. For devia- tion itself being an effect requires something to produce it, that again something else and so on. There will thus be a regressus ad infinitum.

21-24] A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND MIND 297 न चेत्स इष्टः सदसद्विपर्ययः कथं भवः स्यात्सदसद्व्यव- स्थितौ । विभक्तमेतद्द्वयमप्यवस्थितं न जन्म तस्माच्च मनो हि कस्यचित् ॥ २२ ॥ 22. If the reversal of reality and unreality is not desirable how can anything owe its origin to them which are of a fixed nature ? For both of them stand without having any connection with each other. Nothing,¹ therefore, Oh my mind, is born.² अथाभ्युपेत्यापि भवं तवेच्छतो ब्रवीमि नार्थस्तव चेष्टि- तेन मे । न हानवृद्धी न यतः स्वतोऽसतो भवोऽन्यतो वा यदि वास्तिता तयोः ॥ २३ ॥ 23. Even by assuming the birth (of things), if you like so, I say your efforts serve me no purpose. For not existing in the Self gain or loss cannot be there either uncaused or due to any cause. Even assuming that they exist (in the Self, it is a fact that your efforts are of no use ³ to me). ध्रुवा ह्यनित्याश्च न चान्ययोगिनो मिथश्च कार्यं न च तेषु युज्यते । अतो न कस्यापि हि किंचिदिष्यते स्वयं च तत्त्वं न निरुक्तिगोचरम् ॥ २४ ॥ ¹ G. K. 4. 4, 10, 28 and 46. ² In the previous verse a change of condition in reality and unreality was assumed. But as a matter of fact there is no such change. ³ In the case of their existence your effort to produce them is futile.