उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

174 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVI
22. Organs are (thought to be not all-pervading¹
but) limited by their particular appendages (which are
in the body). The intellect gets identified with the
organs (and hence with the body). Illumining the in-
tellect, therefore, the Self appears to be of the same size
as the body.²
क्षणिकं हि तदत्यर्थं धर्ममात्रं निरन्तरम् ।
सादृश्याद्दीपवत्तद्धीस्तच्छान्तिः पुरुषार्थता ॥ २३ ॥
23. (Objection). Both knowledge and its objects
are extremely momentary (i.e., perishable by nature
every moment). They are appearances only (without
any permanent reality for a substratum) and are con-
tinually being produced. Just as a lamp (of the preced-
ing moment) appears to be the same (in the succeeding
moment) on account of similarity, so, both the objects
and the subjects of the preceding and the succeeding
moments (wrongly) appear to be identical on account
of similarity. The goal of human life is the removal of
this idea (of the continuity in knowledge and its objects
and the removal of the indiscrimination to which
it is due³).
स्वाकारान्यावभासं च येषां रूपादि विद्यते ।
येषां नास्ति ततश्चान्यत्पूर्वासंगतिरुच्यते ॥ २४ ॥
24. (Reply). According to one school of these
philosophers colour etc. (external things) which are
objects of knowledge exist. According to another
¹ As they do not function outside the body.
² Jainas hold this view.
³ The verse states the doctrine of the Buddhists.