उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

232 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII
which is changeless, neither to the reflection which is
not real nor to the ego which is not a conscious entity ?
अविद्यामात्र एवातः संसारोऽस्त्वविवेकतः ।
कूटस्थेनात्मना नित्यमात्मवानात्मनीव सः ॥ ४५ ॥
45. (Reply). Let the transmigratory condition then
be only a delusion due to the indiscrimination (between
the Self and the non-Self). It always has an
(apparent) existence due to the real existence of the
changeless Self and, therefore, appears to be pertaining
to It.
रज्जुसर्पो यथा रज्ज्वा सात्मकः प्राग्विवेकतः ।
अवस्तु सन्नपि ह्येष कूटस्थेनात्मना तथा ॥ ४६ ॥
46. Just as a rope-snake (a rope mistaken for a
snake), though unreal, has an existence due to that
of the rope before the discrimination between the rope
and the snake takes place; so, the transmigratory
condition, though unreal, is possessed of an existence¹
due to that² of the changeless Self.
आत्माभासाश्रयश्चात्मा प्रत्ययैः स्वैर्विकारवान् ।
सुखी दुःखी च संसारी नित्य एवेति केचन ॥ ४७ ॥
47. Some say that the Self, to which the reflection
belongs, though changeful on account of the modifica-
tions of the mind pertaining to Itself such as, ‘I am
happy’, ‘I am miserable’ and, though an experiencer
of the transmigratory condition, is eternal.
¹ Empirical or phenomenal existence. ² Real existence.