उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

244 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII
87. Reflecting Consciousness, therefore, the intellect
appears to be conscious like a mirror reflecting a face
and appearing like it. It has already¹ been said that
the reflection is not real.
चित्तं चेतनमित्येतच्छास्त्रयुक्तिविवर्जितम् ।
देहस्यापि प्रसङ्गः स्याच्चक्षुरादेस्तथैव च ॥ ८८ ॥
88. It is not supported by the scriptures or
reasoning that the intellect is conscious. For in that
case the body, the eye, etc. also would be so.
तदप्यस्त्विति चेत्तन्न लोकायतिकसंगतेः ।
न च धीर्वृत्तिरस्मीति यद्याभासो न चेतसि ॥ ८९ ॥
89. (Objection). Let them be so.
(Reply). No. For (in that case) the position of the
chârvâka philosophers comes in. Moreover the knowl-
edge, 'I am Brahman' also will not be possible² if
there be no reflection (of the Self) in the intellect.
सदस्मीति धियोऽभावे व्यर्थं स्यात्तत्त्वमस्यपि ।
युष्मदस्मद्विभागज्ञे स्यादर्थवदिदं वचः ॥ ९० ॥
90. The teaching 'Thou art That' will surely be
useless in the absence of the knowledge, 'I am
Brahman'. This teaching is of use to those only who
are acquainted with the discrimination³ between the
Self and the non-Self.
¹ See verse 43 above.
² For the Self is changeless and the intellect is non-conscious.
See also verse 29.
³ See the four following verses, verses 96—98 and 181—183 of
this chapter. See also Ch. 6.