उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 69
mental modifications giving rise to pleasure, pain and
delusion that the non-Self serves the purpose of
another.¹ And it is as the same Knowledge and noth-
ing else that it has an existence.² So it does not really
exist at all. Just as a rope-snake, the water in a mirage
and such other things are found to be non-existent
except only as the Knowledge by which they are
known ; so, the duality experienced during waking and
dream has reasonably no existence except as the Know-
ledge by which it is known. So, having a continuous ³
existence pure Consciousness, the Self, is eternal and
immutable, and, never ceasing ³ to exist in any mental
modification. It is one without a second. The modifica-
tions themselves cease to exist, the Self continuing to
do so. Just as in dream the mental modifications
appearing to be blue, yellow, etc. are said to be really
non-existent as they cease to exist while the Knowledge
by which they are known has an uninterrupted con-
tinuous existence ; so, in the waking state also they are
reasonably really non-existent as they cease to exist
while the very same Knowledge continues to do so. As
that Knowledge ⁴ has no ⁵ other knower it cannot be
accepted or rejected by Itself. As there is nothing else
(except Myself the aim of my life is fulfilled by
your grace).”

¹ Consciousness, the Self. ² The non-Self has no existence in-
dependent of knowledge unlike that of Prakriti (the material
cause of the universe) spoken of in the Sânkhya philosophy.
³ In all experiences such as ‘ jar consciousness ’, ‘ cloth con-
sciousness ’, etc., consciousness persists and is therefore real
while jar, cloth, etc. do no persist and so are unreal. ⁴ The Self.
⁵ Because It is Self-evident.