उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

140 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
not fit for liberation but must be considered to be cer-
tainly rejected by Brahman.
सादित्यं हि जगत्प्राणस्तस्मान्नाहर्निशैव वा ।
प्राणज्ञस्यापि न स्यातां कुतो ब्रह्मविदोऽद्वये ॥ १५ ॥
15. Even¹ for a knower of Prâna² the world with
the sun is Prâna and, therefore, there is no day³ or
night³ for him ; how then can they be for a knower⁴
of Brahman in which there is no duality ?
न स्मरत्यात्मनो ह्यात्मा विस्मरेद्वाप्यलुप्तचित् ।
मनोऽपि स्मरतीत्येतज्ज्ञानमज्ञानहेतुजम् ॥ १६ ॥
16. The Self whose Consciousness never ceases to
exist neither remembers⁵ nor forgets Itself. That the
mind remembers the Self is also a knowledge caused
by Ignorance.⁶
ज्ञातुर्ज्ञेयः परो ह्यात्मा सोऽविद्याकल्पितः स्मृतः ।
अपोढे विद्यया तस्मिन्न्रज्ज्वां सर्प इवाद्वयः ॥ १७ ॥
17. If the supreme Self be an object of the know-
ledge of the knower, it must be a superimposition due to
Ignorance. It is the Self without a second when
that superimposition is negated by right knowledge like
a snake in a rope.
¹ Though he has not gone beyond all difference.
² Prâna is the being identifying himself with the universe. A
meditator on Prâna gets identified with him.
³ So, no duties to be done in particular hours of the day and night.
⁴ Who has gone beyond duality.
⁵ Therefore a man of knowledge is free from the duty of concen-
trating his mind. (See footnote 3, previous verse.)
⁶ For the mind is non-conscious and cannot remember anything.

15-21] DREAM AND MEMORY 141
कर्तृकर्मफलाभावात्सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं ह्यजम् ।
ममाहं वेत्ति यो भावस्तस्मिन्कस्य कुतो भवेत् ॥ १८ ॥
18. Who (and for what reason) will attribute the
ideas of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ to the Self as It is unborn
and comprises the interior¹ and exterior on account of
the fact that the agent, actions and their results do not
exist ?
आत्मा ह्यात्मीय इत्येष भावोऽविद्याप्रकल्पितः ।
आत्मैकत्वे ह्यसौ नास्ति बीजाभावे कुतः फलम् ॥ १९ ॥
19. For the ideas ‘me’ and ‘mine’ are superimposed
(on the Self) due to Ignorance. They do not exist when
the Self is known to be one only. How can there be
an effect without a cause ?
द्रष्टृ श्रोतृ तथा मन्तृ विज्ञात्रेव तदक्षरम् ।
द्रष्ट्रान्यन्न तद्यस्मात्तस्माद्द्रष्टाऽहमक्षरम् ॥ २० ॥
20. It is (the individual Self known to be) the seer,
the hearer, the thinker and the knower that is (Brahman),
the imperishable One. As the individual Self is not
different from It, I, the seer, am the imperishable
Principle.
स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव द्रष्टृत्वादिक्रियायुतम् ।
सर्वमक्षरमेवातः सर्वस्यात्माक्षरं त्वहम् ॥ २१ ॥
21. As all beings, moving and non-moving, are
endowed with actions such as, seeing etc. they are
¹ Footnote 2, verse 43, Chap. 17 and also see Mu. U., 2. 1. 2,

142 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
(Brahman), the imperishable One. Therefore I am the
Self of all, the indestructible One.
अकार्यशेषमात्मानमक्रियात्मक्रियाफलम् ।
निर्ममं निरहंकारं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २२ ॥
22. He has the truest knowledge who looks upon
the Self as a non-agent having no connection with
actions and their results and regards It as free from the
ideas of 'me' and 'mine'.
ममाहंकारयत्नेच्छाः शून्या एव स्वभावतः ।
आत्मनीति यदि ज्ञातमाध्वं स्वस्थाः किमीहितैः ॥ २३ ॥
23. Be in peace. What is the use of efforts if the
Self has been known to be naturally free from the ideas
'me' and 'mine' and from efforts and desires ?
योऽहंकर्तारमात्मानं तथा वेत्तारमेव च ।
वेत्ति नात्मज्ञ एवासौ योऽन्यथाज्ञः स आत्मवित् ॥ २४ ॥
24. One who looks upon the Self as an agent of
actions and a knower of objects is not a knower of the
Self. One who knows It otherwise ¹ is a real knower of It.
यथान्यत्वेऽपि तादात्म्यं देहादिष्वात्मनो मतम् ।
तथाऽकर्तुरविज्ञानात्फलकर्मात्मतात्मनः ॥ २५ ॥
25. Just as the Self is identified with the body etc.,
though different from them, so, It is looked upon as the
agent of actions and the experiencer of their results
¹ As a non-agent and non-experiencer.

22-28] DREAM AND MEMORY 143
owing to the fact that It is not¹ known to be a non-
agent.
दृष्टिः श्रुतिर्मतिर्ज्ञातिः स्वप्ने दृष्टा जनैः सदा ।
तासामात्मस्वरूपत्वादतः प्रत्यक्षतात्मनः ॥ २६ ॥
26. Seeing,² hearing, thinking and knowing are
always experienced by people in dream. Moreover, as
they are essentially the Self It is directly Known.
[The meaning is this : The mind merges in the Self
as Primeval Ignorance during deep sleep but the Self
then, as always, exists in its nature of Pure Conscious-
ness. Therefore it is clear that the Self is different
from the mind and exists as the witness of this pheno-
menon ; that is what is meant by saying in the verse
that the Self is directly known.]
परलोकभयं यस्य नास्ति मृत्युभयं तथा ।
तस्यात्मज्ञस्य शोच्याः स्युः सब्रह्मेन्द्रा अपीश्वराः ॥ २७ ॥
27. Even powerful beings including Brahmâ³ and
Indra⁴ are objects of pity to that knower of the Self who
has no fear about the next world nor is afraid of death.
ईश्वरत्वेन किं तस्य ब्रह्मेन्द्रत्वेन वा पुनः ।
तृष्णा चेत्सर्वतश्छिन्ना सर्वदैन्योद्भवाऽशुभा ॥ २८ ॥
¹ I. e., The Self is not discriminated from the subtle body.
² These are mental modifications through the instrumentality of
various organs. As the mind with these modifications is witnessed
by the Self in dream It must be different from them.
³ See footnote 3, verse 4, Chapter 9 of this book.
⁴ The king of gods in heaven.

144 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
28. What is the use of his becoming a powerful one
or becoming Brahmâ or Indra if all inauspicious desires,
the cause of misery, are entirely uprooted ?
अहमित्यात्मधीर्या च ममेत्यात्मीयधीरपि ।
अर्थशून्ये यदा यस्य स आत्मज्ञो भवेत्तदा ॥ २९ ॥
29. He is a Knower of the Self to whom the ideas
‘me’ and ‘mine’ have become quite meaningless.¹
बुद्ध्यादौ सत्युपाधौ च तथासत्यविशेषता ।
यस्य चेदात्मनो ज्ञाता तस्य कार्यं कथं भवेत् ॥ ३० ॥
30. How can there be any action in one who finds
no difference in the Self both when ² the intellect etc.,
Its adjuncts exist and when ³ they do not ?
प्रसन्ने विमले व्योम्नि प्रज्ञानैकरसेऽद्वये ।
उत्पन्नात्मधियो ब्रूत किमन्यत्कार्यमिष्यते ॥ ३१ ॥
31. Say what action might be desired to be done by
one who has known himself to be without a second, who
is of the nature of homogeneous consciousness and who
is devoid of impurities, both natural and adventitious,
like the ether.
आत्मानं सर्वभूतस्थममित्रं चात्मनोऽपि यः ।
पश्यन्निच्छत्यसौ नूनं शीतीकर्तुं विभावसुम् ॥ ३२ ॥
32. He who sees the Self in all beings and at the
same time feels that he has enemies desires surely to
make fire cold.
¹ I.e., unreal. ² In waking and dream. ³ In deep sleep.

28-36] DREAM AND MEMORY 145
प्रज्ञाप्राणानुकार्यात्मा छायेवाक्षादिगोचरः ।
ध्यायतीवेति चोक्तो हि शुद्धो मुक्तः स्वतो हि सः ॥ ३३ ॥
33. The Self which has for Its adjuncts the intellect
and the vital force is reflected in the modifications of
the intellect and in the senses like the sun reflected in
water (for example). The Self is free and pure by
nature (even in that condition) as it is said in the Sruti,¹
“ It is at rest as it were.”
[The real sun in the sky never moves with the move-
ment of the water in which it is reflected though the
reflection does so. So, the Self does not change with
the changes in the intellect in which It is reflected.
The meaning of the Sruti quoted is that the Self, in no
condition, has either rest or motion ; It is always pure.
Rest and motion are in the intellect.]
अप्राणस्यामनस्कस्य तथाऽसंसर्गिणो दृशेः ।
व्योमवद्व्यापिनो ह्यस्य कथं कार्यं भवेन्मम ॥ ३४ ॥
34. How can I have actions who am Pure Con-
sciousness devoid of the vital force and the mind, un-
attached and all-pervading like the ether ?
असमाधिं न पश्यामि निर्विकारस्य सर्वदा ।
ब्रह्मणो मे विशुद्धस्य शोध्यं नान्यद्विपाप्मनः ॥ ३५ ॥
गन्तव्यं च तथा नैव सर्वगस्याचलस्य च ।
नोर्ध्वं नाधस्तिरो वापि निष्कलस्यागुणत्वतः ॥ ३६ ॥
35, 36. As I am Brahman, always changeless and
pure, I never see the absence of concentration in Me ; .
¹ Br. U., 4. 3. 7.
10

146 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
and free from sin and virtue I find nothing in Me to be
purified. As I am without parts, without qualities, with-
out motion and all-pervading I do not find, on my part,
the action of going or a place ¹ to go to ; nor do I find
an upward, a downward, or an oblique direction.
चिन्मात्रज्योतिषो नित्यं तमस्तस्मिन्न विद्यते ।
कथं कार्यं ममैवाद्य नित्यमुक्तस्य शिष्यते ॥ ३७ ॥
37. How can any action be left for Me who am
ever free; for the Self is always of the nature of the
Light of Pure Consciousness and hence devoid of
Ignorance.
अमनस्कस्य का चिन्ता क्रिया वानिन्द्रियस्य का ।
अप्राणो ह्यमनाः शुभ्र इति सत्यं श्रुतेर्वचः ॥ ३८ ॥
38. How can there be any thought in one who has
no mind, and actions in one who has no senses ? The
Sruti ² truly says that the Self is 'pure, devoid of the
vital ³ force and the mind'.
अकालत्वाददेशत्वाददिक्त्वान्निमित्ततः ।
आत्मनो नैव कालादेरपेक्षा ध्यायतः सदा ॥ ३९ ॥
39. Always meditating on the Self one has nothing
to do with time ⁴ etc. as the Self is in no ⁵ way connect-
ed with time, space, direction and causation.
¹ E. g., the sphere of Brahmâ where the knowers of the qualified
Brahman go at the end of their earthly career.
² Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ³ including the senses.
⁴ The proper time, place, etc. are, on the other hand, necessary
for Vedic actions. ⁵ See Br. Su., 4. 1. 11.

37-42] DREAM AND MEMORY 147
यस्मिन्देवाश्च वेदाश्च पवित्रं कृत्स्नमेकताम् ।
व्रजेत्तन्मानसं तीर्थं यस्मिन्स्नात्वाऽमृतो भवेत् ॥ ४० ॥
40. The mind¹ is the place of pilgrimage² where
the devas,³ the _Vedas_⁴ and all other purifying agencies⁵
become one.⁶ A bath⁷ in that place of pilgrimage
makes one immortal.
न चास्ति शब्दादिरनन्यवेदनः परस्परेणापि न चैव दृश्यते ।
परेण दृश्यास्तु यथा रसाद्यस्तथैव दृश्यत्वत एव दैहिकाः ॥ ४१ ॥
41. (Non-conscious objects of Knowledge like)
sound etc.⁸ cannot illumine themselves nor one another.
Therefore taste etc.⁸ are illumined by one⁹ other than
themselves. They pertain to the body as they are
objects of knowledge.
अहंममेत्येषणयत्नविक्रियासुखादयस्तद्वदिह प्रदृश्यतः ।
दृश्यत्वयोगाच्च परस्परेण ते न दृश्यतां यान्ति ततः परो भवान् ॥
42. The objects of knowledge, the ego and other
changes described as 'mine', such as, desires, efforts,
pleasure etc. cannot, similarly,¹⁰ illumine themselves.
They cannot illumine one another for the same reason.¹¹
You, the Self, are, therefore, different from them.
¹ The consciousness 'I am Brahman'. ² Because it makes a man
free from Ignorance, the root of all sins and virtues. ³ The presid-
ing deities of places of pilgrimage. ⁴ The study etc. of the Vedas.
⁵ The uttering of sacred names etc. ⁶ Because of the appearance
of the all-pervading Brahman in the mind. ⁷ Merging in Brahman,
just as a man merges into water while bathing.
⁸ Sound, touch, sight, taste and smell. ⁹ The Self.
¹⁰ Like sound, touch, etc.; see the above verse. ¹¹ As they are
objects of knowledge.

148 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
अहंक्रियाद्या हि समस्तविक्रिया सकर्तृका कर्मफलेन संहता ।
चितिस्वरूपेण समन्ततोऽर्कवत्प्रकाशयमानाऽसिततात्मनो ह्यतः ॥
43. All the change such as, egoism etc. have an
agent and are connected with the results of actions.
They are illumined completely by Pure Consciousness
like the sun. The Self, therefore, is free from bondage.
दृशिस्वरूपेण हि सर्वदेहिनां वियद्यथा व्याप्य मनांस्यवस्थितः ।
अतो न तस्मादपरोऽस्ति वेदिता परोऽपि तस्मादत एक ईश्वरः ॥
44. As the minds of all embodied beings are per-
vaded by the Self as Consciousness which is Its nature
like the ether ¹ there is neither a lower ² nor a higher ³
knower other than Itself. So, there is one non-dual
universal Self ⁴ only.
शरीरबुद्ध्योर्यदि चान्यदृश्यता निरात्मवादाः सुनिराकृता मया ।
परश्च शुद्धो ह्यविशुद्धिकर्मतः सुनिर्मलः सर्वगतोऽसितोऽद्वयः ॥
45. The doctrine ⁵ that there is no Self has been well
refuted by me as the gross and the subtle bodies are
illumined by one ⁶ different from them. It ⁶ is un-
alloyed with actions ⁷ that cause impurity and beyond
them. It is very pure, all-pervading, free from bondage
and without a second.
घटादिरूपं यदि तेन गृह्यते मनः प्रवृत्तं बहुधा स्ववृत्तिभिः ।
अशुद्धयचिद्रूपविकारदोषता मतेर्यथा वारयितुं न पार्यते ॥ ४६ ॥
¹ Which pervades jars etc. ² The individual Self. ³ Iswara the
creator, preserver and the destroyer of the universe. ⁴ Pure Con-
sciousness.
⁵ It stands for the doctrines that the Self is a void, that It is
momentary and so on. ⁶ The Self. ⁷ I.e., sin and virtue.

43-48] DREAM AND MEMORY 149
46. If, according to you, the mind which assumes
various forms like those of jars and other things through
its modifications be not illumined (by the Self) the
defects in It, in the forms of impurity, non-consciousness
and change, cannot be prevented like those in the mind.
[If one does not accept that the Self is the witness of
the mind and, therefore, unattached to it it is inevitable
that the defects of the mind will tarnish the Self.
Liberation becomes impossible in that case.]
यथा विशुद्धं गगनं निरन्तरं न सज्जते नापि च लिप्यते तथा ।
समस्तभूतेषु सदैव तेष्वयं समः सदात्मा ह्यजरोऽमरोभयः ॥४७॥
47. Just as the pure and limitless ether does not get
attached nor tainted, so, the Self is always the same in
all beings and free from old age, death and fear.
अमूर्तमूर्तानि च कर्मवासना दृशिस्वरूपस्य बहिः प्रकल्पिताः ।
अविद्यया ह्यात्मनि मूढदृष्टिभिरपोह्य नेतीत्यवशेषितो दृशिः ॥४८॥
48. The elements¹ with and without forms and the
seat² of desires, superimposed through delusion by
ignorant people on the Self, are thrown³ out of It which
consists of Consciousness only on the authority of the
Vedic evidence, ‘Not this, not this’. The Self alone is
then left over.
[In this verse the whole of the gross and the subtle
universes are negated from the Self.]
¹ The gross body consisting of the five elements. See Br. U.,
2. 3. 1—4. ² The subtle body. See Br. U., 2. 3. 5. 6.
³ I.e., negated from It.

150 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XIV
प्रबोधरूपं मनसोऽर्थयोगजं स्मृतौ च सुप्तस्य च दृश्यतोऽर्थवत् ।
तथैव देहप्रतिमानतः पृथग्दृशेः शरीरं च मनश्च दृश्यतः ॥ ४९ ॥
49. The impressions arising on account of the contact
of the mind with the objects known in the waking
state are perceived like objects ¹ in memory and dream.
So the body, the mind and their impressions ² are
different from the Self as they are objects of perception.³
स्वभावशुद्धे गगने घनादिके मलेऽपयाते सति चाविशेषता ।
यथाच, तद्वच्छ्रुतिवारितद्वये सदाऽविशेषो गगनोपमे दृशौ ॥५०॥
50. Just as impurities like clouds etc. do not produce
any alteration in the naturally pure ether by their ap-
pearance or disappearance; so, there is never any
alteration in the ether-like Consciousness free from
duality negated by the Sruti.
¹ I.e. like those in the waking state. ² Br. U., 2. 3. 6.
³ The meaning is this : as they are objects of perception the
body etc. are unreal like dream objects.

नान्यदन्यत्प्रकरणम् ॥ १५ ॥
CHAPTER XV
IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER
नान्यदन्यद्भवद्यस्मान्नान्यत्किंचिद्विचिन्तयेत् ।
अन्यस्यान्यत्वभावे हि नाशस्तस्य ध्रुवो भवेत् ॥ १ ॥

1. As one cannot become another one should not
   consider Brahman to be different from oneself. For if
   one becomes another one is sure to be destroyed.
   [The idea is this : The individual Self, if considered
   to be really different from Brahman, cannot become
   Brahman as long as it exists ; and if it were destroyed
   who would then become Brahman ? Therefore one
   should know that one is not different from It and It is
   not different from one.]
   स्मरतो दृश्यते दृष्टं पटे चित्रमिवार्पितम् ।
   यत्र येन च तौ ज्ञेयौ सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञसंज्ञकौ ॥ २ ॥
2. Things seen (in the waking state) are seen like
   a picture painted on a canvas when one remembers
   them. Those by and in which they are so seen are
   (respectively) known to be the individual Self and the
   intellect.

152 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XV
फलान्तं चानुभूतं यद्युतं कत्रादिकारकैः ।
स्मर्यमाणं हि कर्मस्थं पूर्व कर्मेव तच्चितः ॥ ३ ॥
3. What is perceived to be connected with kârakas¹
and entailing results² is (found to be) in the (category of)
objects when it is remembered. The seat,³ therefore,
(in which it was perceived before) was an object⁴ of
Consciousness.
द्रष्टुश्चान्यद्भवेद्दृश्यं दृश्यत्वाद्वटवत्सदा ।
दृश्याद्द्रष्टाऽसजातीयो न धीवत्साक्षितान्यथा ॥ ४ ॥
4. The seen (e. g., the intellect) is always different
from the seer as it is an object of knowledge like a jar.
The seer is of a nature different from that of the seen.
Otherwise the seer would be devoid of the nature of
being the witness like the intellect.
स्वात्मबुद्धिमपेक्ष्यासौ विधीनां स्यात्प्रयोजकः ।
जात्यादिः शववत्तेन तद्भानानात्मतान्यथा ॥ ५ ॥
5. When they are considered to be one's own, caste
etc. become the cause of injunctions like a dead⁵ body.
They do not, therefore, belong to the Self.⁶ The Self
would otherwise⁷ become the non-Self.
¹ (In grammar) the relation subsisting between a noun and a verb
in a sentence (or between a noun and other words governing it).
² Pleasure and pain. ³ The intellect. ⁴ See verse 1, Chapter 14.
⁵ A dead body thought to be one's father or mother becomes the
cause of being cremated by sons and others.
⁶ Like the dead body which is no longer a father or a mother.
⁷ If caste etc., were regarded as belonging to the Self.

3-9] IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER 153
न प्रियाप्रिय इत्युक्तेर्नादेहत्वं क्रियाफलम् ।
देहयोगः क्रियाहेतुस्तस्माद्विद्वान्क्रियास्त्यजेत् ॥ ६ ॥
6. As it is said (in the Sruti,¹) 'pleasure and pain
(do not touch one who is bodiless²)', Bodilessness³ is
not the result of actions. The cause⁴ of our connection
with a body is action. Therefore an aspirant after
knowledge should renounce actions.
कर्मस्वात्मा स्वतन्त्रश्चेन्निवृत्तौ च तथेष्यताम् ।
अदेहत्वे फलेऽकार्ये ज्ञाते कुर्यात्कथं क्रियाः ॥ ७ ॥
7. If the Self is considered to be independent with
regard to the performance of actions, It must be so with
regard to their renunciation also. Why should, there-
fore, one perform actions when the result⁵ is known to
be Bodilessness⁵ which cannot be produced by actions ?
जात्यादीन्संपरित्यज्य निमित्तं कर्मणां बुधः ।
कर्महेतुविरुद्धं यत्स्वरूपं शास्त्रतः स्मरेत् ॥ ८ ॥
8. After giving up caste etc. which are the causes
of duties a wise man should (constantly) remember
from the scriptures his own real nature which⁶ is in-
compatible with causes⁷ of duties.
आत्मैकः सर्वभूतेषु तानि तस्मिंश्च खे यथा ।
पर्यगाद्व्योमवत्सर्वं शुक्रं दीप्तिमदिष्यते ॥ ९ ॥
¹ Chh. U., 8. 12. 1. ² I.e., liberated even in life. ³ Liberation.
⁴ See verse 3, Chap. 1, Part II. ⁵ Liberation.
⁶ When known. ⁷ Caste etc., due to ignorance of the Self.

154 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XV
9. The one and the same Self is in all beings and
they are in It just as all beings are in the ether. As by
the ether, everything is pervaded by the Self which is
considered to be pure and consisting of the Light of
Pure Consciousness.
व्रणस्नाव्योरभावेन स्थूलं देहं निवारयेत् ।
शुद्धापापतयालेपं लिङ्गं चाकायमित्युत ॥ १० ॥
10. By negating wounds and sinews the Sruti¹
negates the gross body (from the Self). Being pure and
free from sin and virtue the Self is free (from all the
impressions of pain and pleasure). The Sruti¹ again
discards the subtle body by calling the Self bodiless.
वासुदेवो यथाश्वत्थे स्वदेहे चाब्रवीत्समम् ।
तद्वद्वेत्ति य आत्मानं समं स ब्रह्मवित्तमः ॥ ११ ॥
11. One Knowing the Self to be the same (every-
where) like Vâsudeva² who speaks of the same Self
residing in a pipal³ tree and in his own body is the best
of the knowers of Brahman.
यथा ह्यन्यशरीरेषु ममाहन्ता न चेष्यते ।
अस्मिंश्चापि तथा देहे धीसाक्षित्वाविशेषतः ॥ १२ ॥
12. Just as the ideas of 'me' and 'mine' are not
thought to exist in other bodies, so, also they do not
exist in one's own. For the Self is the common witness
of all intellects.
¹ Îsh. U., 8. ² Sri Krishna. ³ Bh. Gîtâ, 10. 26.

9-16] IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER 155
रूपसंस्कारतुल्याधी रागद्वेषौ भयं च यत् ।
गृह्यते धीश्रयं तस्माज्ज्ञाता शुद्धोऽभयः सदा ॥ १३ ॥
13. Desire, aversion and fear have a seat¹ common
with that of the impressions of colours. As they have
for their seat the intellect the knower, the Self is
always pure ² and devoid of fear.
यन्मनास्तन्मयोऽन्यत्वे नात्मत्वाप्तौ क्रियात्मनि ।
आत्मत्वे चानपेक्षत्वात्सापेक्षं हि न तत्स्वयम् ॥ १४ ॥
14. The meditator assumes the form of the object
meditated upon ; for the latter is different from the former ;
(but) there can be no such actions³ in the Self for Its
establishment in Itself as It is the self and independent
of actions. For It would not be the Self if It⁴ depend-
ed on actions.
खमिवैकरसा ज्ञप्तिरविभक्ताजराऽमला ।
चक्षुराद्युपधानात्सा विपरीता विभाव्यते ॥ १५ ॥
15. Pure Consciousness, like the ether,⁵ is of one
homogeneous nature, undivided, without old age and
without impurity. It is conceived to be of a contrary
nature on account of adjuncts such as, the eye etc.
दृश्यत्वादहमित्येष नात्मधर्मो घटादिवत् ।
तथान्ये प्रत्यया ज्ञेया दोषाश्चात्माऽमलो ह्यतः ॥ १६ ॥
¹ The intellect and not the Self.
² Free from desire and aversion. ³ like meditation etc.
⁴ Liberation which is of the nature of the Self.
⁵ 'Nirnayasàgar' and 'Lotus Library' texts read स्वम् ।

156 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XV
16. What is called the ego is not the property of the
Self as it is an object of perception like jars and other
things. So are to be known the other functions and
the impurities¹ of the mind. The Self, therefore, is
without any impurity.
सर्वप्रत्ययसाक्षित्वादविकारी च सर्वगः ।
विक्रियेत यदि द्रष्टा बुद्ध्यादीवाल्पविद्भवेत् ॥ १७ ॥
17. The Self is changeless and all-pervading on
account of Its being the witness of all the functions of
the mind. It would be of limited knowledge like the
intellect etc. if It were subject to change.²
न दृष्टिर्लुप्यते द्रष्टुश्चक्षुरादेर्यथैव तत् ।
नहि द्रष्टुरिति ह्युक्तं तस्माद्द्रष्टा सदैकदृक् ॥ १८ ॥
18. Unlike the knowledge gained through the eye
etc. the Knowledge³ of the Knower does not cease
to exist. It is said that, 'the Knowledge³ of the
Knower does not go out of existence'. The Knower,
therefore, is always of the homogeneous nature of
Knowledge.³
संघातॊ वास्मि भूतानां करणानां तथैव च ।
व्यस्तं वान्यतमो वास्मि को वास्मीति विचारयेत् ॥ १९ ॥
19. One should discriminate thus : Who am I ? Am
I a combination of the elements or the senses, or am I
any one of them separately ?⁴
¹ These stand for all the qualities of the mind, good and bad.
² Verses 157, 158, Chap 18. ³ Pure Consciousness.
⁴ Br. U., 4. 3. 23.

16-23] IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER 157
व्यस्तं नाहं समस्तं वा भूतमिन्द्रियमेव वा ।
ज्ञेयत्वात्करणत्वाच्च ज्ञातान्योऽस्माद्घटादिवत् ॥ २० ॥
20. I am not any one of the elements separately nor
their aggregate; similarly, I am not any one of the
senses nor their aggregate; for they are objects (like
jars etc.) and instruments (like axes etc.) of knowledge
respectively. The knower is different from all these.
आत्माग्नेरिन्धना बुद्धिरविद्याकामकर्मभिः ।
दीपिता प्रज्वलत्येषा द्वारैः श्रोत्रादिभिः सदा ॥ २१ ॥
21. (Placed¹) like fuel² in the fire of the Self and
burning brightly by Ignorance, desire and action the
intellect always shines forth through the doors called
ears etc.
दक्षिणाक्षिप्रधानेषु यदा बुद्धिविचेष्टते ।
विषयैर्हविषा दीप्ता ह्यात्माग्निः स्थूलभुत्तदा ॥ २२ ॥
22. The fire of the Self is the experiencer of gross
objects (in the waking state) when the intellect, ignited³
by oblations, the objects function among the senses of
which the right⁴ eye is the chief.
हूयन्ते तु हवींषीति रूपादिग्रहणे स्मरन् ।
अरागद्वेष आत्माग्नौ जाग्रद्दोषैर्न लिप्यते ॥ २३ ॥
¹ One gets unattached if one considers the perceptions of objects
to be oblations to the fire of the Self. ² Fuel keeps fire burning.
The intellect keeps the Self in manifestation.
³ Assuming the forms of. ⁴ For it is well-known that the
right part of the body is superior to the left.

158 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XV
23. One does not get attached to the impurities of
the waking state if, at the time of perceiving colours etc.,
one remembers that oblations are being offered to the
fire of the Self¹ and remains free from desire and
aversion.
मानसे तु गृहे व्यक्तः सोऽविद्याकर्मवासनाम् ।
पश्यंस्तैजस आत्मोक्तः स्वयंज्योतिः प्रकाशिता ॥ २४ ॥
24. Manifested in the abode of (the modifications of)
the mind (in dream) and witnessing the impressions
produced by actions² due to Ignorance the Self is called
Taijasa.³ It is then the self-effulgent witness.
विषया वासना वापि चोद्यन्ते नैव कर्मभिः ।
यदा बुद्धौ, तदा ज्ञेयः प्राज्ञ आत्मा ह्यनन्यदृक् ॥ २५ ॥
25. (In deep sleep) when neither objects nor their
impressions are produced in the intellect by actions the
Self, cognizant neither of objects nor of their impres-
sions, is known to be Prâjna.⁴
मनोबुद्धीन्द्रियाणां या अवस्थाः कर्मचोदिताः ।
चैतन्येनैव भास्यन्ते रविणेव घटादयः ॥ २६ ॥
26. The conditions of the mind,⁵ the intellect⁶ and
the senses,⁷ produced by actions are illumined by Pure
Consciousness like jars and other things by the sun.
¹ Footnote 1, verse 21 above. ² All actions are due to Ignorance.
³ I.e., manifested with regard to objects consisting of impressions
only. ⁴ I.e., one of unlimited knowledge. ⁵ I.e., the dream
state.—Râmtîrtha. ⁶ I.e. the state of sleep.—Râmtîrtha.
⁷ I.e., the waking state.—Râmtîrtha.

23-30] IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER 159
तत्रैवंसति बुद्धीर्ज्ञ आत्मभासावभासयन् ।
कर्ता तासां यदर्थास्ता मूढैरेवाभिधीयते ॥ २७ ॥
27. As it is so, illumining by Its Light the mental
functions¹ existing for It, the Self is regarded by the
ignorant only as an agent of those functions.
सर्वज्ञोऽप्यत एव स्यात्स्वेन भासावभासयन् ।
सर्वं, सर्वक्रियाहेतोः सर्वकृत्त्वं तथात्मनः ॥ २८ ॥
28. Therefore, also illumining everything by Its own
Light the Self is considered to be all-knowing. Simi-
larly, It is regarded as the Accomplisher of everything
as It is the Cause² of all actions.
सोपाधिश्चैवमात्मोक्तो, निरुपाख्योऽनुपाधिकः ।
निष्कलो निर्गुणः शुद्धस्तं मनो वाक् च नाप्नुतः ॥ २९ ॥
चेतनोऽचेतनो वापि कर्ताऽकर्ता गतोऽगतः ।
बद्धो मुक्तस्तथा चैकोऽनेकः शुद्धोऽन्यथेति वा ॥ ३० ॥
29, 30. The Self with adjuncts is thus described,
(But) It is without adjuncts, indescribable, without parts,
without qualities and pure, which the mind and speech
do not reach. (For philosophers differ in their concep-
tions about the Self. Different conceptions are :) the
Self is (1) conscious, (2) non-conscious, (3) an agent,
(4) a non-agent, (5) all-pervading, (6) not all-pervading,
¹ Through which pleasure and pain are superimposed on the Self.
² By Its proximity only.