उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 25

कित्सा ’ इत्यादिश्रुतेः बुद्धावेव । तत्रैव रूपादिसंस्कारादयोऽपि,
‘कस्मिन्नु रूपाणि प्रतिष्ठितानीति हृदये’ इति श्रुतेः । ‘कामा
येऽस्य हृदि श्रिताः ’, ‘तीर्णो हि तदा सर्वान् शोकान् हृद-
यस्य’, ‘असङ्गो ह्ययम्’, ‘तद्वा अस्यैतदतिच्छन्दाः ’ इत्यादि-
श्रुतिभ्यः, ‘अविकार्योऽयमुच्यते’, ‘अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात् ’
इत्यादि इच्छाद्वेषादि च क्षेत्रस्यैव विषयस्य धर्मो नात्मन इति
स्मृतिभ्यश्च कर्मस्थैवाशुद्धिः नात्मस्था इति ॥ ३६ ॥

36. ‘“What is then the locus of the impressions of
    colours and the rest ?” ‘The same as that of lust etc.’
    ‘Where again are lust etc. ?’ They are in the intellect
    (and no where else) according to the Sruti,¹ ‘lust, deli-
    beration, doubt.’ The impressions of colours and so
    forth are also there (and nowhere else) according to the
    Sruti, ‘what ² is the seat of colours ? The intellect.’
    That desire, aversion and the like are the attributes of
    the embodiment, the object and not of the Self, is known
    from the Srutis, ‘Desires ³ that are in the intellect,’ ‘For ⁴
    he is then beyond all the woes of his heart (intellect) ’,
    ‘Because ⁵ It is unattached,’ and ‘Its ⁶ form untouched by
    desires ’ and also from Smritis such as ‘It ⁷ is said to be
    changeless,’ ‘Because ⁸ It is beginningless and without
    attributes’ and so on. Therefore (it is concluded that)
    impurity pertains to the object and not to the Self.

अतो रूपादिसंस्काराद्यशुद्धिसंबन्धाभावात् न परस्मादात्मनो
विलक्षणस्त्वमिति प्रत्यक्षादिविरोधाभावात् युक्तं पर एवात्माऽह-

¹ Br. U., 1. 5. 3.    ² Br. U., 3. 9. 20.    ³ Br. U., 4. 4. 7.
⁴ Br. U., 4. 3. 22.    ⁵ Br. U., 4. 3. 16.    ⁶ Br. U., 4. 3. 21.
⁷ Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 25.    ⁸ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 31.

26 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
मिति प्रतिपत्तुम्—'तदात्मानमेवावेदहं ब्रह्मास्मि', 'एकधैवानु-
द्रष्टव्यम्', 'अहमेवाधस्तात्', 'आत्मैवाधस्तात्', 'सर्वमा-
त्मानं पश्यति', 'यत्र त्वस्य सर्वमात्मैव', 'इदं सर्वं यदयमा-
त्मा', 'स एषोऽकलः', 'अनन्तरमबाह्यम्', 'सबाह्याभ्यन्तरो
ह्यजः', 'ब्रह्मैवेदम्', 'एतया द्वारा प्रापद्यत', 'प्रज्ञानस्य
नामधेयानि', 'सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म', 'तस्माद्वा', 'तत्सृष्ट्वा
तदेवानुप्राविशत्', 'एको देवः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः सर्वव्यापी',
'अशरीरं शरीरेषु', 'न जायते म्रियते', 'स्वप्नान्तं जागरिता-
न्तम्', 'स म आत्मेति विद्यात्', 'यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि',
'तदेजति तन्नैजति', 'वेनस्तत्पश्यन्', 'तदेवाग्निः', 'अहं
मनुरभवं सूर्यश्च', 'अन्तः प्रविष्टः शास्ता जनानाम्', 'सदेव
सोम्य', 'तत्सत्यं स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि' इत्यादिश्श्रुतिभ्यः ॥३७॥
स्मृतिभ्यश्च—'पूः प्राणिनः सर्वगुहाशयस्य', 'आत्मैव देव-
ताः', 'नवद्वारे पुरे', 'समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु', 'विद्याविनयसंपन्ने',
'अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु', 'वासुदेवः सर्वम्' इत्यादिभ्यः एक
एवात्मा परं ब्रह्म सर्वसंसारधर्मविनिर्मुक्तस्त्वमिति सिद्धम् ॥३८॥
37, 38. "Therefore you are not different from the
supreme Self inasmuch as you are devoid of impurities
such as the connection with the impressions of colours
and the like. As there is no contradiction to percep-
tional evidence etc. the supreme Self should be accepted
as oneself according to the Srutis, 'It ¹ knew the pure
Self to be Brahman,' 'It ² should be regarded as homo-
geneous,' 'It ³ is I that am below,' 'It ⁴ is the Self that is
below,' 'He ⁵ knows everything to be the Self,' 'When ⁶
¹ Br. U., 1. 4. 10. ² Br. U., 4. 4. 20 ³ Chh. U., 7. 25. 1.
⁴ Chh. U., 7. 25. 2. ⁵ Br. U., 4. 4. 23. ⁶ Br. U., 2. 4. 14.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 27
everything becomes the Self,' 'All¹ this verily is the
Self,' 'He² is without parts,' 'Without³ the interior
and exterior,' 'Unborn,⁴ comprising the interior and
exterior,' 'All⁵ this verily is Brahman,' 'It⁶ entered
through this door,' 'The⁷ names of pure knowledge,'
'Existence,⁸ Knowledge, Infinite Brahman,' 'From⁹
It,' 'It¹⁰ created and entered it,' 'The¹¹ shining One
without a second, concealed in all beings and all-pervad-
ing,' 'In¹² all bodies Itself bodiless,' 'It¹³ is not born
and does not die,' '(Knowing,) dream¹⁴ and waking,'
'He¹⁵ is my Self, thus one should know,' 'Who¹⁶
(knows) all beings,' 'It¹⁷ moves and moves not,' 'know-
ing¹⁸ It, one becomes worthy of being worshipped,'
'It¹⁹ and nothing but It is fire,' 'I²⁰ became Manu and
the sun,' 'Entering²¹ into them He rules all creatures,'
'Existence²² only, my child' and 'That²³ is real, That
is the Self, thou art That.'
"It is established that you, the Self, are the supreme
Brahman, the One only and devoid of every pheno-
menal attribute from the Smritis also such as, 'All²⁴
beings are the body of One who resides in the hearts of
all,' 'Gods²⁵ are verily the Self,' 'In²⁶ the city of nine
gates,' 'The²⁷ same in all beings,' 'In²⁸ a Brâhmaṇa
¹ Br. U., 2. 4. 6. ² Pra. U., 6. 5. ³ Br. U., 2. 5. 19.
⁴ Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ⁵ Mu. U., 2. 2. 11. ⁶ Ai. U., 1, 3. 12.
⁷ Ai. U., 3. 1. 2. ⁸ Tai. U., 2. 1. 1. ⁹ Tai. U., 2. 1, 1.
¹⁰ Tai., U., 2. 1. 6 ¹¹ Sw. U., 6. 11. ¹² Kath. U., 2. 22.
¹³ Kath. U., 2. 18. ¹⁴ Kath. U., 2. 1. 4. ¹⁵ Kaushîtak. U., III. 8.
¹⁶ Îsh. U., 6. ¹⁷ Îsh. U., 5. ¹⁸ M. N. U., 2. 3.
¹⁹ T. Â., 10. 1. ²⁰ Br. U., 1. 4. 10. ²¹ T. Â., 3. 11. 1. 2.
²² Chh. U., 6. 2. 1. ²³ Chh. U., 6. 8. 7. ²⁴ Âpastamba Dharma
²⁵ Manu, XII. 119. ²⁶ Bh. Gîtâ, 5. 13. Sûtra 1. 8. 22.
²⁷ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 27. ²⁸ Bh. Gîtâ, 5. 18.

28 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
wise and courteous', 'Undivided ¹ in things divided'
and 'All ² this verily is Vâsudeva (the Self).' "
स यदि ब्रूयात्—यदि भगवन् 'अनन्तरोऽबाह्यः', 'सबाह्या-
भ्यन्तरो ह्यजः', 'कृत्स्नः', 'प्रज्ञानघन एव' सैन्धवघनवदात्मा
सर्वमूर्तिभेदवर्जितः आकाशवदेकरसः, तर्हि किमिदं दृश्यते श्रूयते
वा साध्यं साधनं वा साधकश्चेति श्रुतिस्मृतिलोकप्रसिद्धं वादि-
शतविप्रतिपत्तिविषय इति ॥ ३९ ॥
39. If he says "If, Sir, the Self is 'Without ³ interior
or exterior,' 'Comprising ⁴ the interior and exterior, un-
born,' 'Whole,' 'Pure consciousness only' like a lump of
salt, devoid of all the various forms, and of a homoge-
neous nature like the ether, what is it that is observed in
ordinary usage and revealed in Śrutis and Smritis as
what is to be accomplished, its (appropriate) means
and its accomplishers, and is made the subject-matter
of contention among hundreds of rival disputants hold-
ing different views?"
आचार्यो ब्रूयात्—अविद्याकृतमेतद्यदिदं दृश्यते श्रूयते वा,
परमार्थतस्त्वेक एवात्मा अविद्यादृष्टेः अनेकवत् आभासते, तिमि-
रदृष्ट्या अनेकचन्द्रवत् । 'यत्र वा अन्यदिव स्यात्', 'यत्र हि
द्वैतमिव भवति तदितर इतरं पश्यति', 'मृत्योः स मृत्युमा-
प्नोति', 'अथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यति अन्यच्छृणोति अन्यद्विजानाति
तदल्पम्, अथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्यमिति', 'वाचारम्भणं विकारो
नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्', 'अन्योऽसावन्योऽहम्' इति भेद-
¹ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 16. ² Bh. Gîtâ, 7. 19.
³ Br. U., 2. 5. 19. ⁴ Mu. U., 2. 1. 2.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 29
दर्शननिन्दोपपत्तेरविद्याकृतं द्वैतम् ‘एकमेवाद्वितीयम्’, ‘यत्र
त्वस्य’, ‘तत्र को मोहः कः शोकः’ इत्याद्येकत्वविधिश्रुति-
भ्यश्चेति ॥ ४० ॥
40. The teacher should say “Whatever is observed
(in this world) or learnt from the Srutis (regarding the
next world) are products of Ignorance. But in reality
there is only One, the Self who appears to be many to
deluded vision, like the moon appearing to be more than
one to eyes affected by amaurosis. That duality is the
product of Ignorance follows from the reasonableness
of the condemnation by the Srutis of the acceptance of
(the reality of) difference such as, ‘When¹ there is
something else as it were,’ ‘When² there is duality
as it were, one sees another,’ ‘He³ goes from death
to death,’ ‘And⁴ where one sees something else,
hears something else, cognizes something else, that
is finite, and that which is finite is mortal,’ ‘Modifica-
tions⁵ (i.e., effects e.g., earthen jars) being only
names, have for their support words only, it is earth
alone (i.e., the cause) that is real’ and ‘He⁶ is one, I am
another.’ The same thing follows from the Srutis teach-
ing unity, for example, ‘One⁷ only without a second,’
‘When⁸ the knower of Brahman’ and ‘What⁹ delusion
or grief is there?’”
यद्येवं भगवन्, किमर्थं श्रुत्या साध्यसाधनादिभेद उच्यते
उत्पत्तिः प्रलयश्चेति ॥ ४१ ॥
¹ Br. U., 4. 3. 31. ² Br. U., 2. 4. 14. ³ Br. U., 4. 4. 19.
⁴ Chh. U., 7. 24. 1. ⁵ Chh. U., 6. 1. 4. ⁶ Br. U., 1. 4. 10.
⁷ Chh. U., 6. 2. 1. ⁸ Br. U., 4. 5. 15. ⁹ Îsh. U., 7.

30 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
41. “If it be so, Sir, why do the Srutis speak of
diverse ends to be attained, their means, and so forth, as
also the evolution and the dissolution of the universe ? ”
अत्रोच्यते—अविद्यावत उपात्तशरीरादिभेदस्य इष्टानिष्टयोगि-
नमात्मानं मन्यमानस्य साधनैरेवेष्टानिष्टप्राप्तिपरिहारोपायविवेकम्-
जानतः इष्टप्राप्तिं चानिष्टपरिहारं चेच्छतः शनैस्तद्विषयमज्ञानं
निवर्तयितुं शास्त्रं न साध्यसाधनादिभेदं विधत्ते । अनिष्टरूपः
संसारो हि स इति तद्भेददृष्टिमेवाविद्यां संसारमुन्मूलयति उत्पत्ति-
प्रलयाद्येकत्वोपपत्तिप्रदर्शनेन ॥ ४२ ॥
42. “The answer to your question is this : Having
acquired (i.e. having identified himself with) the various
things such as the body etc. and considering the
Self to be connected with what is desirable and what is
undesirable and so on, though eager to attain the desir-
able and avoid the undesirable by appropriate means—
for without certain means nothing can be accomplished—
an ignorant man cannot discriminate between the means
to the realisation of what is (really ¹) desirable for him
and the means to the avoidance of what is undesirable.
It is the gradual removal ² of this ignorance that is the aim
of the scriptures ; but not the enunciation of (the reality
of) the difference of the end, means and so on. For it
is this very difference that constitutes this undesirable
transmigratory existence. The scriptures, therefore,
root out the ignorance constituting this (false) conception
of difference which is the cause of phenomenal existence
¹ Self-knowledge. ² Through the injunction of meritorious
actions for the purification of the mind.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 31
by giving reasons for the oneness ¹ of the evolution,
dissolution, etc. of the universe.
अविद्यायामुन्मूलितायां श्रुतिस्मृतिन्यायेभ्यः अनन्तरमबा-
ह्यम्, सबाह्याभ्यन्तरो ह्यजः, सैन्धवघनवत् प्रज्ञानघन एवैक
आत्मा, आकाशवत्परिपूर्णः इत्यत्रैव एका प्रज्ञाप्रतिष्ठा परमार्थ-
दर्शिनो भवति, न साध्यसाधनोत्पत्तिप्रलयादिभेदेन अशुद्धिगन्धो-
ऽप्युपपद्यते ॥ ४३ ॥
43. "When ignorance is uprooted with the aid of
the Śruti, Smriti and reasoning the one-pointed ² intellect
of the seer of the supreme Truth becomes established ³
in the one Self consisting of pure Consciousness like a
(homogeneous) lump of salt and all-pervading ⁴ like the
ether, which is within and without, without the interior or
exterior and unborn. Even the slightest taint of impurity
due to the diversity of ends, means, evolution, dissolu-
tion and the rest is, therefore, not reasonable.
तच्चैतत् परमार्थदर्शनं प्रतिपत्तुमिच्छता वर्णाश्रमाद्यभिमान-
कृतपाङ्क्तरूपपुत्रवित्तलोकैषणादिभ्यो व्युत्थानं कर्तव्यम् । सम्य-
क्प्रत्ययविरोधात्तदभिमानस्य भेददर्शनप्रतिषेधार्थोपपत्तिश्चोपपद्यते ।
नह्येकस्मिन्नात्मन्यसंसारित्वबुद्धौ शास्त्रन्यायोत्पादितायां तद्वि-
परीता बुद्धिर्भवति । नह्यग्नौ शीतत्वबुद्धिः, शरीरे वा अज-
रामरणबुद्धिः । तस्मादविद्याकार्यत्वात् सर्वकर्मणां तत्साधनानां
च यज्ञोपवीतादीनां परमार्थदर्शननिष्ठेन त्यागः कर्तव्यः ॥ ४४ ॥
¹ By showing that the universe is not different from Brahman.
² Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 41. ³ Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 55.
⁴ Just as a rope pervades the snake mistaken for it.

32 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
44. "One, eager to realize this right Knowledge
spoken of in the Sruti, should rise above the desire
for a son, wealth and this ¹ world and the next which
are described in a five-fold ² manner and are the outcome
of a false reference to the Self of castes, orders of life
and so on. As this reference is contradictory to right
Knowledge it is intelligible why reasons are given ³
regarding the prohibition of the acceptance of (the reality
of) difference. For when the Knowledge that the one
non-dual Self is beyond phenomenal existence is
generated by the scriptures and reasoning there cannot
exist (side by side with it) a knowledge contrary to it.
None can think of chillness in fire or immortality and
freedom from old age in regard to the (perishable) body.
One, therefore, who is eager to be established in the
Knowledge of the Reality should give up all actions ⁴
with yajnopavīta and the rest, their accessories, which
are the effects of ignorance."
HERE ENDS A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE
¹ See foot-notes 1 and 2 on para 2 above.
² Br. U., 1. 4. 17. ³ by the Srutis.
⁴ Obligatory daily duties enjoined by the Vedas occasional rites,
rites performed for some particular object and with a view to future
fruition and actions prohibited by the Vedas.

कूटस्थाद्वयात्मबोधप्रकरणम् ॥ २ ॥
CHAPTER II
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS
AND NON-DUAL SELF
सुखमासीनं ब्राह्मणं ब्रह्मनिष्ठं कश्चिद्ब्रह्मचारी जन्ममरणलक्ष-
णात् संसारात् निर्विण्णो मुमुक्षुः विधिवदुपसन्नः पप्रच्छ—
भगवन्, कथमहं संसारान्मोक्षिष्ये ? शरीरेन्द्रियविषयवेदनावान्
जागरिते दुःखमनुभवामि, तथा स्वप्नेऽनुभवामि पुनः पुनः सुषुप्ति-
प्रतिपत्त्या विश्रम्य विश्रम्य । किमयमेव मम स्वभावः, किं वा
अन्यस्वभावस्य सतो नैमित्तिक इति । यदि स्वभावः, न मे
मोक्षाशा, स्वभावस्यावर्जनीयत्वात् । अथ नैमित्तिकः, निमित्त-
परिहारे स्यान्मोक्षोपपत्तिः ॥ ४५ ॥
45. A certain Brahmachârin,¹ tired of the transmigra-
tory existence consisting of birth and death and aspiring
after liberation, approached in the prescribed manner²
a Knower of Brahman established in It and sitting at
ease and said, " How can I, Sir, be liberated from this
¹ One belonging to the first of the four orders of life, a student.
² Bh. Gîtâ, 4. 34.
3

34 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
transmigratory existence ? Conscious of the body, the
senses and their objects I feel pain in the state of
waking and also in dream again and again after
intervals of rest in deep sleep experienced by me.
Is this my own nature or is it causal, I being of a
different nature ? If it be my own nature I can have no
hope of liberation as one's own nature cannot be got
rid of. But if it be causal, liberation from it may be
possible by removing the cause."
तं गुरुरुवाच—शृणु वत्स, न तवायं स्वभावः । किंतु
नैमित्तिकः ॥ ४६ ॥
46. The teacher said to him, "Listen, my child, it
is not your nature but causal."
इति उक्तः शिष्य उवाच—किं निमित्तं, किं वा तस्य निवर्तकम्,
को वा मम स्वभावः, यस्मिन्निमित्ते निवर्तिते नैमित्तिकाभावः,
रोगनिमित्तनिवृत्ताविव रोगी स्वभावं प्रपद्येयेति ॥ ४७ ॥
47. Told thus the disciple said, "What is the cause,
what will bring it to an end and what is my nature ?
That cause being brought to an end, there will be the
absence of the effect, and I shall come by my own
nature, just like a patient who gets back the normal
condition (of his health) when the cause of his disease
is removed."
गुरुरुवाच—अविद्या निमित्तं, विद्या तस्य निवर्तिका, अवि-
द्यायां निवृत्तायां तन्निमित्ताभावात् मोक्ष्यसे जन्ममरणलक्षणात्,
स्वप्नजाग्रद्दुःखं च नानुभविष्यसीति ॥ ४८ ॥

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 35
48. The teacher said, “The cause is Ignorance.
Knowledge brings it to an end. When Ignorance, the
cause, will be removed you will be liberated from the
transmigratory existence consisting of birth and death.
You will never again feel pain ¹ in the states of waking
and dream.”
शिष्य उवाच—का सा अविद्या, किंविषया वा, विद्या च
का यया स्वभावं प्रतिपद्येयेति ॥ ४९ ॥
49. The disciple said, “What is that Ignorance ?
(what is its seat ? ²) and what is its object ? ² What is
Knowledge by means of which I may come by my own
nature ? ”
गुरुरुवाच—त्वं परमात्मानं सन्तं असंसारिणं संसार्यहम-
स्मीति विपरीतं प्रतिपद्यसे, अकर्त्तारं सन्तं कर्त्तेति, अभोक्तारं
सन्तं भोक्तेति, विद्यमानं च अविद्यमानमिति, इयमविद्या ॥५०॥
50. The teacher said, “You are the non-transmigra-
tory Supreme Self, but you wrongly think that you are
one liable to transmigration. (Similarly), not being an
agent or an experiencer you wrongly consider yourself
to be so. Again, you are eternal but mistake yourself
to be non-eternal. This is Ignorance.”
शिष्य उवाच—यद्यप्यहं विद्यमानः तथापि न परमात्मा ।
कर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वलक्षणः संसारो मम स्वभावः, प्रत्यक्षादिभिः प्रमाणैः
¹ As real and pertaining to the Self.
² The seat and the object of Ignorance is Pure Consciousness, the
Self.

36 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
अनुभूयमानत्वात्; न अविद्यानिमित्तः, अविद्यायाः स्वात्म-
विषयत्वानुपपत्तेः । अविद्या नाम अन्यस्मिन् अन्यधर्माध्यारो-
पणा—यथा प्रसिद्धं रजतं प्रसिद्धायां शुक्तिकायां, यथा प्रसिद्धं
पुरुषं स्थाणावध्यारोपयति, प्रसिद्धं वा स्थाणुं पुरुषे । नाऽप्र-
सिद्धं प्रसिद्धे, प्रसिद्धं चाऽप्रसिद्धे । न चात्मन्यनात्मानमध्यारो-
पयति, आत्मनः अप्रसिद्धत्वात् । तथा आत्मानं अनात्मनि,
आत्मनोऽप्रसिद्धत्वादेव ॥ ५१ ॥
51. The disciple said, "Though eternal I am not.
the Supreme Self. My nature is one of transmigra-
tory existence consisting of agency and experiencing of
its results as it is known by evidences such as sense-
perception etc. It is not due to Ignorance. For it
cannot have the innermost Self for its object. Ignorance
consists of the superimposition of the qualities of one
thing on another e.g., well-known silver on well-known
mother of pearl or a well known human being on a
(well-known) trunk of a tree and vice versa. An un-
known thing cannot be superimposed on a known one
and vice versa. The non-Self cannot be superimposed
on the Self which is not known. Similarly, the Self
cannot be superimposed on the non-Self for the very
same reason."
तं गुरुरुवाच—न, व्यभिचारात् । नहि वत्स, प्रसिद्धं प्रसिद्ध
एवाध्यारोपयतीति नियन्तुं शक्यम् । आत्मन्यध्यारोपणदर्शनात्।
गौरोऽहं कृष्णोऽहमिति देहधर्मस्य अहंप्रत्ययविषये आत्मनि,
अहंप्रत्ययविषयस्य च आत्मनः देहे अयमस्मीति ॥ ५२ ॥

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 37
52. The teacher said to him, “It is not so. There
are exceptions. For, my child, there cannot be a rule
that it is only well-known things ¹ that are superimposed
on other well-known things, for we meet with the super-
imposition of certain things on the Self. Fairness and
blackness, the properties of the body, are superimposed ²
on the Self which is the object of the consciousness ‘I,’
and the same Self is superimposed on the body.” ³
शिष्य आह—प्रसिद्ध एव तह्र्यात्मा अहंप्रत्ययविषयतया,
देहश्च अयमिति। तत्रैवं सति प्रसिद्धयोरेव देहात्मनोरितरेतरा-
ध्यारोपणात् स्थाणुपुरुषयोः शुक्तिकरजतयोरिव। तत्र कं विशेष-
माश्रित्य भगवतोक्तं प्रसिद्धयोरितरेतराध्यारोपणेति नियन्तुं न
शक्यते इति ॥ ५३ ॥
53. The disciple said, “In that case the Self must
be well-known owing to Its being the object of the
consciousness ‘I’. The body also must be well-known,
for it is spoken of as ‘this’ (body). When this is so,
it is a case of mutual superimposition of the well-known
body and the well-known Self, like that of a human
being and the trunk of a tree or that of silver and
mother of pearl. (There is, therefore, no exception
here.) So what is the peculiarity with reference to
which you said that there could not be a rule that
mutual superimposition was possible of two well-known
things only?”
¹ Objects of knowledge.
² When one says ‘I am fair’ or ‘I am black.’
³ When one says ‘I am a man.’

38 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
गुरुराह—शृणु। सत्यं प्रसिद्धौ देहात्मानौ, न तु स्थाणुपुरुषा-
विव विविक्तप्रत्ययविषयतया सर्वलोकप्रसिद्धौ। कथं तर्हि?
नित्यमेव निरन्तरा विविक्तप्रत्ययविषयतया। नहि अयं देहः,
अयमात्मा, इति विविक्ताभ्यां प्रत्ययाभ्यां देहात्मानौ गृह्णाति यतः
कश्चित्। अत एव हि मोमुह्यते लोकः आत्मानात्मविषये एव-
मात्मा नैवमात्मा इति। इमं विशेषमाश्रित्यावोचं नैवं नियन्तुं
शक्यमिति ॥ ५४ ॥
54. The teacher said, “ Listen. It is true that the
Self and the body are well-known, but they are not
well-known to all people to be objects of different
knowledges, like a human being and a trunk of a tree.
(Question). How are they known then ? (Reply). (They
are always known) to be the objects of an undifferenti-
ated knowledge. For, no one knows them to be the
objects of different knowledges saying, 'This is the
body' and 'This is the Self'. It is for this reason that
people are deluded about the nature of the Self and of
the non-Self, and say, 'The Self is of this nature' and
'It is not of this nature'. It was this peculiarity with
reference to which I said that there was no such rule
(viz. only well-known things could he superimposed on
each other).”
ननु अविद्याध्यारोपितं यत्र यत्, तदसत् तत्र दृष्टं, यथा
रजतं शुक्तिकायां, स्थाणौ पुरुषः, रज्ज्वां सर्पः, आकाशे तल-
मलिनत्वमित्यादि तथा देहात्मनोरपि नित्यमेव निरन्तरा विविक्त-
प्रत्ययतया इतरेतराध्यारोपणा कृता स्यात्, तदितरेतरयोः

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 39
नित्यमेव असत्त्वं स्यात् । यथा शुक्तिकादिषु अविद्ययाध्यारोपितानां
रजतादीनां नित्यमेव अत्यन्तासत्त्वं, तद्विपरीतानां च विपरीतेषु,
तद्वत् देहात्मनोरविद्ययैव इतरेतराध्यारोपणा कृता स्यात् । तत्रैवं
सति देहात्मनोरसत्त्वं प्रसज्येत । तच्चानिष्टं, वैनाशिकपक्षत्वात् ।
अथ तद्विपर्ययेण देहः आत्मन्यविद्ययाऽध्यारोपितः, देहस्या-
त्मनि सति असत्त्वं प्रसज्येत । तच्चानिष्टं, प्रत्यक्षादिविरोधात् ।
तस्माद्देहात्मानौ नाविद्यया इतरेतरस्मिन् अध्यारोपितौ । कथं
तर्हि, वंशस्तम्भवन्नित्यसंयुक्तौ ॥ ५५ ॥
55. Disciple.—“Whatever is superimposed through
Ignorance on anything else is found to be non-existent
in that thing, e.g., silver¹ in mother of pearl, a human
being in the trunk of a tree, a snake in a rope, and the
form of a frying pan and blueness in the sky. Similarly,
both the body and the Self, always the objects of an
undifferentiated knowledge, would be non-existent in
each other if they were mutually superimposed. Just
as silver etc., superimposed on mother of pearl and
other things and vice versa are always absolutely non-
existent. Likewise, the Self and the non-Self would
both be non-existent if they were similarly superimposed
on each other through Ignorance. But that is not desir-
able as it is the position of the Nihilists. If, instead of
a mutual superimposition, the body (alone) is superim-
posed through Ignorance on the Self the body will be
non-existent in the existing Self.² That is also not
¹ It is non-existent in mother of pearl on which it is super-
imposed.
² The disciple means by the word ‘Self’ the consciousness, ‘I’.

40 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
desirable. For it contradicts sense-perception etc.
Therefore the body and the Self are not mutually
superimposed due to Ignorance. (If they are not
superimposed) what then ? They are always in the
relation of conjunction with each other like pillars and
bamboos." ¹
न। अनित्यत्वपरार्थत्वप्रसङ्गात् । संहतत्वात् परार्थत्वं अनि-
त्यत्वं च, वंशस्तम्भादिवदेव । किंच यस्तु परैर्देहेन संहतः
कल्पित आत्मा स संहतत्वात् परार्थः । तेन असंहतः परोऽन्यो
नित्यः सिद्धस्तावत् ॥ ५६ ॥
56. Teacher.—"It is not so. For in that case there
arises the possibility of the Self existing for the benefit
of another ² and being non-eternal. The Self, if in con-
tact with the body, would be existing for the benefit of
another ² and be non-eternal like the combination of
pillars and bamboos. Moreover, the Self, supposed by
other philosophers to be conjoined with the body, must
have an existence for the sake of another.² It is, there-
fore, concluded that devoid of contact with the body
the Self is eternal and characteristically different
from it."
तस्यासंहतस्य देहे देहमात्रतया अध्यारोपितत्वेन असत्त्वा-
नित्यत्वादिदोषप्रसङ्गो भवति । तत्र निरात्मको देह इति वैना-
शिकपक्षप्राप्तिदोषः स्यात् ॥ ५७ ॥
¹ Just as a combination of pillars and bamboos is called a house,
so the combination of the Self and the body is called a man.
² Another conscious Being.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 41
57. Disciple.—“ The objections that the Self as the
body only ¹ is non-existent, non-eternal and so on, hold
good if the Self which is not ² conjoined with the
body ³ were superimposed on it.⁴ The body would
then be without a Self ⁵ and so the Nihilist position
comes in.”
न। स्वत एवात्मनः आकाशस्येव असं​हतत्वाभ्युपगमात्।
सर्वेणासंहतः स च आत्मेति न निरात्मको देहादिः सर्वः स्यात्।
यथा च आकाशं सर्वेणासंहतमिति सर्वं न निराकाशं भवति,
एवम्। तस्मान्न वैनाशिकपक्षप्राप्तिदोषः स्यात् ॥ ५८ ॥
58. Teacher.—“ No. (You are not right). For we
admit that, like the ether, the Self is by nature free
from contact with anything. Just as things are not
bereft of the ether though it is not in contact with them,
so, the body etc., are not devoid of the Self though It
is not in contact with them. Therefore the objection of
the Nihilist position coming in does not arise.
यत्पुनरुक्तं, देहस्यात्यन्तासत्त्वे प्रत्यक्षादिविरोधः स्यादिति।
तन्न। प्रत्यक्षादिभिः आत्मनि देहस्य सत्त्वानुपलब्धेः। नह्यात्मनि,
कुण्डे बदरं, क्षीरे सर्पिः, तिले तैलं, भित्तौ चित्रमिव च, प्रत्य-
क्षादिभिः देह उपलभ्यते। तस्मान्न प्रत्यक्षादिविरोधः ॥ ५९ ॥
¹ For, being superimposed the Self is non-existent.
² The relation of conjunction between the Self and the body is
not admitted by the teacher.
³ The relation of conjunction failing, that of false identity comes
in. For we must explain the idea, ‘I am a man’.
⁴ The body again is superimposed on the Self according to
the teacher.
⁵ And the Self would be without a body.

42 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
59. "It is not a fact¹ that the absolute non-existence
of the body contradicts sense-perception etc. inasmuch
as the existence of the body in the Self is not known
by these evidences. The body is not known to exist in
the Self by perception etc. like a plum in a hole, ghee
in milk, oil in sesame or a picture painted on a wall.
There is, therefore, no² contradiction to sense-percep-
tion etc."
कथं तर्हि प्रत्यक्षाद्यप्रसिद्धात्मनि देहाध्यारोपणा, देहे च
आत्मारोपणा ? ॥ ६० ॥
60. Disciple.— "How can then there be the super-
imposition of the body etc. on the Self which is not
known by sense-perception etc. and that of the Self on
the body?"
नायं दोषः । स्वभावप्रसिद्धत्वादात्मनः । नहि कादाचि-
त्कत्वसिद्धावेव अध्यारोपणा, न नित्यसिद्धौ, इति नियन्तुं
शक्यं, आकाशे तलमलाद्यध्यारोपणदर्शनात् ॥ ६१ ॥
61. Teacher.— "It is not a (valid) objection. For
the Self is naturally well-known. As we see the form
of a frying pan and blueness superimposed on the sky
¹ As stated by the disciple. See para 55 above.
² One, therefore, should not refuse to accept mutual superimposi-
tion on the false ground that it contradicts sense-perception etc.
As a matter of fact it is only the qualities like consciousness etc.
of the Self and not the Self itself that is superimposed, though the
non-Self itself and its qualities are superimposed. Hence Nihilism
does not come in.
See Padmapâda's gloss (Panchapâdikâ, Division 1) where it is
explained how consciousness is a quality of the Self.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 43
there cannot be a rule that it is things known occasion-
ally only on which superimposition is possible and not
on things always known.” ¹
किं भगवन् , देहात्मनोः इतरेतराध्यारोपणा देहादिसंघातकृता
अथवा आत्मकृतेति ॥ ६२ ॥
62. Disciple.—“ Sir, is the mutual superimposition
of the body and the Self made by the combination of
the body etc. or by the Self ? ”
गुरुरुवाच—यदि देहादिसंघातकृता, यदि वा आत्मकृता, किं
तत्र स्यात् ॥ ६३ ॥
63. The teacher said, “ Does it matter if it be made
by the one or the other ? ”
इत्युक्तः शिष्य आह—यद्यहं देहादिसंघातमात्रः, ततो ममा-
चेतनत्वात् परार्थत्वमिति न मत्कृता देहात्मनोः इतरेतराध्यारो-
पणा । अथाहमात्मा परोऽन्यः संघातात्, चितिमत्त्वात् स्वार्थ
इति मयैव चितिमता आत्मनि अध्यारोपणा क्रियते सर्वानर्थ-
बीजभूता ॥ ६४ ॥
64. Questioned thus the disciple said, “ If I were
only a combination of the body etc. I would be non-
conscious and would exist for the sake of another only.
Therefore the mutual superimposition of the body and
the Self could not be made by me. If, on the other
hand, I were the Self I would be characteristically
different from the combination of the body etc., would
¹ e.g., the Self.

44 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
be conscious and, therefore, would exist entirely for
myself. So it is I, a conscious being, who make that
superimposition, the root of all evils, on the Self."
इत्युक्तो गुरुरुवाच—अनर्थबीजभूतां चेत् मिथ्याध्यारोपणां
जानीषे, मा कार्षीस्तर्हि ॥ ६५ ॥
65. Thus told the teacher said, “ Do not ¹ make any
superimposition if you know it to be the root of
all evils.”
नैव भगवन्, शक्नोमि न कर्तुम् । अन्येन केनचित् प्रयुक्तोऽहं,
न स्वतन्त्र इति ॥ ६६ ॥
66. Disciple.—“ Sir, I cannot but make it, I am not
independent. I am made to act by someone else.”
न तर्हि अचितिमत्त्वात् स्वार्थः त्वम् । येन प्रयुक्तः अस्व-
तन्त्रः प्रवर्तसे, स चितिमान् स्वार्थः, संघात एव त्वम् ॥ ६७ ॥
67. Teacher.—“ Then you do not exist for yourself
as you are non-conscious. That by which you are
made to act like one dependent on another is conscious
and exists for itself. You are only a combination (of
the body and other things).”
यद्यचेतनोऽहं, कथं सुखदुःखवेदनां भवदुक्तं च जानामि ॥६८॥
68. Disciple.—“How am I conscious of pain and
pleasure and also of what you say if I be non-con-
scious ?”
¹ i.e., give it up. Know that you are Pure Consciousness and
never really identified with the body etc.