उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

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.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 45
गुरुरुवाच—किं सुखदुःखवेदनाया मदुक्ताच्चान्यस्त्वं, किं वा
अनन्य एवेति ॥ ६९ ॥
69. Teacher.—" Are you different from the consci-
ousness of pain and pleasure and from what I say,
or not ? "
शिष्य उवाच—नाहं तावदनन्यः । कस्मात् ? यस्मात्तदुभयं
कर्मभूतं घटादिकमिव जानामि । यद्यनन्योऽहं, तेन तदुभयं न
जानीयां ; किंतु जानामि, तस्मादन्यः । सुखदुःखवेदनाविक्रिया
च स्वार्थैव प्राप्नोति, त्वदुक्तं च स्यात् अनन्यत्वे, न च तयोः
स्वार्थता युक्ता । नहि चन्दनकण्टककृते सुखदुःखे चन्दनकण्ट-
कार्थे, घटोपयोगो वा घटार्थः । तस्मात् तद्विज्ञातुर्मम चन्दनादि-
कृतः अर्थः । अहं हि ततोऽन्यः समस्तमर्थं जानामि बुद्ध्या-
रूढम् ॥ ७० ॥
70. The disciple said, " It is not a fact that I am not
different from them. For I know them to be objects of
my knowledge like jars and other things. If I were not
different I could not know them. But I know them ;
so I am different. If I were not different the modifi-
cations of the mind called pain and pleasure and the
words spoken by you would exist for themselves. But
that is not reasonable. For pleasure and pain produced
by sandal paste and a thorn respectively and also the
use of a jar are not for their own sake. Therefore the
purposes served by sandle paste etc. are for the sake
of me who am their knower. I am different from them
as I know all things pervaded by the intellect."

46 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
तं गुरुरुवाच—एवं तर्हि स्वार्थस्त्वं, चितिमत्त्वान्न परेण
प्रयुज्यसे । नहि चितिमान् परतन्त्रः परेण प्रयुज्यते, चितिमत्-
श्चितिमदर्थत्वानुपपत्तेः, समत्वात्, प्रदीपप्रकाशयोरिव । नापि
अचितिमदर्थत्वं चितिमतो भवति, अचितिमतोऽचितिमत्त्वादेव
स्वार्थसंबन्धानुपपत्तेः । नापि अचितिमतोः अन्योन्यार्थत्वं
दृष्टम् । नहि काष्ठकुड्ये अन्योन्यार्थं कुर्वाते ॥ ७१ ॥
71. The teacher said to him, "As you are possessed
of consciousness, you exist for yourself and are not
made to act by anyone else. For an independent con-
scious being is not made to act by another as it is not
reasonable that one possessed of consciousness exists
for the sake of another possessing consciousness, both
being of the same nature like the lights of two lamps.
Nor does one possessed of consciousness exist for the
sake of another having no consciousness ; for it is not
possible that a thing exists for itself for the very fact
that it is non-conscious. Nor again is it seen that two
non-conscious things exist for each other, as wood and
a wall do not serve each other's purpose."
ननु चितिमत्त्वे समेऽपि भृत्यस्वामिनोः अन्योन्यार्थत्वं
दृष्टम् ॥ ७२ ॥
72. Disciple.—"But it may be said that the servant
and the master are seen to serve each other's purpose
though they are equally possessed of consciousness."
नैवम्, अग्नेरुष्णप्रकाशवत् तव चितिमत्त्वस्य विवक्षितत्वात् ।
प्रदर्शितश्च दृष्टान्तः प्रदीपप्रकाशयोरिति । तत्रैवं सति

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 47
स्वबुद्ध्यारूढमेव सर्वमुपलभसे अग्न्युष्णप्रकाशतुल्येन कूटस्थनित्य-
चैतन्यस्वरूपेण । यदि चैवम्, आत्मनः सर्वदा निर्विशेषत्वमुप-
गच्छसि । किमित्यूचिवान्, सुषुप्ते विश्रम्य विश्रम्य जाग्रत्स्व-
प्रयोः दुःखमनुभवामि इति । किं अयमेव मम स्वभावः, किं वा
नैमित्तिकः इति च । किमसो व्यामोहोऽपगतः, किं वा नेति ॥७३॥
73. Teacher.—" It is not¹ so. For I speak of con-
sciousness belonging to you like heat and light to fire.
It is for this reason that I cited the example of the lights
of two lamps. Therefore, as changeless and eternal
consciousness, like the heat and light of fire, you know
everything ² presented to your intellect. Thus when you
always know the Self to be without any attribute why
did you say,³ ' I experience pain and pleasure again
and again during the states of waking and dream after
intervals of rest in deep sleep ?' And why did you
say, ' Is it my own nature or causal ?' Has this delusion
vanished or not ? "
इत्युक्तः शिष्य आह—भगवन्, अपगतः त्वत्प्रसादात् व्या-
मोहः, किं तु मम कूटस्थतायां संशयः । कथम् ? शब्दादीनां
स्वतःसिद्धिर्नास्ति, अचेतनत्वात् । शब्दाद्याकारप्रत्ययोत्पत्तेस्तु
तेषां ; प्रत्ययानामितरेतरव्यावृत्तविशेषणानां नीलपीताद्याकारवतां
स्वतःसिद्धयसंभवात् । तस्माद्वाह्याकारनिमित्तत्वं गम्यते, इति
बाह्याकारवत् शब्दाद्याकारत्वसिद्धिः । तथा प्रत्ययानामपि अहं-
¹ For the non-conscious portion in each is of service to the
conscious portion in the other.
² Superimposed on you, changeless, pure Consciousness.
³ See para 45 above.

48 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
प्रत्ययालम्बनवस्तुभेदानां संहतत्वात् अचैतन्योपपत्तेः स्वार्थ-
त्वासंभवात् स्वरूपव्यतिरिक्तग्राहकग्राह्यत्वेन सिद्धिः ; शब्दादि-
वदेव । असंहतत्वे सति चैतन्यात्मकत्वात् स्वार्थोऽपि अहंप्रत्य-
यानां नीलपीताद्याकाराणामुपलब्धेति विक्रियावानेव, कूटस्थः
इति संशयः ॥ ७४ ॥
74. To this the disciple replied, “The delusion,¹
Sir, is gone by your grace; but I have doubts about the
changeless nature which, you say, pertains to me.”
Teacher.—“What doubts ?”
Disciple.—“Sound etc.,² do not exist independently
as they are non-conscious. But they come into existence
when there arise in the mind modifications resembling
sound and so on. It is impossible³ that these modifi-
cations⁴ should have an independent existence⁵ as they
are exclusive of one another as regards their special
characteristics (of resembling sound etc.,) and appear to
be blue, yellow, etc. (So sound etc., are not the same
as mental modifications.) It is therefore inferred that
these modifications are caused by external objects. So
it is proved that modifications resemble sound etc.,
objects existing externally.³ Similarly,⁶ these different
modifications of the mind also are combinations and
therefore non-conscious. So, not existing for their own
¹ i.e., “I am liable to transmigration and misery and other than
the Lord who is ever free.”
² Sound, touch, sight, taste and smell.
³ Refutation of the Idealists.
⁴ i.e., sound consciousness, touch consciousness, colour consci-
ousness, etc.
⁵ It is only pure Consciousness that has an independent existence.
⁶ like sound etc.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 49
sake they, like sound etc., exist only when known by
one ¹ different from them. Though the Self is not a
combination, consists of Consciousness and exists for
Its own sake, It is the knower ² of the mental modifi-
cations appearing to be blue, yellow and so on. It must,
therefore, be of a changeful nature. Hence is the doubt
about the changeless nature of the Self."
तं गुरुरुवाच—न युक्तस्तव संशयः । यतस्तेषां प्रत्ययानां
नियमेन अशेषतः उपलब्धेरेव अपरिणामित्वात् कूटस्थत्वसिद्धौ,
निश्चयहेतुमेव अशेषचित्तप्रचारोपलब्धिं संशयहेतुमात्थ । यदि
हि तव परिणामित्वं स्यात्, अशेषस्वविषयचित्तप्रचारोपलब्धिर्न
स्यात्, चित्तस्येव स्वविषये, यथा चेन्द्रियाणां स्वविषयेषु ।
न च तथाऽऽत्मनस्तव स्वविषयैकदेशोपलब्धिः । अतः कूटस्थतैव
तवेति ॥ ७५ ॥
75. The teacher said to him, "Your doubt is not
justifiable. For you, the Self, are proved to be free
from change, and therefore perpetually the same on the
ground that all the modifications of the mind without a
single exception are (simultaneously) known by you.
You regard this knowledge of all the modifications
which is the reason for the above inference as that for
your doubt. If you were changeful like the mind or the
senses (which pervade their objects one after another),
you would not simultaneously know all the mental
modifications, the objects of your knowledge. Nor are
you aware of a portion only of the objects of your
¹ The Self. ² The disciple means the agent of the action of
knowing the modifications.
4

50 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
knowledge (at a time). You are, therefore, absolutely
changeless." ¹
तत्राह—उपलब्धिर्नाम धात्वर्थो विक्रियैव, उपलब्धुः कूट-
स्थात्मता चेति विरुद्धम् ॥ ७६ ॥
76. The disciple said, “knowledge is the meaning
of a root ² and therefore surely consists of a change ; ³
and the knower, ⁴ (as you say) is of a changeless
nature. This is a contradiction."
न । धात्वर्थविक्रियायां उपलब्ध्द्युपचारात् । यो हि बौद्धः
प्रत्ययः स धात्वर्थो विक्रियात्मकः आत्मनः उपलब्ध्याभासफला-
वसान इति उपलब्धिशब्देन उपचर्यते । यथा छिदिक्रिया द्वैधी-
भावफलावसानेति धात्वर्थत्वेन उपचर्यते, तद्वत् ॥ ७७ ॥
77. Teacher.—“It is not so. For the word know-
ledge is used only in a secondary sense to mean a change
called an action, the meaning of a root. A modification of
the intellect called an action ends in a result in itself which
is the reflection of Knowledge, the Self. It is for this
reason that this modification is called knowledge in a
secondary ⁵ sense, just as the action of cutting (a thing),
producing and including the ultimate result viz., its
separation in two parts is secondarily called the mean-
ing of the root (to cut).
इत्युक्तः शिष्य आह—ननु भगवन्, मम कूटस्थत्वप्रतिपादनं
प्रति असमर्थो दृष्टान्तः । कथम् ? छिदिः छेद्यविक्रियावसाना
¹ Verse 7. Chap. 14 and verses 156—158, Chap. 18.
² To know. ³ For every root means an action.
⁴ The disciple means the agent of the action of knowing.
⁵ See verses 53 and 54, Chap. 18.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 51
उपचर्यते यथा धात्वर्थत्वेन, तथा उपलब्धिशब्दोपचरितोऽपि
धात्वर्थो बौद्धप्रत्ययः आत्मनः उपलब्धिविक्रियावसानश्चेत्, ना-
त्मनः कूटस्थतां प्रतिपादयितुं समर्थः ॥ ७८ ॥
78. Told thus the disciple said, "Sir, the example
cited by you cannot prove that I am changeless."
Teacher.— "How?"
Disciple.—"For, just as the action of cutting, produc-
ing and including the ultimate change in the thing to be
cut, is secondarily called the meaning of the root (to cut),
so, the word knowledge is used secondarily for the mental
modification which is the meaning of the root (to know)
and which ends in the result that is a change in know-
ledge, the Self. The example cited by you cannot,
therefore, establish the changeless nature of the Self."
गुरुरुवाच—सत्यमेवं स्यात्, यदि उपलब्ध्युपलब्ध्रोः विशेषः।
नित्योपलब्धिमात्र एव हि उपलब्ध्रा, न तु तार्किकसमय इव अन्या
उपलब्धिः, अन्य उपलब्ध्रा च ॥ ७९ ॥
79. The teacher said, "What you say would be true
if there were a distinction existing between the Knower
and Knowledge. For, the Knower is eternal Knowledge
only.¹ The Knower and Knowledge are not different
as they are in the argumentative² philosophy."
ननु उपलब्धिफलावसानो धात्वर्थः कथमिति ॥ ८० ॥
80. Disciple.—"How is it then that an action ends
in a result which is Knowledge?"³
¹ Pure Knowledge. ² The philosophy of the Naiyâyikas.
³ For Knowledge is spoken of as eternal in the previous para-
graph. A result cannot, of course, be eternal.

52 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
उच्यते—शृणु, उपलब्ध्याभासफलावसान इत्युक्तं, किं न
श्रुतं तत् त्वया ? न तु आत्मा विक्रियोत्पादनावसान इति
मयोक्तम् ॥ ८१ ॥
81. The teacher said, " Listen. It was said (that the
mental modification, called an action) ended in a result
which was the reflection¹ of Knowledge. Did you not
hear it ? I did not say² that a change was produced in
the Self as a result (of the modification of the mind)."
शिष्य उवाच—कथं तर्हि कूटस्थे मयि अशेषस्वविषयचित्त-
प्रचारोपलब्धृत्वमित्यात्थ ॥ ८२ ॥
82. The disciple said, "How then am I, who am
changeless, the knower, as you say,³ of all the mental
modifications, the objects of my knowledge ? "
तं गुरुरुवाच—सत्यमवोचं, तेनैव कूटस्थतामब्रुवं तव ॥८३॥
83. The teacher said to him, " I told you the right
thing. The very fact (that you know simultaneously all
the mental modifications) was adduced by me as the
reason why you are eternally immutable."
यद्येवं भगवन्, कूटस्थनित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपे मयि शब्दाद्या-
कारबौद्धप्रत्ययेषु च मत्स्वरूपोपलब्ध्याभासफलावसानवत्सु उत्प-
द्यमानेषु, कस्त्वपराधो मम ॥ ८४ ॥
84. Disciple.—" If this is so, Sir, what is my fault
when the mental changes resembling sound etc. and
¹ Para 77 above. ² I did not say that a modification ended
in a result that was Knowledge (the Self). ³ See Para 75 above.