16.45 to 16.50 Earlier the author has refuted different theories of the Buddhists. Advaita and Samkhya are similar in some respects and dissimilar in other aspects. The author refutes some theories of Samkhya philosophy. According to Samkhya, both purusha (consciousness), and prakriti (material and inert) are real. Purusha is action-free and unattached. Prakriti works for purusha and the latter is the enjoyer. There are many purushas, one for every jiva. Prakriti has three constituents, sattva, rajas and tamas. Samkhya further says that prakriti alone is the cause of creation. Purusha has no role. When the constituents are in equilibrium, the creation is unmanifest. Creation unfolds due to imbalance in three constituents.
The author says that creation theory of Samkhya is faulty. As prakriti is inert, the three constituents cannot on their own get into a state of imbalance. Even if it is assumed that there is an imbalance, there will be no possibility of end of the imbalance to signal the end of a cycle of creation, i.e., unmanifest. Another problem is of liberation. According to Samkhya, prakriti works for liberation of purushas which are many. How can an inert prakriti decide which purusha is fit for liberation? Any such decision will be discriminatory. The situation where either all purushas remain in bondage forever or all get liberation simultaneously is absurd. As purusha is unattached and there is no relationship with prakriti, it is not possible to explain as to how prakriti can work for purusha. Even if prakriti somehow renders service to purusha, purusha will be subject to modification which violates the Samkhya’s tenets.
16.51 to 16.56 are omitted as they are refutation of Nyay-Vaiseshika philosophy.
16.57 to 16.68 Having refuted other systems of philosophy, the author advises an aspirant of freedom to follow the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and for this purpose he summarizes the teachings. Self is eternal and changeless. It is unattached, untainted. There is no question of liberation and bondage in Self. Non-Self cannot taint Self because they belong to two different orders of reality. Self is the Absolute and non-Self operates at transactional level.
Thou That Art means a jiva is not different from Brahman. Liberation is the essence of the jiva. The notion of bondage is an error due to ignorance. Liberation is not a state to be accomplished. It is a fact. If liberation is ‘attained’ by some means, it will be an event in time and subject to destruction. The purpose of scriptures and teacher is to remove ignorance by imparting knowledge of Mahavakya. How does error arise? The intellect is inert and it becomes sentient due to reflection of Self in it and there arises ‘I’ thought. However, the intellect thinks that sentiency is its nature and it considers the ‘I’ thought as the real ‘I’. It is an error. Self, the real I, is limitless. The intellect is finite and so is the ‘I’ thought. As a result, a jiva suffers from limitedness and bondage because there is superimposition the attributes of the intellect on the Self. Self- ignorance is beginningless, so is the superimposition. It is the cause of transmigratory existence from birth to death and so on. By Self-knowledge alone, transmigratory existence can be terminated. Other methods of different philosophies are not recommended.
16.69 to 16.74 The author glorifies the knowledge and talks about some preparations for the same Self-knowledge is a vritti in the intellect which is revealed in the light of consciousness. The knowledge is gained by study of scriptures under the guidance of a teacher. A man of realization transcends merits and demerits. Like space, he is not attached to action. Sanchit karmas are burnt, there is no agma, and prarabdha is considered mithya and are defanged. As a man does not have ideas of me and mine with respect to the body of a different person, a man of realization does not entertain such ideas with respect to his own body. Self-knowledge is the highest attainment as it is the means of realization of the highest human goal, moksha. The knowledge should not be given to one who is not fit to receive it, otherwise it may be misunderstood and misused and cause more harm than benefit. What are qualifications of a fit student? He has purified his mind by performing the duties prescribed by the scriptures. He has controlled the mind and sense organs. He is an aspirant of liberation and is obedient to the teacher.
Contd