The present translation, though pretending
to no scholarship, is dutifully literal, excepting, however, the
omission of a few lines relating to the etymology of the words Sarira
and Deha, and one or two other things which, though interesting in
themselves, have no direct bearing on the main subject of treatment.
--T.R.]
Nothing is Spirit which can be the object of consciousness. To one
possessed of right discrimination, the Spirit is the subject of
knowledge. This right discrimination of Spirit and Not-spirit is set
forth in millions of treatises.
This discrimination of Spirit and Not-spirit is given below:
Q. Whence comes pain to the Spirit?
A. By reason of its taking a body. It is said in the Sruti: * "Not in
this (state of existence) is there cessation of pleasure and pain of a
living thing possessed of a body."
Q. By what is produced this taking of a body?
A. By Karma.**
Q. Why does it become so by Karma?
A. By desire and the rest (i.e., the passions).
Q. By what are desire and the rest produced?
A.
Pages:
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541