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SANMATI-TARKA
[. 1, 36-40
In the same way, though intrinsically it is without beginning and without end, it does undergo various modifications or conditions owing to some cause or other, It, therefore, from the standpoint of modifications, is multiform or ever-changing. From one point of view, the soul may be said to be eternal, from another point of view it may be said to be changing.
Now it is impossible to describe in words these two characteristics of the soul (viz. eternal and everchanging) at one and the same time. From this standpoint of view, therefore, the soul is indescribable.
If we desire to state these two qualities of the soul not simultaneously but consecutively we may say that the soul is eternal as well as ever-changing.
Now if we view the soul from the standpoint of substance and at the same time, view the said two qualites simultaneously we have the statement thus:The soul is eternal as well as indescribable.
Similarly, first by accepting only the standpoint of modifications and then taking the two stand points at once we have this statement :- The soul is not eternal as well as indescribable.
And lastly if we accept both these standpoints consecutively and then simultaneously in one statement, we have to say :- The soul is eternal, not eternal as well as indescribable.
If we cast a glance at the above sevenfold mode of statements we find that out of these seven modes only three modes viz, (1) the soul is eternal (2) is not eternal and (3) is indescribable--are principal.
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