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406
VEDÂNTA-SÓTRAS.
whatever form a thing manifests itself that form necessarily belongs to it, the qualification ‘own' would be devoid of purport. It has a meaning, on the other hand, if it denotes the Self, the sense conveyed then being that the manifestation takes place only through the nature of the Self, not through any other, adventitious, nature.—But, as a thing cannot be without its own nature, what difference is there between the Self's former states and its present state (after the manifestation)?–To this question the next Sûtra replies.
2. (The Self whose true nature has manifested itself is) released ; according to the promise (made by scripture).
That soul, of which the text says that it manifests itself, is released from its former, bondage and abides in its own pure Self; while previously its Self was stained by the three states (i.e. the state of waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep), according to Kh. Up. VIII, 9-11, 'It is blind ;'
- it weeps. as it were ;'-'it goes to utter annihilation.' This is the difference.-But how is it known that in its present condition the soul is released - 'On account of the promise,' the Satra says. For after the teacher has promised to give further instruction about the Self as free from the imperfections of the three states ("I shall explain him further to you,' Kh. Up. VIII, 11, 3), he introduces the topic (of the released Self) in the words, 'Him being free from the body neither pleasure nor pain touches,' and concludes, 'By his own nature he manifests himself; that is the highest Person.' The words at the beginning of the tale also, “The Self which is free from sin' (VIII, 7, 1), make a promise regarding the released Self. And release is a fruit in so far only as it is a cessation of all bondage, not as implying the accession of something new. And with reference to the assertion that manifestation is the origination of something new we remark that it is so only with regard to a former condition (which ceases to be), as when we say of a convalescent person that he now manifests
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| SR No. | 007681 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 01 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1890 |
| Total Pages | 2695 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 47 MB |