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## The Sutra of the Sri Sutra Kritanga
"Destruction" is the absence of the embodied self, for there is no self apart from the body. When the body is destroyed, the self does not go to another world to experience merit or demerit. Therefore, for the Dharmi (the embodied self), the absence of the self means the absence of merit and demerit. There are many examples of this, such as: just as a water bubble is not separate from the water, so too the self is not separate from the five elements. Just as when the outer skin of a banana stem is peeled away, there is no inner essence, so too when the aggregate of elements disintegrates, there is no inner essence called the self. Just as a rotating piece of straw creates the illusion of a wheel, so too the aggregate of elements, with its specific activities, creates the illusion of a living being. Just as in a dream, we experience external forms through our own consciousness, so too the consciousness of the self arises from the aggregate of elements. Just as in a mirror, due to its clarity, an object outside is reflected and appears to be inside, but is not actually there, and just as in summer, the heat of the sun causes mirages to appear as water, so too Gandharva cities and other such things appear to be real, but are not. Similarly, the self, being separate from the aggregate of elements, creates the illusion of being real when the body undergoes transformation. Some Sutras explain these examples in detail, but we have not included them in this commentary due to their absence in the ancient commentaries.
If there is no self separate from the elements, and there is no merit or demerit, then how can the diversity of the world be explained? For example, some are rich, some are poor, some are beautiful, some are ugly, some are happy, some are unhappy, some are healthy, some are sick, etc. What is the basis for this diversity?
It is said that this diversity arises from the nature of things. For example, a piece of sandalwood, when rubbed, produces a fragrant smell and experiences the pleasure of incense, while a piece of stone is used for washing feet. There is no inherent merit or demerit in these two pieces of stone, but they experience different states due to their nature. Similarly, the diversity of the world arises from the nature of things. As it is said: "The sharpness of a thorn, the beauty of a peacock, and the colors of a copper-colored head are all due to their nature." This is the view of the "Jiva-Tattva-Sharir-Vadi" (those who believe in the self and its body).