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## Chapter 5, Part 3
**Verse 44:**
Then, the proponent of the theory of consciousness, having expressed his opinion, fell silent. At that time, the fourth minister, Shatamati, praising himself, embraced the doctrine of non-self (niraatmavada) and spoke as follows:
**Verse 45:**
This entire world is void. The appearance of human beings, animals, birds, pots, and other objects in it is all illusory. It is a false perception, just like the appearance of elephants, etc., in a dream or magic show.
**Verse 46:**
Therefore, since the whole world is illusory, how can your supposed "jiva" (soul) be proven? And in the absence of a jiva, how can a "paraloka" (afterlife) be proven? Because all this is unreal, like the city of Gandharvas.
**Verse 47:**
Therefore, those who engage in austerities and various rituals for the sake of the afterlife are merely experiencing unnecessary suffering. Such beings are devoid of true knowledge.
**Verse 48:**
Just as a deer, seeing the shimmering rays of the sun in the desert during the summer, mistakenly believes it to be water and runs in vain, similarly, these desire-driven humans, mistaking the pleasures of the afterlife for true happiness, run in vain.
**Note:** The bracketed section in the original text is based on the "B and K" versions only.
**Explanation of Jain terms:**
* **Jiva:** The soul, the living being.
* **Paraloka:** The afterlife, the realm beyond this life.
* **Niraatmavada:** The doctrine of non-self, the belief that there is no permanent, unchanging self.
* **Shatamati:** A name, meaning "one with a hundred minds."
* **Gandharvas:** Mythical beings in Hindu mythology, often associated with music and celestial realms.