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This commentary on the Panchaastikaya is a summary of the concepts of agency and experience.
Therefore (from the previous statements), it is established that karma is the agent of its own state by certainty, and the agent of the states of the living being by convention. The living being is also the agent of its own state by certainty, and the agent of karma by convention.
Just as karma is the agent in both ways, it is not the experiencer in any way. Why? Because it does not have the capacity for conscious experience. Therefore, due to its consciousness, only the living being is known as the experiencer of the fruits of karma - in some ways, the results of happiness and suffering in the soul, and in some ways, the objects of desire and aversion. ||68||
**Sanskrit Commentary:**
Verse 68: Now, the conclusion regarding agency and experience is stated. Therefore, because there is no mutual dependence between the living being and karma as stated earlier, karma is the agent of karma. Of what? By certainty, of its own states, and by convention, of the states of the living being like attachment, etc. The living being is also the agent of the states of material karma by convention, and by certainty, of its own conscious state. How does karma become the agent of its own states? It is combined with its states, like the states of false perception, attachment, etc., and the living being is combined with the state of karma. Therefore, the living being is the experiencer. Who is the experiencer? The living being, devoid of the single experience of pure consciousness and bliss. By what is it the experiencer? By its impure conscious state, which is opposite to the supreme light of consciousness. What does it experience? The fruits of karma, which are the results of the pure and wise nature of the supreme soul, and which are the natural experience of pure and supreme bliss. Therefore, the opposite of this is the experience of worldly happiness and suffering, which is the fruit of good and bad karma. ||68||
Thus, the previous verse focused primarily on the experience of karma, while this verse focuses primarily on the conclusion regarding the agency and experience of karma. These two verses together complete the discussion.
**Hindi Commentary:**
Verse 68: The following verses summarize the various statements about the agent and the experiencer.
General Meaning: Therefore (tamha), material karma (kamma) is the agent of its own states (bhaaveṇ sanjudo) by certainty (hī), and the agent of the states of the living being (jīvasa) by convention (adha). Similarly, the living being is also the agent of its own states of attachment, etc., due to the arising of material karma (du). But, the living being (jīvo) alone, due to its impure conscious state (chedagabhaaveṇ), becomes the experiencer (bhotta) of the fruits of karma (kammaphala).
Specific Meaning: Because we have already stated that the living being is not the material cause of material karma, and material karma is not the material cause of the states of the living being, therefore, material karma is the agent of its own states of knowledge-obscuration, etc., which are its material causes. By convention, it is the agent of the states of attachment, etc., of the living being.