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## Chapter 308: Description of the Path to Liberation, or Explanation of the Non-Living Substance
This is an explanation of the reason why space, etc., are non-living.
**Verse 124:**
* In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit, there are no qualities of a living being.
* Their non-sentience is stated, while the sentience of a living being is stated.
**Explanation:**
* In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit, there are no qualities of a living being in the form of special sentience. This is because space, etc., are generally non-sentient.
* The general non-sentience is only of space, etc., because the general sentience is only of a living being.
**Now, the explanation of the non-living substance.**
**Meaning:**
* (In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit) In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit, (qualities of a living being) there are no qualities of a living being, (because) [their non-sentience is stated] their non-sentience is stated, (the sentience of a living being) the sentience of a living being is stated.
**Commentary:**
* This is a statement of the reason to show that space, etc., are non-living.
* In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit, there are no qualities of a living being in the form of special sentience, because space, etc., are generally non-sentient. And the general non-sentience is only of space, etc., because the general sentience is only of a living being.
**Commentary:**
* Further, the substance of action, the substance of material action, the substance of non-action, and the substance of knowledge, etc., are devoid of the qualities of the state of being, the state of being a human, the state of being a hell-being, etc., and are of the nature of infinite qualities like perfect knowledge, etc., and are included within the nine substances, starting with the living being. They are the ultimate reality, the true reality, and are the essence of pure time. The substance of pure living being, which is to be considered, is explained in four verses, starting from the non-living substance, which is different in nature. In these four verses, the non-living nature is primarily explained in the three verses, starting with "space, time," etc., and then, to differentiate, the pure living being in the body is primarily explained in the verse starting with "tasteless, odorless," etc. Thus, in two places, up to the four verses, the explanation of the non-living substance is a summary. For example, it states the reason for the non-living nature of space, etc., "In space, time, matter, merit, and demerit, there are no qualities of a living being like infinite knowledge, etc., therefore, their non-sentience is stated." Why are there no qualities of a living being in them? The meaning of the verse "because the sentience is only of a living being" is that it encompasses all substances, including the three worlds and the three times.