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Chapter 15
The Pupil's Sixth Doubt regarding the Means of Liberation
Now we come to the sixth Fundamental, which deals with the path (and means) of liberation. By treading on that path one can attain liberation, specified in the fifth Fundamental. Since the path of liberation is a prerequisite for the attainment of liberation, the question may arise, "Why has this Fundamental been kept last?" The reply is obvious. Unless one is clear about the objective of a pursuit, how would he be inclined to pursue it? For instance, if people know that there is a gold mine somewhere, they would come there even from far off places and try to explore that possibility. When it is known that crude oil is below a certain surface, people will drill there to get the oil. Thus if we know about anything valuable, we make efforts to get the same. Liberation is the most precious treasure that can be conceived of. We would therefore endeavor to attain it, if we know about it and know how to attain it.
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Ätmasiddhi
Thus it was first necessary to show the pupil the impact of Karma on the worldly soul and explain that liberation is the only way to avoid the same. Now the pupil is convinced about the soul, its everlastingness, its acquisition of Karma, and about bearing its consequences. He is also sure that he can be free from misery and unhappiness of the worldly life by attaining liberation, and is therefore keen to know how to attain it. He does not have any doubt about the necessity of gaining liberation, but he is not sure about the right path and proper means. His purpose is to proceed on that way as quickly as possible. With that end in view, he presents his problems in the following five stanzas.
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