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BOOK II: THE PRINCIPLE OF KNOWLEDGE
299
by its characteristic nature; for it has modifications such as man, etc., for self.
And the evolution, called action, which belongs to the evolving substance and consists in giving up a former state and accepting a following state, is the characteristic nature of this transmigration.
But whence arises adhesion (slesha) of matter to soul during samsara (which in essence is evolution), so that it receives the nature of modifications such as man? This question he here settles:
II.29. The soul, stained with karmic matter, undergoes evolution, connected with karman, thus the karman adheres; therefore karman may be called the evolution. (121)
This self-evolution, called samsara, being such as we have described, is the cause of the adherence of material-karman.S4 But what again is the cause of such an evolution. The material-karman is the cause of it. For the self undergoes this adherence, as being conjoined with material-karman.
But, if so, have we not the fallacy of mutual dependence (itaretarashraya)? No; since the self, which is bound by materialkarman, existent without beginning, adopts the previous materialkarman as cause.
So, since new and old material-karman functions as effect and cause, this suchlike evolution of the self is (speaking metaphorically, figuratively or as formal usage, upachara)) the material-karman; and the self, as agent of its own evolution, is, metonymously, the agents of the material-karman.
Now he explains how in the transcendental sense of consciousnessas-such (paramartha) the self is not the agent of material-karman:
II.30. The self itself is the evolution; and this evolution is considered to be action, which consists of soul; and action is taken as karma; so (the self) is not the agent of the material] karman. (122)
The self itself is the evolution of the self; for that which evolves is nothing else than the evolution, since it is the agent of the characteristic form of the evolution.
And its suchlike evolution is action (kriya), consisting of soul; for in the case of all substances action (kriya), characterized as evolution, is acknowledged to be the self (of these substances).
And action again is a karma; for it is attained (prapyate) by the
