________________ Verse 172 sure means of crossing the ocean (sagara) of worldly-existence (samsara) and of attaining liberation (moksa), marked by attributes such as infinite-knowledge (kevalajnana). Existence in the ocean (sagara) of worldly-existence (samsara) is just the opposite of existence in the eternal state of liberation. The ocean (sagara) of worldly-existence (samsara) is full of cruel animals in form of birth, old-age and death, it has brackish water in form of miseries (duhkha), its strong waves are the desires of the pleasures of the senses and auspicious (subha) and inauspicious (asubha) inquisitiveness of the mind, and the oceanic-fire (badavanala) in form of cravings and anxiety causes burning from within. Attainment of the state of without-attachment (vitaraga) is the essence of this Scripture (sastra). This state is attained by relying on both points-of-view, the real (niscaya) and the empirical (vyavahara). When applied in relation to each other, these two points-of-view become the goal (sadhya) and the achiever (sadhaka) of each other. Absolutist reliance on any of these cannot provide liberation. This is explained now. The real (niscaya) path to liberation consists in realization of the pure soul-substance that itself is indiscrete Three-Jewels (abheda ratnatraya) - perception (darsana), knowledge (jnana) and conduct (caritra). The empirical (vyavahara) path to liberation consists in the discrete Three-Jewels (bheda ratnatraya). Some put their faith only on the empirical (vyavahara) path - auspicious conduct (caritra) - ignoring altogether the real (niscaya) path. They continue to wander in worldly-existence (samsara), albeit with some auspicious interregnums, like birth as a celestial-being (deva). Some though have faith on the real (niscaya) path but unable to pursue it in letter and spirit, follow only the auspicious conduct (caritra). They become rightbelievers-with-attachment (saraga samyagdrsti) and attain liberation conventionally. Those who take recourse to the real (niscaya) path to liberation in an absolutist manner and not being able to establish themselves in the state of without-attachment (vitaraga) as required, start criticizing . . . . . . . . . . 327
