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SAMAYSARA from achetana matter, is described as colourless Again smell 18 an attribute of physical objects and it cannot be associated with anything else The Self being distinct from matter is therefore said to be smell-less Similarly being perceptible to touch is a characteristic of material objects and cannot be attributed to anything else Since the nature of the Self is transcending senseperception it cannot be an object of contact sensation Hence It is described as beyond touch In the same way, sound, since it is the effect of concussion between material paiticles, is associated with matter alone and with nothing else That which sounds must be a mateiial object as a non-material entity cannot produce sound Hence the Self also is soundless because it is non-material in nature Thus the Self is entirely beyond the scope of sense perception Can it be approached by inference or anumāna? No, because anumāna or inference entirely depends upon what must necessarily be obtained by sense-perception Perception of smoke may lead to the inference that there is fire But smoke must be obtained by sense-perception and then only It is possible to infer that there is fire An entity which 18 quite beyond the scope of sense-perception cannot be approached by inferential knowledge either Hence suddha-wa is said to be alınga-grahana, not approached by inference In the organic world ziva is always found in association with its characteristic body These characteristic bodies are classifed according to their various shapes which are called samsthānas Since these shapes of the organic body are entirely determined by the physical structure, they are puiely bodily qualities and cannot be transferred to the Self associated with body Hence the Self is without definite shape or structure In short the pure Self whosc intrinsic nature is chetanā is entirely different from the whole external world and hence the characteristics of the external world cannot be predicated of the Self It is entirely devoid of the physical qualities of colour taste, etc, it is also devoid of the characteristics of the other external entities such as space, time, etc Resting on its own intrinsic nature, infinite knowledge, infinite vision, and infinite bliss, the pure Self is not to be associated with the various varnasrama
