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[CH.
image of the moon in the transparent water'1 and records this criticism: 'In view of the formlessness (of the purusa), even the appearance of his image is not possible. Moreover, if it is conceded that the purusa is imaged in the buddhi, this concession should be extended to the emancipated purusas also. Enjoyment, therefore, is never possible. Nor is it improper to maintain that the emancipated ones should also be imaged, because they have the same nature (as they had before emancipation, since they are immutable). Again, if it were (conceded) that there is difference in their nature, it would necessarily follow that there was change. Moreover, if the purușa is absolutely different from the body, there would nowhere be any occasion for (the sins of) killing and the like. In the absence of (the sins of) killing and the like, there would be no bondage, good or bad, owing to the lack of its cause. In the absence of bondage, there would be no worldly existence or emancipation of the purușa. In the absence of emancipation all (efforts) such as vows and the like would be useless."2 We have thoroughly discussed the problem of reflection of puruşa in the buddhi while stating the Yoga conception of avidya" and shall not repeat it again. The serious objection against the doctrine of reflection has been recorded by Haribhadra. How can a formless principle reflect itself? Nor can the Sankhya-Yoga avoid the criticism by saying that the conception of reflection is only for the sake of easy understanding and popular illustration, or in other words, only a metaphorical way of stating the fact. Because in that case the world process will turn out to be a magical show devoid of any essence. Either the puruşa must have some concrete relation with the prakṛti or the whole evolution of the prakṛti should be condemned as an illusory nothing. There must be some difference between the emancipated and the unemancipated. But if the puruşa be absolutely immutable and unchanging, there can be no scope for difference of states. If emancipation itself be only an appearance there is absolutely no meaning in spiritual endeavours. The Sankhya-Yoga attempts at explaining away the difficulty of the
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PROBLEM OF AVIDYA
1 puruso 'vikṛtātmai 'va svanirbhasam acetanam manaḥ karoti sannidhyad upadhiḥ sphaṭikaṁ yathā. vibhaktedṛkpariņatau buddhau bhogo 'sya kathyate pratibimbodayaḥ svacche yatha candramaso 'mbhasi. -SVS, 221-2 with Svopajña Commentary.
2 pratibimbodayo 'py asya na 'murtatvena yujyate muktair atiprasangac ca na vai bhogaḥ kadacana. na ca pūrvasvabhāvatvāt sa muktānām asangataḥ svabhāvāntarabhave ca pariņāmo 'nivāritaḥ. dehat pṛthaktva eva 'sya na ca himsadayaḥ kvacit tadabhave 'nimittatvät katham bandhaḥ śubhaśubhaḥ. bandhad ṛte na samsaro muktir va 'syo 'papadyate yamādi tadabhāve ca sarvam eva hy aparthakam.-SVS, 223-6. 3 Vide supra, pp. 85-9.
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