The Vedânta-Sûtras, Part II, with the Commentary by Sankarâkârya — SBE Vol. 38

The supplement to the third adhyaya is finished herewith, and an inquiry now begins concerning the fruit of the knowledge of Brahman. — The doubt here presents itself whether, on the attainment of Brahman, sins the results of which are opposed in nature to such attainment are extinguished or not. They cannot possibly be extinguished, the purvapakshin maintains, before they have given their results, because the purpose of all works is their result. For we understand from scripture that work possesses the power of producing results ; if, therefore, the work would perish without the enjoyment of its result, scripture would thereby be rendered nugatory. Smrz'ti also declares that 'works do not perish.' — But from this it would follow that all scriptural instruction regarding expiatory ceremonies is meaningless I — -This objection is without force, we reply, because expiatory ceremonies may be viewed as merely due to certain special occurrences ; as is the case with the offering enjoined on the occasion of the house (of one who has established the sacred fireplace) being burned ^ — Let us moreover admit that expiatory ceremonies, because enjoined on account of a person being afflicted by some mischief, may be meant to extinguish that mischief But there is no analogous injunction of the knowledge of Brahman. — But if we do not admit that the works of him who knows Brahman are extinguished, it follows that he must necessarily enjoy the fruits of his works and thus cannot obtain release ! — This follows by no means ; but in the same way as the results of works, release will take place in due dependence on place, time, and special causes. — For these reasons the obtainment of Brahman does not imply the cessation of (the consequences of) misdeeds.

^ Scripture enjoins the ish/i in question merely on ihe occasion of the house being burned, not as annulling the mischief done. [38] A a

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To this we make the following reply. On the obtainment of Brahman there take place the non-clinging (to the agent) of the posterior sins and the annihilation of anterior ones. — ' On account of this being declared.' For in a chapter treating of the knowledge of Brahman scripture expressly declares that future sins which might be presumed to cling to the agent do not cling to him who knows : ' As water does not cling to a lotus-leaf, so no evil deed clings to him who knows this' {Kh. Up.

IV, J4, 3). Similarly scripture declares the destruction of previously accumulated evil deeds : ' As the fibres of the Ishika reed when thrown into the fire are burned, thus all his sins are burned' [Kh. Up. V, 24, 3). The extinction of works the following passage also declares, * The fetter of the heart is broken, all doubts are solved, extinguished are all his works when He has been beheld who is high and low' (Mu. Up. II, 1, 8). — Nor is there any force in the averment that the assumption of works being extinguished without their fruits having been enjoyed would render scripture futile. For we by no means deny the fiuit-producing power of works ; this power actually exists ; but we maintain that it is counteracted by other causes such as knowledge. Scripture is concerned only with the existence of this power in general, not with its obstruction and non-obstruction. Thus also the Smr/ti passage, ' For work is not extinguished,' expresses the general rule ; for as fruition of the result is the purpose of work, work is not extinguished without such fruition. But it is assumed that evil deeds are extinguished through expiatory ceremonies and the like, on account of scriptural and Smr/ti passages such as 'All sins transcends he, the murder of a Brahma;/a transcends he who ofi'ers the aj-vamedha-sacrifice and who knows it thus ' (Tai. Sa;;zh.