Gita Bhashya -Sankara 39

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -2

Of the unreal, such as cold and heat, together with their causes, there is no existence, no being. Cold, and heat etc. together with their causes, though perceived by the senses, are not truly existent (" vastusat"). They are only modifications; and every modification is transitory. For example, a form such as a pot, though seen by the eye, is not real, because it is not perceived apart from the clay. So also, all modification is unreal, because it is not perceived apart from its cause. Also, because before its origination and after its destruction it is not perceived, an effect such as a pot is unreal. And the cause, such as the clay, is also unreal, because it is not perceived apart from its own cause. Objection - It being thus unreal, the conclusion is that every­ thing is non-existent (unreal). Reply - That is not correct. Because, at all times, we are conscious of two perceptions (buddhiy - the perception of the real (sat) and the perception of the unreal (asat). That in regard to which the perception does not change is real; and that in regard to which the perception changes is unreal. Thus the distinction of the real and unreal depends on the consciousness (buddhi). In all experiences, two perceptions are experienced by all persons in regard to the same substratum, e.g.' a pot-existent',' a clothexistent','an elephant-existent', - not as in the perception of ' a blue lotus' and so on, everywhere. Of the two perceptions, that of the pot etc., is transitory, as shown previously, but not the perception of existence (is-ness). Therefore, what forms the object of' pot'-consciousness and the like is unreal, being transitory, but what corresponds to the consciousness of' is-ness' is not, it being unchanging.