Verses on Sāṃkhya 10.3

10.3

iha loke sad eva sad bhavati | asataḥ karaṇaṃ nāsti | yadi syāt tadā sikatābhyas tailaṃ, kūrmaromabhyaḥ paṭaprāvaraṇam, vandhyāduhitṛbhrūvilāsaḥ, śaśaviṣāṇaṃ, khapuṣpaṃ ca syāt | na cāsti tasmād anumīyate pradhāne prāg utpatter mahadādikam asty eva | upādānagrahaṇāt | iha loke yo yenārthī sa tadupādānagrahaṇaṃ karoti | tannimittam upādatte | tad yathā dadhyarthī kṣīrasyopādānaṃ kurute | yadi cāsatkāryaṃ syāt tadā dadhyarthī udakasyāpy upādānaṃ kuryāt, na ca kurute, tasmāt pradhāne mahadādi kāryam astīti | kiṃ ca sarvasambhavābhāvāt | iha loke yad yasmin vidyate tasmād eva tad utpadyate | yathā tilebhyas tailaṃ, dadhno ghṛtam | yadi sāsatkāryaṃ syāt tadā sarvaṃ sarvataḥ sambhavet tataś ca tṛṇapāṃsuvālukādibhyo rajatasuvarṇamaṇimuktāpravālādayo jāyeran | na ca jāyante | tasmāt paśyāmaḥ sarvasambhavābhāvād api mahadādi kāryaṃ pradhāne sad eva sad bhavatīti | ataś cāsti --- śaktasya śakyakaraṇāt | iha loke śaktaḥ śilpī karaṇādikāraṇopādānakālopāyasampannaḥ śakyād eva śakyaṃ karma ārabhate nāśakyam aśakyāt | tad yathā --- śaktaḥ kumbhakāraḥ śakyād eva mṛtpiṇḍāt śakyadaṇḍacakrasūtrodakavidalatalādibhiḥ sampanno ghaṭaśarāvodañcanādīny ārabhamāṇo dṛṣṭaḥ | na ca maṇikādi, aśakyatvāt tāvatā piṇḍena tasya | yadi punaḥ karaṇaniyamo na syād aśakyād apy aśakyam ārabhyeta | tasmāt sat kāryaṃ syān nāsat | kiṃ ca --- kāraṇabhāvāc ca | kāryaṃ sad eva syāt | iha loke yallakṣaṇaṃ kāraṇaṃ tallakṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ syāt | yathā kodravebhyaḥ kodravāḥ, vrīhibhyo vrīhayaḥ syuḥ | yadi cāsatkāryaṃ syāt tadā kodravebhyaḥ śālīnām api niṣpattiḥ syāt | na ca bhavati | tasmāt kāraṇabhāvād api paśyāmaḥ pradhāne mahadādi kāryam astīti | sādhitam evam etaiḥ pañcabhir hetubhiḥ sat kāryam | "sad eva somyedam agra āsīd ekam evādvitīyaṃ taddhaika āhur asad evedam agra āsīt" ity ārabhya "sattveva somyedam agra āsīt" [chāndogyopaniṣad 6 |2 |1-2] iti śruteḥ //

In this world, only what is existent comes to be existent; there is no bringing about of what is non-existent. If there were, then there would be oil from sand, a protective cloak from turtle hair, the arching of the eyebrows of a barren woman's daughter, a hare's horn, and a sky-flower. But there is not; therefore it is inferred that the intellect and the rest do exist in primordial matter even prior to arising. "Because of taking an appropriate material cause": in this world, whoever has need of something takes that which serves as its material cause; he takes the causal condition for it. As, for instance, one who needs curds takes milk. And if the effect were non-existent, then one who needs curds would also take water; but he does not take [it]. Therefore the effect, beginning with the intellect, exists in primordial matter. Moreover, "because of the absence of the arising of everything [from everything]": in this world, that alone arises from that in which it is found, as oil from sesame seeds, ghee from curds. If the effect were non-existent, then everything would arise from everything; and consequently silver, gold, gems, pearls, corals, and the like would be produced from grass, dust, sand, and so forth. But they are not produced. Therefore we observe, also because of the absence of the arising of everything [from everything], that the effect beginning with the intellect is existent in primordial matter, and only what is existent comes to be existent. And for this reason also it exists: "because an able agent produces what is possible": in this world, an able craftsman endowed with the instrument and other causes, the material, the time, and the means undertakes only a possible task from what is possible, not an impossible one from what is impossible. As, for instance, an able potter endowed with an appropriate lump of clay and with an appropriate stick, wheel, cord, water, strips, and basin is seen undertaking jars, shallow bowls, water-vessels, and the like; but not a large water-jar and such, because that is impossible with just that much of a lump. If, on the other hand, there were no restriction regarding instruments, what is impossible would be undertaken even from what is impossible. Therefore the effect must be existent, not non-existent. Moreover, "and because of being identical in nature with the cause": the effect must be existent. In this world, whatever is the defining characteristic of the cause, that must be the defining characteristic of the effect. As grain of kodrava comes from kodrava, rice from rice. And if the effect were non-existent, then rice might also be produced from kodrava; but it is not produced. Therefore, also because of being identical in nature with the cause, we observe that the effect beginning with the intellect exists in primordial matter. Thus by these five reasons it is established that the effect is existent. Beginning with the scripture: "In the beginning, gentle one, this was Being alone, one only without a second; regarding this some say: In the beginning this was non-being alone," up to: "Indeed, in the beginning, gentle one, this was Being alone."