Verses on Sāṃkhya 19.1

19.1

atrāha --- gṛhṇīmas tāvad ebhiḥ pañcabhir adhītair hetubhiḥ śarīravyatirikto 'sau puruṣo 'stīti | sa kiṃ sarvaśarīreṣv ekaḥ puruṣa āhosvit pratiśarīraṃ bhinnaḥ puruṣa iti | kutaḥ saṃśaya iti cec codaka ācāryavipratipatteḥ saṃśayaḥ | iha kecid ācāryā bhedavādina iti manyante --- eko 'yaṃ puruṣaḥ sarvaśarīreṣūpalabhyate maṇisūtravat | iha rasanāyāṃ yāvanto maṇayas teṣu sarveṣv ekam eva sūtraṃ pravartate | evaṃ maṇibhūteṣu śarīreṣu kim ekaḥ sūtrabhūtaḥ paramātmā | āhosvij jalacandravat puruṣa iti eka eva bahuṣu nadīkūpataḍāgādiṣv ivopalabhyate iti | ataḥ saṃśayaḥ kim ekaḥ puruṣo guṇasūtranyāyena āhosvid bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ | atrocyate --- bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ katham iti cet tad ucyate ---

On this [the opponent] says: We accept, first of all, by these five taught reasons that this spirit exists distinct from the body. Is that spirit one in all bodies, or is the spirit different in each body? If it is asked, 'From where does the doubt arise, O questioner?', [the reply is:] the doubt arises from the disagreement among teachers. Here, some teachers who hold the view of difference think: 'This spirit is one, perceived in all bodies like a thread in beads. In this world, through all the beads that exist on a girdle, runs a single thread. In the same way, among bodies that are like beads, is the supreme self one like a thread? Or is the spirit like the reflection of the moon in water, perceived as one alone in many rivers, wells, pools, and the like?' Hence there is doubt: is the spirit one, by the reasoning of the string through the qualities/beads, or are there many spirits? To this it is replied: There are many spirits. If it is asked, 'How?', that is stated: