The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c10.s2.t2.2

c10.s2.t2.2

Existence without works is, as we have seen repeatedly, (above pp. 112. 390. 402) impossible. But it lies in the nature of works to have as purpose the production of a definite fruit, and without its having brought forth this fruit—one might think—no work can be annihilated, provided that the authority of the scripture is to be maintained (p. 1075, 9). That liberation thereby becomes impossible, need not be admitted; only one would have to incorporate liberation, like the fruit of works in the chain of Space, Time, and Causality (p. 1075, 17; that is, regard it equally as a fruit of works).—But that is not so! On the contrary, when once Brahman is known, sin committed is annihilated, and future sins cannot cleave to such a one (p. 1076, 2). For the scripture says (Chând. 4, 14, 3, translated above p. 165): “As water does not cling to the lotus “leaf, so no evil deed clings to one who thus knows;” and (Chând. 5, 24, 3; translated above p. 157) “as burns the leaflet “of the bulrush when thrust into the fire, so are burnt up all “his sins;” and yet again (Muṇḍ. 2, 2, 8):