09-21-2022, 03:39 PM
Gatha 77
The man, enveloped by delusion (moha), who does not believe that there is no difference between merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa), continues to wander in this dreadful and endless world (sansāra).
Explanatory Note: From the transcendental-point-of-view, (niścayanaya) there is no difference between the auspicious (śubha) and the inauspicious (aśubha) dispositions and between worldly happiness (sukha) and misery (duhkha). In the same way, there is no difference between merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa). Both merit and demerit are devoid of the conduct that is the nature (svabhāva) of the pure soul. The man who, out of vanity, prefers merit (punya) to demerit (pāpa) and follows conduct that endows him the glory of the lords of the devas and the men, suffers from worldly miseries as he ever remains engrossed in the disposition of attachment (rāga). He does not engage himself in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) and suffers misery appertaining to the body while wandering in the world (sansāra).
Gatha 78
The man who knows this reality does not entertain dispositions of attachment (rāga) and aversion (dvesa) toward external
substances; his soul becomes pristine due to pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) and annihilates miseries incidental to the body.
Explanatory Note: The man who leaves aside dispositions of merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa), considering the two as the same, and gets established in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) with no attachment (rāga) and aversion (dvesa) toward external substances, annihilates miseries incidental to the body. As the fire that does not enter the ironball escapes the blow of the sledgehammer, similarly, the soul established in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) escapes misery. The Ācārya, therefore, asks for refuge in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) to end perpetual wandering of the soul in the world (sansāra).
The man, enveloped by delusion (moha), who does not believe that there is no difference between merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa), continues to wander in this dreadful and endless world (sansāra).
Explanatory Note: From the transcendental-point-of-view, (niścayanaya) there is no difference between the auspicious (śubha) and the inauspicious (aśubha) dispositions and between worldly happiness (sukha) and misery (duhkha). In the same way, there is no difference between merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa). Both merit and demerit are devoid of the conduct that is the nature (svabhāva) of the pure soul. The man who, out of vanity, prefers merit (punya) to demerit (pāpa) and follows conduct that endows him the glory of the lords of the devas and the men, suffers from worldly miseries as he ever remains engrossed in the disposition of attachment (rāga). He does not engage himself in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) and suffers misery appertaining to the body while wandering in the world (sansāra).
Gatha 78
The man who knows this reality does not entertain dispositions of attachment (rāga) and aversion (dvesa) toward external
substances; his soul becomes pristine due to pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) and annihilates miseries incidental to the body.
Explanatory Note: The man who leaves aside dispositions of merit (punya) and demerit (pāpa), considering the two as the same, and gets established in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) with no attachment (rāga) and aversion (dvesa) toward external substances, annihilates miseries incidental to the body. As the fire that does not enter the ironball escapes the blow of the sledgehammer, similarly, the soul established in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) escapes misery. The Ācārya, therefore, asks for refuge in pure-cognition (śuddhopayoga) to end perpetual wandering of the soul in the world (sansāra).