Doctrines (Contd.)

"This or not this"

  Ahirbudhnya Samhita clarifies about the doctrine of  'This' and 'not this' as regards the true nature of existence.What appears to us 'such and such' may not be true as it appears! 

"The powers of all things are in themselves of an unspeakable nature, inexplicablu subtle, a-prathak-sthita, from the substances in which they inhere; they are the potential or subtle states of the substance itself, which are not perceived separately in themselves and cannot be defined as 'this' and 'not this' in any way, but can only be known from the effects." it is the inexplicable subtler aspects that is brahmn, beyond all knowledge and definition that has manifest itself as the universe.

  This applies to us, the living beings, as well. We do not know for certain, who we are. Despite all that we see and know we are not what we appear to be. Albeit, there is a date of birth and a date of death we do not exist as 'this' and 'not this' through out, as we pass from stage to stage, from a microscopic 'spermatozoa' that enters a woman's womb and begets a shape, form and assumes a name as such and such. Surprisingly, the jiva goes on changing every seven years from childhood to adolescent, youth, old and dies! This leaves an eternal question as to who is that that existed?

   It is no wonder that nobody is an Einstein or Newton in the state of childhood and nobody even when lying unconscious and dies, but for the trail of light, knowledge that flashes sometime during his bright days. Thus, the question remains-what is this? And, what is not this or that?

   This is what is the paradox of this changing, transient, phenomenal objective world, called maya.
Let's seewhat the Upanishat says,

     Sage Yajnavalkya : "Do not say: From the semen, for that is produced from the living man. A tree springs from the seed as well; after it is dead it certainly springs again. 6. If a tree is pulled up with its root, it will not spring again. From what root, tell me, does a mortal spring forth after he is cut off by death? 7. If you think he is indeed born, I say: No, he is born again. Now who should again bring him forth? The Upanishad states: It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss, the ultimate goal of him who offers wealth and also of him who has realized Brahman and stands firm in It." (Yajurveda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha, 28).