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158 In order to show that the permanent emotion becomes a sentiment, he proceeds to demonstrate that it is supreme bliss: 159 10. THE LORD HIMSELF IS SUPREME BLISS. HIS FORM, HAVING ENTERED 160 THE MIND, BECOMES A SENTIMENT OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE. 163 It is said that a reflection 161 is nothing but the original 162 itself, apprehended within limiting adjuncts. Reflected in the mind, the Lord, who is supreme bliss, becomes a permanent emotion and reaches the state of being a Hence it is beyond question that the sentiment sentiment. of devotion is of the nature of supreme bliss. This does

269 not, however, result in the identity of the primary objective cause and the permanent emotion because the distinction between original and reflection is well-known in the world, like the distinction between the individual soul and the Lord.164 It might be objected: "Granted that the sentiment of devotion is of the nature of supreme bliss because its permanent emotion, the form of the Blessed Lord, is of that nature. How then can sentiments such as erotic love 165 also be supremely blissful when their respective objects, such as the beloved one, are not so?" In response to this, he says: 11. EVEN WHEN THE OBJECT IS ONE'S BELOVED, THE CAUSE IS STILL PURE CONSCIOUSNESS AND BLISS. THE CAUSE APPEARS, HOWEVER, Advaitasiddhi AN EFFECT AND NOT Advaitasiddhi ITSELF BECAUSE IT IS COVERED BY THE VEIL OF ILLUSION. Brahman, the supreme bliss, is the material cause of the world. This is taught in revealed texts such as the following: "From bliss, indeed are these beings born; by bliss, when born, do they live; and into bliss, when departing, do they enter" [Taittiriya Upanishad 3.6.1]. And the same is established by the aphorism: "From which there is the production, etc., of all this" [Brahmasutras 1.1.2]. It is universally recognized that an effect is non-different from its material cause, as a pot is non-different from the clay [of which it is made]. "All this, verily, is Brahman" [Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1], "All this is the Self" [Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.6], "Being only, my dear, was this in the beginning" [Chandogya Upanishad 6.2.1]--in statements

270 such as these, the Chandogya and other Upanisads reiterate this truth. It is also demonstrated by the aphorism: "Because of the word 'origin,' the effect is not other than the cause" [Brahmasutras 2.1.14]. This being the case, there are two reasons for our inability to perceive the non-difference of the effect from the cause, namely, Maya's powers of projection and concealment.166 Thus the author states in the second half of stanza 11, "It appears, however, as an effect." Projection makes what is not an effect 167 appear as if it were, and concealment brings about its non-appearance in its own form as undivided bliss. As it is said: That which is perceived in the Self when in reality it does not exist and that which is not perceived [when it does] --know that to be [caused by] My Maya. It is like 168 a false appearance, like darkness. 2.9.33 To answer the question, "How, then, can this bliss be perceived?" the author says: A 12. WHEN THERE IS A MOMENTARY DISAPPEARANCE OF THE COVERING OF MAYA, BRAHMAN, WHICH IS BEING ITSELF BUT IS UNKNOWN, MAY BE KNOWN BY A PURE MENTAL MODIFICATION THROUGH THE MEANS OF KNOWLEDGE DIRECTED TOWARD SUCH OBJECTS Advaitasiddhi THE BELOVED. The validity of all the means of knowledge 169 on their being revealers of what was previously unknown. Otherwise, even memory would have to be accepted as a valid 170 means of knowledge. 171 which But only Consciousness, shines with its own luminosity, can be unknown. Not so the

271 insentient because there is no possibility of insentient things shining forth, and therefore their further obscuration would serve no purpose. 172 Consequently, in order that the means of knowledge that are directed toward such things as the beloved may be considered valid as being revealers of the unknown, their object must be said to be nothing but Consciousness as limited by those things. To regard them as valid means of knowledge would otherwise be impossible. Thus, when the covering of Maya is removed by the pure, direct mental modification generated by a valid means of knowledge, Consciousness, though in reality the supreme bliss, shines as limited by the various objects of which it is the material cause. But, because the unlimited essential nature of Consciousness is not directly perceived, immediate liberation does not occur. 173 Nor is there any contradiction of the self-luminosity [of Consciousness]. Then what? In answer, the author says: 174 13. THEN THAT ALONE BECOMES A PERMANENT EMOTION IN THE MIND AND REACHES THE STATE OF BEING A SENTIMENT, SLIGHTLY DIMINISHED BY MIXTURE WITH THE INSENTIENT. Becoming a permanent emotion when reflected in a modification of a melted mind, this very Consciousness, limited by objects, attains the status of a sentiment. Hence even the sentiments based on worldly experience can be said to be supremely blissful. However, while in the case of the sentiment of devotion there is a great abundance of

272 bliss due to the manifestation of the Lord who is a unlimited bliss and consciousness, in the sentiments based on worldly experience there is a lesser degree of bliss. This is because only a portion of bliss and consciousness is manifested in the worldly sentiments owing to limitation by objects. Therefore the sentiment of devotion alone should be cultivated and the worldly sentiments should be ignored. This is the author's meaning. 175