Prapathaka 3

3.1 They asked, “Blessed one, if this is the greatness you reveal in the Self, what is that other, lower self, overcome by the bright and dark fruits of action, entering good and evil wombs? It circles through a downward or an upward course, overpowered by opposites. Which is this?” He answered them:

3.2 “There is indeed another, lower one: the elemental self. Overcome by the bright and dark fruits of action, it enters good and evil wombs and circles through a downward or an upward course, overpowered by opposites. This is its explanation. The five subtle elements are called elements, and the five great elements are called elements. Their gathering is called the body; what is called the body is called the elemental self. Yet there is its Self, like a drop upon a lotus leaf. The elemental self is overcome by nature's qualities. Overcome, it falls into confusion and does not see the blessed lord within, the one who causes it to act. Sated by streams of qualities, defiled, unsteady, restless, grasping, desirous, distracted, it takes on the sense of I. Thinking ‘I am that; this is mine,’ it binds itself by itself, like a bird in a net. Driven by the ensuing fruits of its deeds, it circles on.

3.3 “Elsewhere, too, it is said: ‘The doer is this elemental self; the Person within causes it to act through its instruments. As a ball of iron, penetrated by fire and struck by workmen, takes many shapes, so the elemental self, penetrated by the Person within and struck by the qualities, takes many shapes. Possessed of three qualities, transformed into 8,400,000 wombs, elemental and threefold in quality—this is the form of multiplicity. The Person impels these qualities as a wheelwright impels a wheel. When the iron ball is struck, the fire is not overcome. So that Person is not overcome; the elemental self is overcome through its close attachment.’

3.4 “Elsewhere, too, it is said: ‘This body springs from intercourse, bereft of consciousness. Issuing through the passage of urine, it is hell itself: built of bones, plastered with flesh, bound in skin, filled with dung, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow, fat, grease, and many other impurities, collapsed like a case.’

“Elsewhere, too, it is said: ‘Delusion, fear, despair, sleep, torpor, wounds, age, grief, hunger, thirst, misery, anger, disbelief, ignorance, envy, unkindness, folly, shamelessness, deceit, arrogance, and unevenness accompany darkness. Craving, affection, attachment, greed, violence, pleasure, preoccupation with seeing, jealousy, fixation on desire, restlessness, the wish to seize, gathering wealth, favoring friends, reliance on possessions, aversion to unwanted sense objects, and clinging to those desired accompany passion. Filled and overcome by these, the elemental self assumes many forms. It assumes many forms.’” 3.5 Here ends the third Prapathaka.

3.1 They said, “Sir, if this is how you describe the Self's greatness, what is this other, lower self? It is overwhelmed by the results of good and bad actions, enters good and bad births, and wanders around, going downward or upward, overcome by opposites. Which one is this?” He said to them:

3.2 “There is indeed another, lower, elemental self. Overwhelmed by the results of good and bad actions, it enters good and bad births and wanders around, going downward or upward, overcome by opposites. This is its explanation. The five subtle elements are called elements; the five great elements are also called elements. Their combination is called the body. What is called the body is called the elemental self. There is also its Self, like a drop on a lotus leaf. This elemental self is overcome by nature's qualities. Being overcome, it becomes confused. It does not see the blessed lord within itself, the one who makes it act. Satisfied by streams of qualities, made dirty, unsteady, restless, greedy, longing, and distracted, it becomes self-important. Thinking ‘I am that; this is mine,’ it binds itself by itself, like a bird in a net. Overwhelmed by the consequences of what it has done, it wanders around.

3.3 “Elsewhere it is also said: ‘The one who acts is this elemental self. The Person inside makes it act through the instruments. An iron ball, penetrated by fire and struck by workmen, takes many forms. In the same way, this elemental self, penetrated by the Person inside and struck by the qualities, takes many forms. What has three qualities and develops into 8,400,000 kinds of birth is elemental and has three qualities. This is the form of diversity. These qualities are driven by the Person as a wheel is driven by someone turning it. When an iron ball is struck, the fire is not affected. In the same way, that Person is not affected. This elemental self is affected because it is closely joined to the body.’

3.4 “Elsewhere it is also said: ‘This body comes from sexual intercourse. Without consciousness, it comes out through the urinary opening, in a hell indeed. It is built of bones, plastered with flesh, and bound with skin. It is filled with feces, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow, fat, grease, and many other impurities. It lies collapsed, like a case.’

“Elsewhere it is also said: ‘Confusion, fear, despair, sleep, drowsiness, wounds, old age, grief, hunger, thirst, misery, anger, disbelief, ignorance, envy, lack of compassion, stupidity, shamelessness, dishonesty, arrogance, and unevenness belong to darkness. Thirst, affection, attachment, greed, violence, pleasure, preoccupation with seeing, jealousy, dwelling on desire, restlessness, the wish to take things, acquiring wealth, favoring friends, depending on possessions, hatred of unwanted sense objects, and attachment to wanted ones belong to passion. This elemental self is filled with these and overcome by them. That is why it takes many forms. It takes many forms.’” 3.5 Here ends Prapathaka 3.