one

Out of the relation of the Self to the Not-Self, as embodied in the logion, there arises a triplicity of attributes in both. The triune nature of the Absolute-the constant and timeless moment thereof which contains within it three incessant momentsimposes severally on the Self and the NotSelf, three guņas, : attributes, properties, or qualities. These three inseparable moments in the Absolute may be thus distinguished: (a) The 'I' holds the 'Not-I' before itself, and, so facing it, denies it, i.e., cognises the Not-Self's non-entity, its nothingness. This face-to-faceness constitutes the moment of cognition (including sub-divisions to appear later). (b) This cognition of the Not-Self by the Self is due to, and is of the nature of, a self-definition by the Self, a constant definition of its own nature to itself as being actually different from all Not-Self, from all things other than the pure Self, which might possibly be regarded as identical with itself. Implied therefore in this Self-consciousness is the action of an identification and a separation of the Self with and from the Not-Self. This is the moment of action, having its sub-divisions also. (c) The third moment is that which intervenes between the other two, the inner condition, so to say (for there is no real distinction of inner and

outer here), of the 'I,' its tendency or desire, between the holding of the 'Not-I' before itself, on the one hand, and its movement into or out of it, on the other. This third moment, of desire, also has sub-divisions, to be developed later. These three moments manifest in the individual Jîva as 1, jñâna, fa, kriyâ, and

, ichchhâ respectively.1 They will be

treated of in detail further on. Here it is enough to say that these three moments in the Absolute Brahman appear in the universal Pratyag-âtmâ as the three attributes of f, chit,, sat, and, ânanda, respectively, which are the seeds, the principia, the possibilities and potencies, the universal and abstract aspects, of what in the individual Jîva manifest as jñâna, kriyâ and ichchhâ.2 Sat, being in a special sense and degree, the principle in consciousness of actual (self-) assertion and (other-) denial, actual identification and separation, putting together and taking apart, corresponds to kriyâ, which alone gives or takes away existence, or particularised being. Chit, con

1 The English words 'know, con, ken, cognise,' 'create' and 'wish' are apparently derived from the same roots, viz., ‘jñâ,' 'kri' and 'ish,' respectively.

2 In current Vedanta works the meaning, as generally accepted, of sat, chit, and ânanda, is explained to be being, consciousness, and bliss respectively.

sciousness in its special aspect of cognition, mere holding before oneself of a Not-Self and ignoring it, denying it, knowing it to be not, corresponds to jñâna, which enables a thing to be known as existent or non-existent, true or false. Ânanda, the inner condition of the Self between cognition and action, is that principle of consciousness which connects the other two, is the basis of desire, which leads the Jîva from knowledge into action. It should be borne in mind that these three aspects, sat, chit, and ânanda, are not prior in time to kriyâ, jñâna, and ichchhâ, nor are they in any sense external causes or creators of the latter. They are co-eval with each other in their universal and unmanifested aspect, and are identical with the second triplet, which is only their particular and manifested aspect; aspect; even as universal and particular, abstract and concrete, substance and attribute, may be said to be identical. The two cannot be separated, but only distinguished, as before pointed out. Pratyag-âtmâ cannot and does not exist without and apart from Jîvas, and Jîvas cannot and do not exist without and apart from Pratyag-âtmâ. But while in Pratyag-âtmâ consciousness is selfconsciousness, which, against the foil of the Not-Self, is self-assertion, self-knowledge

and self-desire all in one, all evenly balanced and equal, none greater than the other, all merging into each-so that the Pratyag-âtmâ is often exclusively referred to in the Upanishats by only one of the three attributes, as only ânanda, or chit, or sat-the Jîva is a compound of jñâna, ichchhâ and kriyâ, which, by the necesssary fact of their confinement to particulars, realise their inseparable contemporaneousness only in an endless succession, rotating one after the other, two being always latent, but never absent, while one is patent.

How and why three moments come to be distinguishable in what is partless will appear on fully considering the nature of the second factor in the triune Absolute.1

Such then is the Sat-chid-ânanda, the Saguna - Brahman, having three attributes as the constituent principles of its being, the three potentialities which are necessarily present in it with reference to the necessary nature of its two co-factors in the Absolute. But we see clearly all the while that it is not personal, not individual, not some one that is separate from other ones, not the single ruler of any one particular kosmic system, but the universal Self, that is the very substratum of and is

1 See the next chapter.

immanent in all such particular Ishvaras, ie., Jîvas risen to be rulers of world-systems, and all other Jîvas whatsoever.

We may note that the triplicity of attributes in the Self is a reflection of the triuneness of the Absolute: Self, with reference to the Self, whose very being is constant awareness of itself, developes chit; with reference to the Not-Self, which it posits-therefore creates, i.e., gives to it the appearance of existence—and denies, sat; with reference to the Negation, ceasing from the restless turmoil of the Many, it shows forth ânanda and the bliss of peace.

This Pratyag-âtmâ is in a sense capable of being worshipped. Worship and devotion may be directed to it in the shape of constant study and recognition of its nature; of constant desire to see and feel by universal love its presence everywhere, and as all selves and in all not-selves; of constant endeavour to realise such presence by acts of compassion and helpfulness and service. Such is the worship of the Atma by the Jîva who, having finished (for that cycle) his journey on the path of ufa, pravṛitti, pursuit, marked out by the first half of the logion, is now treading (for that cycle) the return-path of faqf nivṛitti and renunciation, which is laid down by the second half of that same logion. To such a Jîva the