188 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

clearly stated: Yato va imani bhutani jayande. This clearly states that the
Absolute Truth is the original reservoir of all ingredients, and this material
world of the living entities is produced out of those ingredients.

Less intelligent persons who cannot understand the doctrine of by-products
cannot grasp how this cosmic manifestation and the living entity are simul-
taneously one and different from the Absolute Truth. Without understanding
this truth, if, out of unnecessary fear, one concludes that this cosmic manifesta-
tion and the living entity are false, by putting forward the example of mistaking
a rope for a snake, as Sankaracharya does, or mistaking the oyster shell for gold,
surely that sort of argument is simply cheating. The examples of mistaking
a rope for a snake and the oyster shell for gold, mentioned in the Mandukya
Upanishad, have their different applications, and can be understood as follows:
the living entity in his original constitution is pure spirit. And when a human
being identifies himself with this material body, that is a case of accepting the
rope as a snake, or the oyster shell as gold. The doctrine of transformation
of state is accepted when one thing is mistaken for another. Actually, the body
is not the living entity; and to accept the body as the living entity is the doctrine
of transformation of state. Every conditioned soul is undoubtedly contaminated
by this doctrine of transformation of state.

This conditional state of the living entity is a diseased condition. Origin-
ally, the living entity and the Original Cause of this cosmic manifestation are
certainly not in this state of transformation. But mistaken thoughts and argu-
ments can overcome a person when he forgets about the inconceivable energies
and activities of the Supreme Lord. Even in the material world there are many
examples: the Sun is producing unlimited energies from time immemorial,
and so many by-products result from the Sun; yet there is no change in the
heat and temperature of the Sun itself. If the Sun can maintain itself in its
original state of temperature—although it is a material product—in spite
of producing so many by-products, then is it very difficult to understand that
the Supreme Absolute Truth, in spite of His producing so many by-products
by His inconceivable energy, is not changed at all? Therefore, there is no ques-
tion of the transformation of His state.

It is learned from the Vedic literature that there is a material product which
is called touchstone which, simply by touch, can transform iron into gold.
The touchstone can produce an unlimited quantity of gold, and still the touch-
stone itself does not change its state. Therefore, to suppose that this cosmic
manifestation and the living entities are false or illusory, as advocated by the
Mayavadi philosopher, is ignorance. No sane man should impose ignorance
