Mandukya Karika, verse 4.22

Text

स्वतो वा परतो वाऽपि न किंचिद्वस्तु जायते ।
सदसत्सदसद्वाऽपि न किंचिद्वस्तु जायते ॥ २२ ॥

svato vā parato vā'pi na kiṃcidvastu jāyate |
sadasatsadasadvā'pi na kiṃcidvastu jāyate || 22 ||

22. Nothing, whatsoever, is born either of itself or of another. Nothing is ever produced whether it be being or non-being or both being and non-being.

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

For this reason, also, nothing whatsoever is born. That1 which is (supposed to be) born cannot be born of itself, of another or of both. Nothing,2 whether it be existing or non-existing, or both, is ever born. Of such an entity, birth is not possible in any manner whatsoever. Nothing3 is born out of itself, i.e., from its own form which in itself has not yet come into existence. A jar cannot be produced from the self-same jar. A thing cannot be born from another thing, which is other than itself, as a jar cannot be produced from another jar, or a piece of cloth from another piece of cloth. Similarly, a thing cannot be born both out of itself and another, as that involves a contradiction.4 A5 jar or a piece of cloth cannot be produced by both a jar and a piece of cloth. (Objection)—A jar is produced1 from day, and s son is born of a father. (Reply)—Yes, the deluded use a word like “birth” and have a notion corresponding to the word. Both the word and the notion are examined by men of discrimination who wish to ascertain whether these are true or not. After examination they come to the conclusion that things, such as a jar or a son, etc., denoted by the words and signified by the notions, or mere verbal6, expressions. The Scripture also corroborates it, saying, “All effects are mere names and figures of speech.” If the thing is ever-existent, then it cannot be born again. The very7 existence is the reason for non-evolution. A father8 of clay is the illustration to support the contention. If these objects, on the other hand, be non-existent, even then they cannot be said to be produced. The very-non-existence is the reason. The horns9 of a hare are an illustration. If things be both existent and non-existent, then also, it cannot be born. For, such contradictory ideas cannot be associated with a thing. Therefore it is established that nothing whatsoever is born. Those10 who, again, assert that the very fact of birth is born again, that the cause, the effect and the act of birth form one-unity, and also that all objects have only momentary existence, maintain a view which is very far from reason. For a thing immediately after being pointed out as “It is this,” ceases to exist and consequently no memory of the thing is possible in the absence of such cognition.