प्रज्ञया वाचं समारुह्य वाचा सर्वाणि सामान्याप्नोति । प्रज्ञया प्राणं समारुह्य प्राणेन सर्वान्गन्धानाप्नोति प्रज्ञया चक्षुः समारुह्य चक्षुषा सर्वाणि रूपाण्याप्नोति प्रज्ञया श्रोत्रं समारुह्य श्रोत्रेण सर्वाञ्च्छब्दानाप्नोति प्रज्ञया जिह्वां समारुह्य जिह्वया सर्वानन्नरसानाप्नोति प्रज्ञया हस्तौ समारुह्य हस्ताभ्यां सर्वाणि कर्माण्याप्नोति प्रज्ञया शरीरं समारुह्य शरीरेण सुखदुःखे आप्नोति प्रज्ञयोपस्थं समारुह्योपस्थेनानन्दं रतिं प्रज्ञामाप्नोति प्रज्ञया पादौ समारुह्य पादाभ्यां सर्वा इत्या आप्नोति प्रज्ञयैव धियं समारुह्य प्रज्ञयैव धियो विज्ञातव्यं कामानाप्नोति
prajñayā vācaṃ samāruhya vācā sarvāṇi sāmānyāpnoti | prajñayā prāṇaṃ samāruhya prāṇena sarvāngandhānāpnoti prajñayā cakṣuḥ samāruhya cakṣuṣā sarvāṇi rūpāṇyāpnoti prajñayā śrotraṃ samāruhya śrotreṇa sarvāñcchabdānāpnoti prajñayā jihvāṃ samāruhya jihvayā sarvānannarasānāpnoti prajñayā hastau samāruhya hastābhyāṃ sarvāṇi karmāṇyāpnoti prajñayā śarīraṃ samāruhya śarīreṇa sukhaduḥkhe āpnoti prajñayopasthaṃ samāruhyopasthenānandaṃ ratiṃ prajñāmāpnoti prajñayā pādau samāruhya pādābhyāṃ sarvā ityā āpnoti prajñayaiva dhiyaṃ samāruhya prajñayaiva dhiyo vijñātavyaṃ kāmānāpnoti
Mounting speech by insight, one obtains by speech all names. Mounting smell by insight, one obtains by it all odours. Mounting the eye by insight, one obtains by the eye all forms. Mounting the ear by insight, one obtains by the ear all sounds. Mounting the tongue by insight, one obtains by the tongue all tastes of food. Mounting the hands by insight, one obtains by the hands all deeds. Mounting the body by insight, one obtains by the body pleasure and pain. Mounting the organ of generation by insight, one obtains by it bliss, delight and procreation. Mounting the feet by insight, one obtains by the feet every going. And mounting thought by insight itself, one obtains by insight itself thoughts, the knowable and desires.
431068587c10 · published Jul 29, 2026, 3:43:45 AM UTC
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The same decad, but now it is shown how it works — and everything hangs on one verb: samāruhya, “having mounted, having climbed, having bestridden”.
The image is from horsemanship or the chariot: insight mounts an organ and rides it. The eye of itself does not see — the insight that has mounted it sees by it; the ear of itself does not hear. The faculty is the vehicle, prajñā the rider.
Hence it is clear why in the previous mantra the organs were called the “drawn-out members” of insight. They are not tools foreign to it but its own parts thrust outward; and therefore it can mount them.
The list is repeated in full, without abridgement, and this too is a device: it is shown that there is not one faculty that would work of itself, without the rider. Not even the hands, not even the feet, not even the body with its pleasure and pain.
And the tenth link is marked by its phrasing: “mounting thought by insight, one obtains by insight itself the thoughts”. Here rider and vehicle coincide: prajñā mounts the musing and by itself takes what is mused. So the circle begun in the previous mantra is closed: insight is both the whole and the last of its members.
The conclusion that follows from this the book will draw in the next mantra — and draw it from the contrary, by showing what happens when the rider's attention is elsewhere.