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  • TheProjectGutenbergEBookofTheVedantaSutraswiththeCommentaryby

    Ramanuja,byTrans.GeorgeThibaut

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    Title:TheVedantaSutraswiththeCommentarybyRamanuja

    SacredBooksoftheEast,Volume48

    Author:Trans.GeorgeThibaut

  • ReleaseDate:January,2005[EBook#7297]

    [Yes,wearemorethanoneyearaheadofschedule]

    [ThisfilewasfirstpostedonApril9,2003]

    Edition:10

    Language:English

    Charactersetencoding:ASCII

    ***STARTOFTHEPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOKTHEVEDANTASUTRAS***

    THE

    VEDANTASUTRAS

    WITHTHECOMMENTARYBY

    RAMANUJA

    TRANSLATEDBY

    GEORGETHIBAUT

  • PARTIII

    SacredBooksoftheEast,Volume48

    [1904]

    [ScannedinbySrinivasanSriram(aspartofthesripedia.orginitiative).

    OCRedandproofedatDistributedProofingbyothervolunteers;Juliet

    Sutherland,projectmanager.Formattingandadditionalproofreadingat

    Sacredtexts.combyJ.B.Hare.Thistextisinthepublicdomainworldwide.

    Thisfilemaybeusedforanynoncommercialpurposeprovidedthisnotice

    isleftintact.]

    CONTENTS.

    VEDANTASUTRASWITHTHECOMMENTARYOFRAMANUJA.

    INTRODUCTION

    ADHYAYAI

  • PadaI

    PadaII

    PadaIII

    PadaIV

    ADHYAYAII

    PadaI

    PadaII

    PadaIII

    PadaIV

    ADHYAYAIII

    PadaI

    PadaII

    PadaIII

    PadaIV

  • ADHYAYAIV

    PadaI

    PadaII

    PadaIII

    PadaIV

    INDEXESBYDR.M.WINTERNITZ:

    IndexofQuotations

    IndexofSanskritWords

    IndexofNamesandSubjects

    Corrigenda

    TransliterationofOrientalAlphabetsadoptedfortheTranslationsofthe

    SacredBooksoftheEast

  • INTRODUCTION.

    IntheIntroductiontothefirstvolumeofthetranslationofthe

    'VedantaSutraswithSankara'sCommentary'(vol.xxxivofthisSeries)I

    havedweltatsomelengthontheinterestwhichRamanuja'sCommentary

    mayclaimasbeing,ontheonehand,thefullestexpositionofwhatmay

    becalledtheTheisticVedanta,andassupplyingus,ontheother,with

    meansofpenetratingtothetruemeaningofBadarayana'sAphorisms.Ido

    notwishtoenterhereintoafullerdiscussionofRamanuja'sworkin

    eitheroftheseaspects;anadequatetreatmentofthemwould,moreover,

    requireconsiderablymorespacethanisatmydisposal.Someveryuseful

    materialfortherightunderstandingofRamanuju'sworkistobefound

    inthe'AnalyticalOutlineofContents'whichMessrs.M.Rangakaryaand

    M.B.VaradarajaAiyangarhaveprefixedtothefirstvolumeoftheir

    scholarlytranslationoftheSribhashya(Madras,1899).

    ThequestionastowhattheSturasreallyteachisacritical,nota

    philosophicalone.Thisdistinctionseemstohavebeenimperfectly

    realisedbyseveralofthosecritics,writinginIndia,whohave

    examinedtheviewsexpressedinmyIntroductiontothetranslationof

    Sankara'sCommentary.Awritershouldnotbetaxedwith'philosophic

    incompetency,''hopelesstheisticbiasduetoearlytraining,'andthe

    like,simplybecausehe,onthebasisofapurelycriticalinvestigation,

    considershimselfentitledtomaintainthatacertainancientdocument

    setsforthonephilosophicalviewratherthananother.Ihavenowhere

    expressedanopinionastothecomparativephilosophicalvalueofthe

    systemsofSankaraandRamanuja;notbecauseIhavenodefiniteopinions

    onthispoint,butbecausetointroducethemintoacriticalenquiry

    wouldbepurposelessifnotobjectionable.

  • ThequestionastothetruemeaningoftheSutrasisnodoubtofsome

    interest;althoughtheinterestofproblemsofthiskindmayeasilybe

    overestimated.Amongtheremarksofcriticsonmytreatmentofthis

    problemIhavefoundlittleofsolidvalue.ThemainargumentswhichI

    havesetforth,notsomuchinfavouroftheadequacyofRamanuja's

    interpretation,asagainstthevalidityofSankarakarya'sunderstanding

    oftheSutras,appeartomenottohavebeentouched.Idonotbyany

    meansconsidertheproblemahopelessone;butitssolutionwillnotbe

    advanced,inanydirection,butbythosewhowillbeatthetroubleof

    submittingtheentirebodyoftheSutrastoanewanddetailed

    investigation,availingthemselvestothefullofthehelpthatistobe

    derivedfromthestudyofalltheexistingCommentaries.

    ThepresenttranslationoftheSribhashyaclaimstobefaithfulonthe

    whole,althoughImustacknowledgethatIhaveaimedratheratmakingit

    intelligibleand,inacertainsense,readablethanscrupulously

    accurate.IfIhadtorewriteit,Ishouldfeelinclinedtogoeven

    furtherinthesamedirection.IndianPhilosophywould,inmyopinion,

    bemorereadilyandwidelyappreciatedthanitisatpresent,ifthe

    translatorsofphilosophicalworkshadbeensomewhatmoreconcernedto

    throwtheirversionsintoaformlessstrangeandrepellenttothe

    westernreaderthanliteralrenderingsfromtechnicalSanskritmust

    needsbeinmanypassages.Iamnotunawareofthepeculiardangersof

    theplannowadvocatedamongwhichthemostobviousisthetemptation

    itofferstothetranslatorofdeviatingfromthetextmorewidelythan

    regardforclearnesswouldabsolutelyrequire.AndIamconsciousof

    havingfailedinthisrespectinmorethanoneinstance.Inothercases

    Ihavenodoubtgoneastraythroughanimperfectunderstandingofthe

  • author'smeaning.Thefactis,thatasyetthetimehashardlycomefor

    fullyadequatetranslationsofcomprehensiveworksofthetypeofthe

    Sribhashya,theauthorsofwhichwrotewithreferenceinmanycases

    tacittoanimmenseandhighlytechnicalphilosophicalliteraturewhich

    isonlyjustbeginningtobestudied,andcomprehendedinpart,by

    Europeanscholars.

    ItgivesmegreatpleasuretoacknowledgethehelpwhichIhavereceived

    fromvariousquartersinpreparingthistranslation.PanditGangadhara

    Sastrin,C.I.E.,oftheBenaresSanskritCollege,has,withunwearying

    kindnessandpatience,suppliedmethroughoutwithcommentsofhisown

    ondifficultsectionsofthetext.PanditSvaminRamaMisraSastrinhas

    renderedmefrequentassistanceintheearlierportionofmytask.And

    toMr.A.Venis,thelearnedPrincipaloftheBenaresSanskritCollege,

    Iamindebtedformostinstructivenotesonsomepassagesofa

    peculiarlytechnicalandabstrusecharacter.NorcanIconcludewithout

    expressingmysenseofobligationtoColonelG.A.Jacob,whose

    invaluable'ConcordancetothePrincipalUpanishads'lightenstoan

    incalculabledegreethetaskofanyscholarwhoisengagedinwork

    bearingontheVedanta.

    VEDANTASUTRAS

    WITH

    RAMANUJA'SSRIBHASHYA

  • FIRSTADHYAYA.

    FIRSTPADA.

    MAYmymindbefilledwithdevotiontowardsthehighestBrahman,the

    abodeofLakshmiwhoisluminouslyrevealedintheUpanishads;whoin

    sportproduces,sustains,andreabsorbstheentireUniverse;whoseonly

    aimistofosterthemanifoldclassesofbeingsthathumblyworshiphim.

    ThenectaroftheteachingofParasara'sson(Vyasa),whichwasbrought

    upfromthemiddleofthemilkoceanoftheUpanishadswhichrestores

    tolifethesoulswhosevitalstrengthhaddepartedowingtotheheatof

    thefireoftransmigratoryexistencewhichwaswellguardedbythe

    teachersofoldwhichwasobscuredbythemutualconflictofmanifold

    opinions,mayintelligentmendailyenjoythatasitisnowpresented

    totheminmywords.

    Thelengthyexplanation(vritti)oftheBrahmasutraswhichwascomposed

    bytheReverendBodhayanahasbeenabridgedbyformerteachers;

    accordingtotheirviewsthewordsoftheSutraswillbeexplainedin

    thispresentwork.

    1.ThenthereforetheenquiryintoBrahman.

    InthisSutratheword'then'expressesimmediatesequence;theword

  • 'therefore'intimatesthatwhathastakenplace(viz.thestudyofthe

    karmakandaoftheVeda)constitutesthereason(oftheenquiryinto

    Brahman).Forthefactisthattheenquiryinto(lit.'thedesireto

    know')Brahmanthefruitofwhichenquiryisinfiniteinnatureand

    permanentfollowsimmediatelyinthecaseofhimwho,havingreadthe

    Vedatogetherwithitsauxiliarydisciplines,hasreachedtheknowledge

    thatthefruitofmereworksislimitedandnonpermanent,andhencehas

    conceivedthedesireoffinalrelease.

    Thecompound'brahmajijnasa'istobeexplainedas'theenquiryof

    Brahman,'thegenitivecase'ofBrahman'beingunderstoodtodenotethe

    object;inagreementwiththespecialruleastothemeaningofthe

    genitivecase,PaniniII,3,65.Itmightbesaidthatevenifwe

    acceptedthegeneralmeaningofthegenitivecasewhichisthatof

    connexioningeneralBrahman'sposition(intheabovecompound)asan

    objectwouldbeestablishedbythecircumstancethatthe'enquiry'

    demandsanobject;butinagreementwiththeprinciplethatthedirect

    denotationofawordistobepreferredtoameaninginferredwetake

    thegenitivecase'ofBrahman'asdenotingtheobject.

    Theword'Brahman'denotesthehightestPerson(purushottama),whois

    essentiallyfreefromallimperfectionsandpossessesnumberlessclasses

    ofauspiciousqualitiesofunsurpassableexcellence.Theterm'Brahman'

    isappliedtoanythingswhichpossessthequalityofgreatness

    (brihattva,fromtheroot'brih');butprimarilydenotesthatwhich

    possessesgreatness,ofessentialnatureaswellasofqualities,in

    unlimitedfulness;andsuchisonlytheLordofall.Hencetheword

    'Brahman'primarilydenoteshimalone,andinasecondaryderivative

    senseonlythosethingswhichpossesssomesmallpartoftheLord's

  • qualities;foritwouldbeimpropertoassumeseveralmeaningsforthe

    word(sothatitwoulddenoteprimarilyordirectlymorethanonething).

    Thecaseisanalogoustothatoftheterm'bhagavat[FOOTNOTE4:1].'The

    Lordonlyisenquiredinto,forthesakeofimmortality,byallthose

    whoareafflictedwiththetriadofpain.HencetheLordofallisthat

    Brahmanwhich,accordingtotheSutra,constitutestheobjectofenquiry.

    Theword'jijnasa'isadesiderativeformationmeaning'desiretoknow.'

    Andasinthecaseofanydesirethedesiredobjectisthechiefthing,

    theSutrameanstoenjoinknowledgewhichistheobjectofthedesire

    ofknowledge.ThepurportoftheentireSutrathenisasfollows:'Since

    thefruitofworksknownthroughtheearlierpartoftheMimamsais

    limitedandnonpermanent,andsincethefruitoftheknowledgeof

    Brahmanwhichknowledgeistobereachedthroughthelatterpartofthe

    Mimamsaisunlimitedandpermanent;forthisreasonBrahmanistobe

    known,aftertheknowledgeofworkshaspreviouslytakenplace.'The

    samemeaningisexpressedbytheVrittikarawhensaying'afterthe

    comprehensionofworkshastakenplacetherefollowstheenquiryinto

    Brahman.'AndthattheenquiryintoworksandthatintoBrahman

    constituteonebodyofdoctrine,he(theVrittikara)willdeclarelater

    on'thisSarirakadoctrineisconnectedwithJaimini'sdoctrineas

    containedinsixteenadhyayas;thisprovesthetwotoconstituteone

    bodyofdoctrine.'HencetheearlierandthelaterMimamsaareseparate

    onlyinsofarasthereisadifferenceofmattertobetaughtbyeach;

    inthesamewayasthetwohalvesofthePurvaMimamsasutras,

    consistingofsixadhyayaseach,areseparate[FOOTNOTE5:1];andaseach

    adhyayaisseparate.TheentireMimamsasatrawhichbeginswiththe

    Sutra'Nowthereforetheenquiryintoreligiousduty'andconcludeswith

    theSutra'(Fromthereis)noreturnonaccountofscripturalstatement'

    has,owingtothespecialcharacterofthecontents,adefiniteorderof

  • internalsuccession.Thisisasfollows.Atfirsttheprecept'oneisto

    learnone'sowntext(svadhyaya)'enjoinstheapprehensionofthat

    aggregateofsyllableswhichiscalled'Veda,'andisherereferredto

    as'svadhyaya.'Nexttherearisesthedesiretoknowofwhatnaturethe

    'Learning'enjoinedistobe,andhowitistobedone.Heretherecome

    incertaininjunctionssuchas'LetaBrahnmanabeinitiatedinhis

    eighthyear'and'TheteacheristomakehimrecitetheVeda';and

    certainrulesaboutspecialobservancesandrestrictionssuchas

    'havingperformedtheupakarmanonthefullmoonofSravanaor

    Praushthapadaaccordingtoprescription,heistostudythesacred

    versesforfourmonthsandahalfwhichenjoinalltherequireddetails.

    Fromalltheseitisunderstoodthatthestudyenjoinedhasforits

    resulttheapprehensionoftheaggregateofsyllablescalledVeda,on

    thepartofapupilwhohasbeeninitiatedbyateachersprungfroma

    goodfamily,leadingavirtuouslife,andpossessingpurityofsoul;who

    practisescertainspecialobservancesandrestrictions;andwholearns

    byrepeatingwhatisrecitedbytheteacher.

    AndthisstudyoftheVedaisofthenatureofasamskaraofthetext,

    sincetheformoftheinjunction'theVedaistobestudied'showsthat

    theVedaistheobject(oftheactionofstudying).Byasamskarais

    understoodanactionwherebysomethingisfittedtoproducesomeother

    effect;andthattheVedashouldbetheobjectofsuchasamskaarais

    quiteappropriate,sinceitgivesrisetotheknowledgeofthefour

    chiefendsofhumanactionviz.religiousduty,wealth,pleasure,and

    finalreleaseandofthemeanstoeffectthem;andsinceithelpsto

    effectthoseendsbyitselfalso,viz.bymeremechanicalrepetition

    (apartfromanyknowledgetowhichitmaygiverise).

  • TheinjunctionastothestudyoftheVedathusaimsonlyatthe

    apprehensionoftheaggregateofsyllables(constitutingtheVeda)

    accordingtocertainrules;itisinthiswayanalogoustotherecital

    ofmantras.

    ItisfurtherobservedthattheVedathusapprehendedthroughreading

    spontaneouslygivesrisetotheideasofcertainthingssubserving

    certainpurposes.Aperson,therefore,whohasformednotionsofthose

    thingsimmediately,i.e.onthemereapprehensionofthetextofthe

    Vedathroughreading,thereuponnaturallyapplieshimselftothestudy

    oftheMimamsa,whichconsistsinamethodicaldiscussionofthe

    sentencesconstitutingthetextoftheVeda,andhasforitsresultthe

    accuratedeterminationofthenatureofthosethingsandtheirdifferent

    modes.Throughthisstudythestudentascertainsthecharacterofthe

    injunctionsofworkwhichformpartoftheVeda,andobservesthatall

    workleadsonlytononpermanentresults;andas,ontheotherhand,he

    immediatelybecomesawarethattheUpanishadsectionswhichformpart

    oftheVedawhichhehasapprehendedthroughreadingrefertoan

    infiniteandpermanentresult,viz.immortality,heapplieshimselfto

    thestudyoftheSarirakaMimamsa,whichconsistsinasystematic

    discussionoftheVedantatexts,andhasforitsresulttheaccurate

    determinationoftheirsense.Thatthefruitofmereworksistransitory,

    whiletheresultoftheknowledgeofBrahmanissomethingpermanent,the

    Vedantatextsdeclareinmanyplaces'Andasheretheworldacquiredby

    workperishes,sotheretheworldacquiredbymeritperishes'(Ch.Up.

    VIII,1,6);'Thatworkofhishasanend'(Bri.Up.III,8,10);'By

    nonpermanentworksthePermanentisnotobtained'(Ka.Up.I,2,10);

    'Frailindeedarethoseboats,thesacrifices'(Mu.Up.I,2,7);'Leta

  • Brahmana,afterhehasexaminedalltheseworldsthataregainedby

    works,acquirefreedomfromalldesires.Whatisnotmadecannotbe

    gainedbywhatismade.Tounderstandthis,letthepupil,withfuelin

    hishand,gotoateacherwhoislearnedanddwellsentirelyinBrahman.

    Tothatpupilwhohasapproachedhimrespectfully,whosemindis

    altogethercalm,thewiseteachertrulytoldthatknowledgeofBrahman

    throughwhichheknowstheimperishabletruePerson'(Mu.Up.I,2,12,

    13).'Told'heremeans'heistotell.'Ontheotherhand,'Hewho

    knowsBrahmanattainstheHighest'(Taitt.Up.II,1,1);'Hewhosees

    thisdoesnotseedeath'(Ch.Up.VII,26,2);'Hebecomesaselfruler'

    (Ch.Up.VII,25,2);'Knowinghimhebecomesimmortalhere'(Taitt.Ar.

    III,12,7);'Havingknownhimhepassesoverdeath;thereisnoother

    pathtogo'(Svet.Up.VI,15);'HavingknownasseparatehisSelfand

    theMover,pleasedtherebyhegoestoimmortality'(Svet.Up.I,6).

    ButanobjectionhereisraisedthemerelearningoftheVedawithits

    auxiliarydisciplinesgivesrisetotheknowledgethattheheavenly

    worldandthelikearetheresultsofworks,andthatallsuchresults

    aretransitory,whileimmortalityisthefruitofmeditationonBrahman.

    Possessingsuchknowledge,apersondesirousoffinalreleasemayat

    onceproceedtotheenquiryintoBrahman;andwhatneedisthereofa

    systematicconsiderationofreligiousduty(i.e.ofthestudyofthe

    PurvaMimamsa)?Ifthisreasoningwerevalid,wereply,theperson

    desirousofreleaseneednotevenapplyhimselftothestudyofthe

    SarirakaMimamsa,sinceBrahmanisknownfromthemerereadingofthe

    Vedawithitsauxiliarydisciplines.True.Suchknowledgearisesindeed

    immediately(withoutdeeperenquiry).Butamatterapprehendedinthis

    immediatewayisnotraisedabovedoubtandmistake.Henceasystematic

    discussionoftheVedantatextsmustheundertakeninorderthattheir

  • sensemaybefullyascertainedWeagree.Butyouwillhavetoadmit

    thatfortheverysamereasonwemustundertakeasystematicenquiry

    intoreligiousduty!

    [FOOTNOTE4:1.'Bhagavat'denotesprimarilytheLord,thedivinity;

    secondarilyanyholyperson.]

    [FOOTNOTE5:1.ThefirstsixbooksofthePurvaMimamsasutrasgive

    rulesforthefundamentalformsofthesacrifice;whilethelastsix

    booksteachhowtheserulesaretobeappliedtothesocalledmodified

    forms.]

    THESMALLPURVAPAKSHA.

    Butafurtherobjectionisurgedasthatwhichhastoprecedethe

    systematicenquiryintoBrahmanweshouldassignsomethingwhichthat

    enquirynecessarilypresupposes.Theenquiryintothenatureofduty,

    however,doesnotformsuchaprerequisite,sinceaconsiderationofthe

    Vedantatextsmaybeundertakenbyanyonewhohasreadthosetexts,

    evenifheisnotacquaintedwithworks.ButintheVedantatextsthere

    areenjoinedmeditationsontheUdgithaandthelikewhicharematters

    auxiliarytoworks;andsuchmeditationsarenotpossibleforhimwhois

    notacquaintedwiththoseworks!Youwhoraisethisobjectionclearly

    areignorantofwhatkindofknowledgetheSarirakaMimamsaisconcerned

    with!Whatthatsastraaimsatistodestroycompletelythatwrong

    knowledgewhichistherootofallpain,forman,liabletobirth,old

  • age,anddeath,andallthenumberlessotherevilsconnectedwith

    transmigratoryexistenceevilsthatspringfromtheview,dueto

    beginninglessNescience,thatthereispluralityofexistence;andto

    thatendthesastraendeavourstoestablishtheknowledgeoftheunity

    oftheSelf.Nowtothisknowledge,theknowledgeofworkswhichis

    basedontheassumptionofpluralityofexistenceisnotonlyuseless

    butevenopposed.TheconsiderationoftheUdgithaandthelike,which

    issupplementarytoworksonly,findsaplaceintheVedantatexts,only

    becauselikethemitisofthenatureofknowledge;butithasnodirect

    connexionwiththetruetopicofthosetexts.Hencesomeprerequisite

    mustbeindicatedwhichhasreferencetotheprincipaltopicofthe

    sastra.Quiteso;andthisprerequisiteisjusttheknowledgeofworks;

    forscripturedeclaresthatfinalreleaseresultsfromknowledgewith

    worksadded.TheSutrawriterhimselfsaysfurtheron'Andthereisneed

    ofallworks,onaccountofthescripturalstatementofsacrificesand

    thelike'(Ve.Su.III,4,26).Andiftherequiredworkswerenotknown,

    onecouldnotdeterminewhichworkshavetobecombinedwithknowledge

    andwhichnot.Hencetheknowledgeofworksisjustthenecessary

    prerequisite.Notso,wereply.ThatwhichputsanendtoNescienceis

    exclusivelytheknowledgeofBrahman,whichispureintelligenceand

    antagonistictoallplurality.Forfinalreleaseconsistsjustinthe

    cessationofNescience;howthencanworkstowhichthereattach

    endlessdifferencesconnectedwithcaste,asrama,objecttobe

    accomplished,meansandmodeofaccomplishment,&c.eversupplyameans

    forthecessationofignorance,whichisessentiallythecessationof

    theviewthatdifferenceexists?Thatworks,theresultsofwhichare

    transitory,arecontrarytofinalrelease,andthatsuchreleasecanbe

    effectedthroughknowledgeonly,scripturedeclaresinmanyplaces;

    compareallthepassagesquotedabove(p.7).

  • Astotheassertionthatknowledgerequiressacrificesandotherworks,

    weremarkthatasfollowsfromtheessentialcontrarietyofknowledge

    andworks,andasfurtherappearsfromanaccurateconsiderationofthe

    wordsofscripturepiousworkscancontributeonlytowardstheriseof

    thedesireofknowledge,insofarnamelyastheycleartheinternal

    organ(ofknowledge),butcanhavenoinfluenceontheproductionofthe

    fruit,i.e.knowledgeitself.Forthescripturalpassageconcernedruns

    asfollowsBrahmanasdesiretoknowhimbythestudyoftheVeda,by

    sacrifice,bygifts,'&c.(Bri.Up.IV,4,22).

    Accordingtothispassage,thedesireonlyofknowledgespringsup

    throughworks;whileanothertextteachesthatcalmness,selfrestraint,

    andsoon,arethedirectmeansfortheoriginationofknowledgeitself.

    (Havingbecometranquil,calm,subdued,satisfied,patient,and

    collected,heistoseetheSelfwithintheSelf(Bri.Up.IV,4,23).)

    Theprocessthusisasfollows.Afterthemindofamanhasbeencleaned

    ofallimpuritiesthroughworksperformedinmanyprecedingstatesof

    existence,withoutaviewtospecialformsofreward,therearisesin

    himthedesireofknowledge,andthereuponthroughknowledgeitself

    originatedbycertainscripturaltexts'Beingonly,thiswasinthe

    beginning,oneonlywithoutasecond'(Ch.Up.VI,I,2);'Truth,

    Knowledge,theInfinite,isBrahman'(Taitt.Up.II,1);'Withoutparts,

    withoutactions,calm,withoutfault,withouttaint'(Svet.Up.VI,19);

    'ThisSelfisBrahman'(Bri.Up.II,5,19);'Thouartthat'(Ch.Up.VI,

    9,7),Nesciencecomestoanend.Now,'Hearing,''reflection,'and

    'meditation,'arehelpfultowardscognisingthesenseoftheseVedic

    texts.'Hearing'(sravana)meanstheapprehensionofthesenseof

  • scripture,togetherwithcollateralarguments,fromateacherwho

    possessesthetrueinsight,viz.thattheVedantatextsestablishthe

    doctrineoftheunityoftheSelf.'Reflection'(mananam)meansthe

    confirmationwithinoneselfofthesensetaughtbytheteacher,bymeans

    ofargumentsshowingitalonetobesuitable.'Meditation'

    (nididhyasanam)finallymeanstheconstantholdingofthaisensebefore

    one'smind,soastodispeltherebytheantagonisticbeginningless

    imaginationofplurality.Inthecaseofhimwhothrough'hearing,'

    'reflection,'andmeditation,'hasdisdispelledtheentireimagination

    ofplurality,theknowledgeofthesenseofVedantatextsputsanendto

    Nescience;andwhatwethereforerequireisastatementofthe

    indispensableprerequisitesofsuch'hearing,''reflection,'andsoon.

    Nowofsuchprerequisitestherearefour,viz.discriminationofwhatis

    permanentandwhatisnonpermanent;thefullpossessionofcalmnessof

    mind,selfrestraintandsimilarmeans;therenunciationofall

    enjoymentoffruitsherebelowaswellasinthenextworld;andthe

    desireoffinalrelease.

    Withoutthesethedesireofknowledgecannotarise;andtheyare

    thereforeknown,fromtheverynatureofthematter,tobenecessary

    prerequisites.Tosumup:Therootofbondageistheunrealviewof

    pluralitywhichitselfhasitsrootinNesciencethatconcealsthetrue

    beingofBrahman.Bondageitselfthusisunreal,andisonthataccount

    cutshort,togetherwithitsroot,bymereknowledge.Suchknowledgeis

    originatedbytextssuchas'Thatartthou';andworkisofnohelp

    eithertowardsitsnature,oritsorigination,oritsfruit(i.e.

    release).Itisontheotherhandhelpfultowardsthedesireof

    knowledge,whicharisesowingtoanincreaseoftheelementofgoodness

    (sattva)inthesoul,duetothedestructionoftheelementsofpassion

  • (rajas)anddarkness(tamas)whicharetherootofallmoralevil.This

    useisreferredtointhetextquotedabove,'Brahmanaswishtoknowhim,'

    &c.As,therefore,theknowledgeofworksisofnousetowardsthe

    knowledgeofBrahman,wemustacknowledgeastheprerequisiteofthe

    latterknowledgethefourmeansmentionedabove.

    THESMALLSIDDHANTA.

    Tothisargumentationwemakethefollowingreply.Weadmitthatrelease

    consistsonlyinthecessationofNescience,andthatthiscessation

    resultsentirelyfromtheknowledgeofBrahman.Butadistinctionhas

    heretobemaderegardingthenatureofthisknowledgewhichthe

    Vedantatextsaimatenjoiningforthepurposeofputtinganendto

    Nescience.Isitmerelytheknowledgeofthesenseofsentenceswhich

    originatesfromthesentences?orisitknowledgeintheformof

    meditation(upasana)whichhastheknowledgejustreferredtoasits

    antecedent?Itcannotbeknowledgeoftheformerkind:forsuch

    knowledgespringsfromthemereapprehensionofthesentence,apartfrom

    anyspecialinjunction,andmoreoverwedonotobservethatthe

    cessationofNescienceiseffectedbysuchknowledgemerely.Our

    adversarywillperhapsattempttoexplainthingsinthefollowingway.

    TheVedantatextsdonot,hewillsay,producethatknowledgewhich

    makesanendofNescience,solongastheimaginationofpluralityis

    notdispelled.Andthefactthatsuchknowledge,evenwhenproduced,

    doesnotatonceandforeveryoneputastoptotheviewofplurality

    bynomeanssubvertsmyopinion;for,tomentionananalogousinstance,

  • thedoubleappearanceofthemoonpresentingitselftoaperson

    affectedwithacertainweaknessofvisiondoesnotcometoanendas

    soonastheonenessofthemoonhasbeenapprehendedbyreason.

    Moreover,evenwithouthavingcometoanend,theviewofpluralityis

    powerlesstoeffectfurtherbondage,assoonastheroot,i.e.

    Nescience,hasoncebeencutButthisdefenceweareunabletoadmit.It

    isimpossiblethatknowledgeshouldnotarisewhenitsmeans,i.e.the

    textsconveyingknowledge,areoncepresent.Andweobservethateven

    whenthereexistsanantagonisticimagination(interferingwiththerise

    ofknowledge),informationgivenbycompetentpersons,thepresenceof

    characteristicmarks(onwhichacorrectinferencemaybebased),and

    thelikegiverisetoknowledgewhichsublatestheerroneous

    imagination.Norcanweadmitthatevenafterthesenseoftextshas

    beenapprehended,theviewofpluralitymaycontinueowingtosomesmall

    remainderofbeginninglessimagination.Forasthisimaginationwhich

    constitutesthemeansfortheviewofpluralityisitselffalse,itis

    necessarilyputanendtobytheriseoftrueknowledge.Ifthisdidnot

    takeplace,thatimaginationwouldnevercometoanend,sincethereis

    noothermeansbutknowledgetoeffectitscessation.Tosaythatthe

    viewofplurality,whichistheeffectofthatimagination,continues

    evenafteritsroothasbeencut,ismerenonsense.Theinstanceofsome

    oneseeingthemoondoubleisnotanalogous.Forinhiscasethe

    noncessationofwrongknowledgeexplainsitselffromthecircumstance

    thatthecauseofwrongknowledge,viz.therealdefectoftheeyewhich

    doesnotadmitofbeingsublatedbyknowledge,isnotremoved,although

    thatwhichwouldsublatewrongknowledgeisnear.Ontheotherhand,

    effects,suchasfearandthelike,maycometoanendbecausetheycan

    besublatedbymeansofknowledgeofsuperiorforce.Moreover,ifit

    weretruethatknowledgearisesthroughthedispellingofthe

  • imaginationofplurality,theriseofknowledgewouldreallyneverbe

    broughtabout.Fortheimaginationofpluralityhasthroughgradual

    growthinthecourseofbeginninglesstimeacquiredaninfinite

    strength,anddoesnotthereforeadmitofbeingdispelledbythe

    comparativelyweakconceptionofnonduality.Henceweconcludethatthe

    knowledgewhichtheVedantatextsaimatinculcatingisaknowledge

    otherthanthemereknowledgeofthesenseofsentences,anddenotedby

    'dhyana,''upasana'(i.e.meditation),andsimilarterms.

    Withthisagreescripturaltextssuchas'Havingknownit,lethim

    practisemeditation'(Bri.Up.IV,4,21);'Hewho,havingsearchedout

    theSelf,knowsit'(Ch.Up.VIII,7,1);'MeditateontheSelfasOm'

    (Mu.Up.II,2,6);'Havingknownthat,heisfreedfromthejawsof

    death'(Ka.Up.I,3,15);'LetamanmeditateontheSelfonlyashis

    world'(Bri.Up.I,4,15);'TheSelfistobeseen,tobeheard,toher

    reflectedon,tobemeditatedon'(Bri.Up.IV,5,6);'Thatwemust

    searchout,thatwemusttrytounderstand'(Ch.Up.VIII,7,1).

    (Accordingtotheprincipleoftheonenessofpurportofthedifferent

    sakhas)allthesetextsmustbeviewedasagreeinginmeaningwiththe

    injunctionofmeditationcontainedinthepassagequotedfromtheBri.

    Up.;andwhattheyenjoinisthereforemeditation.Inthefirstand

    secondpassagesquoted,thewords'havingknown'and'havingsearched

    out'(vijnaya;anuvidya)containamerereferenceto(notinjunctionof)

    theapprehensionofthemeaningoftexts,suchapprehensionsubserving

    meditation;whiletheinjunctionofmeditation(whichisthetrue

    purportofthepassages)isconveyedbytheclauses'lethimpractise

    meditation'(prajnamkurvita)and'heknowsit.'Inthesamewaythe

    clause'theSelfistobeheard'isamereanuvada,i.e.amere

  • referencetowhatisalreadyestablishedbyothermeans;foraperson

    whohasreadtheVedaobservesthatitcontainsinstructionabout

    mattersconnectedwithcertaindefinitepurposes,andthenonhisown

    accountapplieshimselftomethodical'hearing,'inorderdefinitelyto

    ascertainthesematters;'hearing'thusisestablishedalready.Inthe

    samewaytheclause'theSelfistobereflectedupon'isamereanuvada

    ofreflectionwhichisknownasameansofconfirmingwhatonehas

    'heard.'Itisthereforemeditationonlywhichallthosetextsenjoin.

    InagreementwiththisalaterSutraalsosays,'Repetitionmorethan

    once,onaccountofinstruction'(Ve.Su.IV,I,I).Thattheknowledge

    intendedtobeenjoinedasthemeansoffinalreleaseisofthenature

    ofmeditation,weconcludefromthecircumstancethattheterms

    'knowing'and'meditating'areseentobeusedinplaceofeachotherin

    theearlierandlaterpartsofVedictexts.Comparethefollowing

    passages:'LetamanmeditateonmindasBrahman,'and'hewhoknows

    thisshinesandwarmsthroughhiscelebrity,fame,andgloryof

    countenance'(Ch.Up.III,18,1;6).And'Hedoesnotknowhim,forhe

    isnotcomplete,'and'LetmenmeditateonhimastheSelf(Bri.Up.I,

    4,7).And'Hewhoknowswhatheknows,'and'Teachmethedeityon

    whichyoumeditate'(Ch.Up.IV,1,6;2,2).

    'Meditation'meanssteadyremembrance,i.e.acontinuityofsteady

    remembrance,uninterruptedliketheflowofoil;inagreementwiththe

    scripturalpassagewhichdeclaressteadyremembrancetobethemeansof

    release,'ontheattainmentofremembranceallthetiesareloosened'

    (Ch.Up.VII,26,2).Suchremembranceisofthesamecharacter(form)

    asseeing(intuition);forthepassagequotedhasthesamepurportas

    thefollowingone,'Thefetteroftheheartisbroken,alldoubtsare

    solved,andalltheworksofthatmanperishwhenhehasbeenseenwho

  • ishighandlow'(Mu.Up.II,2,8).Andthisbeingso,weconcludethat

    thepassage'theSelfistobeseen'teachesthat'Meditation'hasthe

    characterof'seeing'or'intuition.'Andthatremembrancehasthe

    characterof'seeing'isduetotheelementofimagination

    (representation)whichprevailsinit.Allthishasbeensetforthat

    lengthbytheVakyakara.'Knowledge(vedana)meansmeditation(upasana),

    scriptureusingthewordinthatsense';i.e.inallUpanishadsthat

    knowledgewhichisenjoinedasthemeansoffinalreleaseisMeditation.

    TheVakyakarathenpropoundsapurvapaksha(primafacieview),'Oncehe

    istomakethemeditation,thematterenjoinedbyscripturebeing

    accomplishedthereby,asinthecaseoftheprayajasandthelike';and

    thensumsupagainstthisinthewords'but(meditation)isestablished

    onaccountofthetermmeditation';thatmeansknowledgerepeatedmore

    thanonce(i.e.meditation)isdeterminedtobethemeansofRelease.

    TheVakyakarathengoeson'Meditationissteadyremembrance,onthe

    groundofobservationandstatement.'Thatmeansthisknowledge,ofthe

    formofmeditation,andrepeatedmorethanonce,isofthenatureof

    steadyremembrance.

    Suchremembrancehasbeendeclaredtobeofthecharacterof'seeing,'

    andthischaracterofseeingconsistsinitspossessingthecharacterof

    immediatepresentation(pratyakshata).Withreferencetoremembrance,

    whichthusacquiresthecharacterofimmediatepresentationandisthe

    meansoffinalrelease,scripturemakesafurtherdetermination,viz.in

    thepassageKa.Up.I,2,23,'ThatSelfcannotbegainedbythestudy

    oftheVeda("reflection"),norbythought("meditation"),norbymuch

    hearing.WhomtheSelfchooses,byhimitmaybegained;tohimtheSelf

    revealsitsbeing.'Thistextsaysatfirstthatmerehearing,

    reflection,andmeditationdonotsufficetogaintheSelf,andthen

  • declares,'WhomtheSelfchooses,byhimitmaybegained.'Nowa

    'chosen'onemeansamostbelovedperson;therelationbeingthatheby

    whomthatSelfisheldmostdearismostdeartotheSelf.ThattheLord

    (bhagavan)himselfendeavoursthatthismostbelovedpersonshouldgain

    theSelf,hehimselfdeclaresinthefollowingwords,'Tothosewhoare

    constantlydevotedandworshipwithloveIgivethatknowledgebywhich

    theyreachme'(Bha.Gi.X,10),and'TohimwhohasknowledgeIamdear

    aboveallthings,andheisdeartome'(VII,17).Hence,hewho

    possessesremembrance,markedbythecharacterofimmediatepresentation

    (sakshatkara),andwhichitselfisdearaboveallthingssincethe

    objectrememberedissuch;he,wesay,ischosenbythehighestSelf,

    andbyhimthehighestSelfisgained.Steadyremembranceofthiskind

    isdesignatedbytheword'devotion'(bhakti);forthistermhasthe

    samemeaningasupasana(meditation).Forthisreasonscriptureand

    smritiagreeinmakingthefollowingdeclarations,'Amanknowinghim

    passesoverdeath'(Svet.Up.III,8);'Knowinghimthusheherebecomes

    immortal'(Taitt.Ar.III,12,7);'NeitherbytheVedas,norby

    austerities,norbygifts,norbysacrificecanIbesoseenasthou

    hastseenme.ButbydevotionexclusiveImayinthisformbeknownand

    seenintruth,OArjuna,andalsobeenteredinto'(Bha.Gi.XI,53,54);

    'ThathighestPerson,OPartha,maybeobtainedbyexclusivedevotion'

    (VIII,22).

    Thatofsuchsteadyremembrancesacrificesandsoonaremeanswillbe

    declaredlateron(Ve.Su.III,4,26).Althoughsacrificesandthelike

    areenjoinedwithaviewtotheoriginationofknowledge(inaccordance

    withthepassage'Theydesiretoknow,'Bri.Up.IV,4,22),itisonly

    knowledgeintheformofmeditationwhichbeingdailypractised,

    constantlyimprovedbyrepetition,andcontinueduptodeathisthe

  • meansofreachingBrahman,andhencealltheworksconnectedwiththe

    differentconditionsoflifearetobeperformedthroughoutlifeonly

    forthepurposeoforiginatingsuchknowledge.ThistheSutrakara

    declaresinVe.Su.IV,1,12;16;III,4,33,andotherplaces.The

    Vakyakaraalsodeclaresthatsteadyremembranceresultsonlyfrom

    abstention,andsoon;hiswordsbeing'This(viz.steadyremembrance=

    meditation)isobtainedthroughabstention(viveka),freenessofmind

    (vimoka),repetition(abhyasa),works(kriya),virtuousconduct

    (kalyana),freedomfromdejection(anavasada),absenceofexultation

    (anuddharsha);accordingtofeasibilityandscripturalstatement.'The

    Vakyakaraalsogivesdefinitionsofalltheseterms.Abstention(viveka)

    meanskeepingthebodycleanfromallfood,impureeitherowingto

    species(suchasthefleshofcertainanimals),orabode(suchasfood

    belongingtoaKandalaorthelike),oraccidentalcause(suchasfood

    intowhichahairorthelikehasfallen).Thescripturalpassage

    authorisingthispointisCh.Up.VII,26,'Thefoodbeingpure,the

    mindbecomespure;themindbeingpure,thereresultssteadyremembrance.'

    Freenessofmind(vimoka)meansabsenceofattachmenttodesires.The

    authoritativepassagehereis'Lethimmeditatewithacalmmind'(Ch.

    Up.III,14,1).Repetitionmeanscontinuedpractice.Forthispointthe

    BhashyakaraquotesanauthoritativetextfromSmriti,viz.:'Having

    constantlybeenabsorbedinthethoughtofthatbeing'(sada

    tadbhavabhavitah;Bha.Gi.VIII,6).By'works'(kriya)isunderstood

    theperformance,accordingtoone'sability,ofthefivegreat

    sacrifices.Theauthoritativepassageshereare'Thispersonwho

    performsworksisthebestofthosewhoknowBrahman'(Mu.Up.III,1,

    4);and'HimBrahmanasseektoknowbyrecitationoftheVeda,by

    sacrifice,bygifts,bypenance,byfasting'(Bri.Up.IV,4,22).By

    virtuousconduct(kalyanani)aremeanttruthfulness,honesty,kindness,

  • liberality,gentleness,absenceofcovetousness.Confirmatorytextsare

    'Bytruthheistobeobtained'(Mu.Up.III,1,5)and'tothembelongs

    thatpureBrahmanworld'(Pr.Up.I,16).Thatlownessofspiritor

    wantofcheerfulnesswhichresultsfromunfavourableconditionsofplace

    ortimeandtheremembranceofcausesofsorrow,isdenotedbytheterm

    'dejection';thecontraryofthisis'freedomfromdejection.'The

    relevantscripturalpassageis'ThisSelfcannotbeobtainedbyone

    lackinginstrength'(Mu.Up.III,2,4).'Exultation'isthat

    satisfactionofmindwhichspringsfromcircumstancesoppositetothose

    justmentioned;thecontraryis'absenceofexultation.'Overgreat

    satisfactionalsostandsintheway(ofmeditation).Thescriptural

    passageforthisis'Calm,subdued,'&c.(Bri.Up.IV,4,23).Whatthe

    Vakyakarameanstosayisthereforethatknowledgeisrealisedonly

    throughtheperformanceofthedulyprescribedworks,onthepartofa

    personfulfillingalltheenumeratedconditions.

    Analogouslyanotherscripturalpassagesays'Hewhoknowsbothknowledge

    andnonknowledgetogether,overcomingdeathbynonknowledgereaches

    theImmortalthroughknowledge'(Is.Up.II).Heretheterm

    'nonknowledge'denotestheworksenjoinedonthedifferentcastesand

    asramas;andthemeaningofthetextisthat,havingdiscardedbysuch

    worksdeath,i.e.thepreviousworksantagonistictotheoriginationof

    knowledge,amanreachestheImmortal,i.e.Brahman,throughknowledge.

    Thenonknowledgeofwhichthispassagespeaksasbeingthemeansof

    overcomingdeathcanonlymeanthatwhichisotherthanknowledge,viz.

    prescribedworks.Thewordhasthesamesenseinthefollowingpassage:

    'Firmintraditionalknowledgeheofferedmanysacrifices,leaningon

    theknowledgeofBrahman,soastopassbeyonddeathbynonknowledge'

    (Vi.Pu.VI,6,12).Antagonistictoknowledge(assaidabove)areall

  • goodandevilactions,andhenceasequallygivingrisetoan

    undesirableresulttheymaybothbedesignatedasevil.Theystandin

    thewayoftheoriginationofknowledgeinsofarastheystrengthenthe

    elementsofpassionanddarknesswhichareantagonistictotheelement

    ofgoodnesswhichisthecauseoftheriseofknowledge.Thatevilworks

    standinthewayofsuchorigination,thefollowingscripturaltext

    declares:'Hemakeshimwhomhewishestoleaddownfromtheseworldsdo

    anevildeed'(Ka.Up.III,8).Thatpassionanddarknessveilthe

    knowledgeoftruthwhilegoodnessontheotherhandgivesrisetoit,

    theDivineonehasdeclaredhimself,inthepassage'Fromgoodness

    springsknowledge'(Bha.Gi.XIV,17).Hence,inorderthatknowledge

    mayarise,evilworkshavetobegotridof,andthisiseffectedbythe

    performanceofactsofreligiousdutynotaimingatsomeimmediate

    result(suchastheheavenlyworldandthelike);accordingtothetext

    'byworksofreligiousdutyhediscardsallevil.'Knowledgewhichis

    themeansofreachingBrahman,thusrequirestheworksprescribedfor

    thedifferentasramas;andhencethesystematicenquiryintoworks(i.

    e.thePurvaMimamsa)fromwhichweascertainthenatureoftheworks

    requiredandalsothetransitorinessandlimitationofthefruitsof

    mereworksformsanecessaryantecedenttothesystematicenquiryinto

    Brahman.Moreoverthediscriminationofpermanentandnonpermanent

    things,&c.(i.e.thetetradof'means'mentionedabove,p.11)cannot

    beaccomplishedwithoutthestudyoftheMimamsa;forunlesswe

    ascertainallthedistinctionsoffruitsofworks,means,modesof

    procedureandqualification(onthepartoftheagent)wecanhardly

    understandthetruenatureofworks,theirfruits,thetransitorinessor

    nontransitorinessofthelatter,thepermanenceoftheSelf,and

    similarmatters.Thatthoseconditions(viz.nityanityavastuviveka,

    sama,dama,&c.)are'means'mustbedeterminedonthebasisofviniyoga

  • ('application'whichdeterminestherelationofprincipaland

    subordinatemattersanginandanga);andthisviniyogawhichdependson

    directscripturalstatement(sruti),inferentialsigns(linga),andso

    on,istreatedofinthethirdbookofthePurvaMimamsasutras.And

    furtherwemust,inthisconnexion,consideralsothemeditationsonthe

    Udgithaandsimilarthingswhich,althoughaimingatthesuccessof

    works,areofthenatureofreflectionsonBrahman(whichisviewedin

    themundervariousforms)andassuchhavereferencetoknowledgeof

    Brahman.Thoseworksalso(withwhichthesemeditationsareconnected)

    aimatnospecialresultsoftheirown,andproduceandhelptoperfect

    theknowledgeofBrahman:theyarethereforeparticularlyconnectedwith

    theenquiryintoBrahman.Andthatthesemeditationspresupposean

    understandingofthenatureofworksisadmittedbyeveryone.

    THEGREATPURVAPAKSHA.

    THEONLYREALITYISBRAHMAN.

    Brahman,whichispureintelligenceandopposedtoalldifference,

    constitutestheonlyreality;andeverythingelse,i.e.thepluralityof

    manifoldknowingsubjects,objectsofknowledge,andactsofknowledge

    dependingonthosetwo,isonlyimaginedon(or'in')thatBrahman,and

    isessentiallyfalse.

    'Inthebeginning,mydear,therewasthatonlywhichis,oneonly

    withoutasecond'(Ch.Up.VI,2,1);'Thehigherknowledgeisthatby

  • whichtheIndestructibleisapprehended'(Mu.Up.I,1,5);'Thatwhich

    cannotbeseennorseized,whichhasnoeyesnorears,nohandsnorfeet,

    thepermanent,theallpervading,themostsubtle,theimperishable

    whichthewiseregardasthesourceofallbeings'(Mu.Up.I,1,6);

    'TheTrue,knowledge,theInfiniteisBrahman'(Taitt.Up.II,1);'He

    whoiswithoutparts,withoutactions,tranquil,withoutfault,without

    taint'(Svet.Up.VI,19);'Bywhomitisnotthought,byhimitis

    thought;hebywhomitisthoughtknowsitnot.Itisnotknownbythose

    whoknowit,knownbythosewhodonotknowit'(Ke.Up.II,3);'Thou

    mayestnotseetheseerofsight;thoumayestnotthinkthethinkerof

    thought'(Bri.Up.III,4,2);'BlissisBrahman'(Taitt.Up.III,6,1);

    'AllthisisthatSelf'(Bri.Up.IV,5,7);'Thereisherenodiversity

    whatever'(Bri.Up.IV,4,19);'Fromdeathtodeathgoeshewhosees

    anydifferencehere'(Ka.Up.II,4,10);'Forwherethereisdualityas

    itwere,thereoneseestheother';'butwheretheSelfhasbecomeall

    ofhim,bywhatmeans,andwhom,shouldhesee?bywhatmeans,andwhom,

    shouldheknow?'(Bri.Up.IV,5,15);'theeffectisanamemerely

    whichhasitsorigininspeech;thetruthisthat(thethingmadeof

    clay)isclaymerely'(Ch.Up.VI,1,4);'forifhemakesbutthe

    smallestdistinctioninitthereisfearforhim'(Taitt.Up.II,7);

    thetwofollowingVedantasutras:III,2,11;III,2,3thefollowing

    passagesfromtheVishnupurana:'Inwhichalldifferencevanishes,

    whichispureBeing,whichisnottheobjectofwords,whichisknownby

    theSelfonlythatknowledgeiscalledBrahman'(VI,7,53);'Himwhose

    essentialnatureisknowledge,whoisstainlessinreality';'Himwho,

    owingtoerroneousview,abidesintheformofthings'(I,2,6);'the

    Realitythouartalone,thereisnoother,OLordoftheworld!

    whatevermatterisseenbelongstotheewhosebeingisknowledge;but

    owingtotheirerroneousopinionthenondevoutlookonitastheform

  • oftheworld.Thiswholeworldhasknowledgeforitsessentialnature,

    buttheUnwiseviewingitasbeingofthenatureofmaterialthingsare

    drivenroundontheoceanofdelusion.Thosehoweverwhopossesstrue

    knowledgeandpuremindsseethiswholeworldashavingknowledgefor

    itsSelf,asthyform,OhighestLord!'(Vi.Pu.I,4,38ff.).'Of

    thatSelf,althoughitexistsinone'sownandinotherbodies,the

    knowledgeisofonekind,andthatisReality;thosewhomaintain

    dualityholdafalseview'(II,14,31);'Ifthereissomeotherone,

    differentfromme,thenitcanbesaid,"Iamthisandthatoneis

    another"'(II,13,86);'Asowingtothedifferenceoftheholesofthe

    flutetheairequallypassingthroughthemalliscalledbythenamesof

    thedifferentnotesofthemusicalscale;soitiswiththeuniversal

    Self'(II,14,32);'HeisI;heisthou;heisall:thisUniverseis

    hisform.Abandontheerrorofdifference.Thekingbeingthus

    instructed,abandonedtheviewofdifference,havinggainedanintuition

    ofReality'(II,16,24).'Whenthatviewwhichgivesrisetodifference

    isabsolutelydestroyed,whothenwillmaketheuntruedistinction

    betweentheindividualSelfandBrahman?'(VI,7,94).Thefollowing

    passagesfromtheBhagavadGita:'IamtheSelfdwellingwithinall

    beings'(X,20);'Knowmetobethesoulwithinallbodies'(XIII,2);

    'Beingthereisnone,movableorimmovable,whichiswithoutme'(X,39).

    Alltheseandothertexts,thepurportofwhichclearlyisinstruction

    astotheessentialnatureofthings,declarethatBrahmanonly,i.e.

    nondifferencedpureintelligenceisreal,whileeverythingelseis

    false.

    Theappearanceofpluralityisduetoavidya.

    'Falsehood'(mithyatva)belongstowhatadmitsofbeingterminatedby

  • thecognitionoftherealthingsuchcognitionbeingprecededby

    consciousactivity(notbymereabsenceofconsciousnessorknowledge).

    Thesnake,e.g.whichhasforitssubstratearopeorthelikeisfalse;

    foritisduetoanimperfection(dosha)thatthesnakeisimaginedin

    (or'on')therope.Inthesamewaythisentireworld,withits

    distinctionsofgods,men,animals,inanimatematter,andsoon,is,

    owingtoanimperfection,wronglyimaginedinthehighestBrahmanwhose

    substanceismereintelligence,andthereforeisfalseinsofarasit

    maybesublatedbythecognitionofthenatureoftherealBrahman.What

    constitutesthatimperfectionisbeginninglessNescience(avidya),which,

    hidingthetruthofthings,givesrisetomanifoldillusions,andcannot

    bedefinedeitherassomethingthatisorassomethingthatisnot.'By

    theUntruetheyarehidden;ofthemwhicharetruetheUntrueisthe

    covering'(Ch,Up.VIII,3,1);'KnowMayatobePrakriti,andthegreat

    LordhimwhoisassociatedwithMaya'(Svet.Up.IV,10);'Indraappears

    manifoldthroughtheMayas'(Bri.Up.II,5,19);'MyMayaishardto

    overcome'(Bha.Gi.VII,14);'Whenthesoulslumberinginbeginningless

    Mayaawakes'(Gau.Ka.I,16).Theseandsimilartextsteachthatitis

    throughbeginninglessMayathattoBrahmanwhichtrulyispure

    nondifferencedintelligenceitsownnaturehidesitself,andthatit

    seesdiversitywithinitself.Ashasbeensaid,'BecausetheHolyOneis

    essentiallyofthenatureofintelligence,theformofall,butnot

    material;thereforeknowthatallparticularthingslikerocks,oceans,

    hillsandsoon,haveproceededfromintelligence[FOOTNOTE22:1]But

    when,onthecessationofallwork,everythingisonlypureintelligence

    initsownproperform,withoutanyimperfections;thennodifferences

    thefruitofthetreeofwishesanylongerexistbetweenthings.

    Thereforenothingwhatever,atanyplaceoranytime,existsapartfrom

    intelligence:intelligence,whichisoneonly,isviewedasmanifoldby

  • thosewhosemindsaredistractedbytheeffectsoftheirownworks.

    Intelligencepure,freefromstain,freefromgrief,freefromall

    contactwithdesireandotheraffections,everlastinglyoneisthe

    highestLordVasudevaapartfromwhomnothingexists.Ihavethus

    declaredtoyouthelastingtruthofthingsthatintelligenceonlyis

    trueandeverythingelseuntrue.Andthatalsowhichisthecauseof

    ordinaryworldlyexistencehasbeendeclaredtoyou'(Vi.Pu.II,12,

    39,40,4345).

    AvidyaisputanendtobytrueKnowledge.

    OthertextsdeclarethatthisNesciencecomestoanendthroughthe

    cognitionoftheessentialunityoftheSelfwithBrahmanwhichis

    nothingbutnondifferencedintelligence.'Hedoesnotagaingotodeath;'

    'Heseesthisasone;''Hewhoseesthisdoesnotseedeath'(Ch.Up.

    VI,27);'Whenhefindsfreedomfromfearandrestinthatwhichis

    invisible,incorporeal,undefined,unsupported,thenhehasobtainedthe

    fearless'(Taitt.Up.II,7);'Thefetteroftheheartisbroken,all

    doubtsaresolvedandallhisworksperishwhenhehasbeenbeheldwho

    ishighandlow'(Mu.Up.II,2,8);'HeknowsBrahman,hebecomes

    Brahmanonly'(Mu.Up.III,2,9);'Knowinghimonlyamanpassesover

    death;thereisnootherpathtogo'(Svet.Up.III,8).Intheseand

    similarpassages,theterm'death'denotesNescience;analogouslytothe

    useoftheterminthefollowingwordsofSanatsujata,'DelusionIcall

    death;andfreedomfromdelusionIcallimmortality'(Sanatsuj.II,5).

    TheknowledgeagainoftheessentialunityandnondifferenceofBrahman

    whichisascertainedfromdecisivetextssuchas'TheTrue,knowledge,

    theInfiniteisBrahman'(Taitt.Up.II,1);'Knowledge,blissis

    Brahman'(Bri.Up.III,9,28)isconfirmedbyotherpassages,suchas

  • 'Nowifamanmeditatesonanotherdeity,thinkingthedeityisoneand

    heanother,hedoesnotknow'(Bri.Up.I,4,10);'Letmenmeditate

    uponhimastheSelf(Bri.Up.I,4,7);'Thouartthat'(Ch.Up.VI,8,

    7);'AmIthou,Oholydeity?andartthoume,Oholydeity?';'WhatI

    amthatishe;whatheisthatamI.'ThistheSutrakarahimselfwill

    declare'ButastheSelf(scripturaltexts)acknowledgeandmakeus

    apprehend(theLord)'(Ve.Su.IV,1,3).ThustheVakyakaraalso,'It

    istheSelfthusoneshouldapprehend(everything),foreverythingis

    effectedbythat.'Andtoholdthatbysuchcognitionoftheonenessof

    Brahmanessentiallyfalsebondage,togetherwithitscause,comestoan

    end,isonlyreasonable.

    ScriptureisofgreaterforcethanPerception

    But,anobjectionisraisedhowcanknowledge,springingfromthe

    sacredtexts,bringaboutacessationoftheviewofdifference,in

    manifestoppositiontotheevidenceofPerception?Howthen,werejoin,

    cantheknowledgethatthisthingisaropeandnotasnakebringabout,

    inoppositiontoactualperception,thecessationofthe(ideaofthe)

    snake?Youwillperhapsreplythatinthislattercasethereisa

    conflictbetweentwoformsofperception,whileinthecaseunder

    discussiontheconflictisbetweendirectperceptionandScripturewhich

    isbasedonperception.Butagainstthiswewouldaskthequestionhow,

    inthecaseofaconflictbetweentwoequalcognitions,wedecideasto

    whichofthetwoisrefuted(sublated)bytheother.Ifasistobe

    expectedyoureplythatwhatmakesthedifferencebetweenthetwois

    thatoneofthemisduetoadefectivecausewhiletheotherisnot:we

    pointoutthatthisdistinctionholdsgoodalsointhecaseofScripture

    andperceptionbeinginconflict.Itisnotconsiderationsastothe

  • equalityofconflictingcognitions,astotheirbeingdependentor

    independent,andsoon,thatdeterminewhichofthetwosublatesthe

    other;ifthatwerethecase,theperceptionwhichpresentstousthe

    flameofthelampasoneonlywouldnotbesublatedbythecognition

    arrivedatbyinferencethatthereisasuccessionofdifferentflames.

    Whereverthereisaconflictbetweencognitionsbasedontwodifferent

    meansofknowledgeweassignthepositionofthe'sublatedone'tothat

    whichadmitsofbeingaccountedforinsomeotherway;whilethat

    cognitionwhichaffordsnoopeningforbeingheldunauthoritativeand

    cannotbeaccountedforinanotherway,isthe'sublatingone[FOOTNOTE

    25:1].'Thisistheprincipleonwhichtherelationbetween'what

    sublates'and'whatissublated'isdecidedeverywhere.Nowapprehension

    ofBrahmanwhichismereintelligence,eternal,pure,free,

    selfluminousiseffectedbyScripturewhichrestsonendlessunbroken

    tradition,cannotthereforebesuspectedofany,eventheleast,

    imperfection,andhencecannotbenonauthoritative;thestateof

    bondage,ontheotherhand,withitsmanifolddistinctionsisprovedby

    Perception,Inference,andsoon,whicharecapableofimperfectionsand

    thereforemaybenonauthoritative.Itisthereforereasonableto

    concludethatthestateofbondageisputanendtobytheapprehension

    ofBrahman.AndthatimperfectionofwhichPerceptionthroughwhichwe

    apprehendaworldofmanifolddistinctionsmaybeassumedtobe

    capable,issocalledNescience,whichconsistsinthebeginningless

    wrongimaginationofdifference.Wellthenafurtherobjectionis

    raisedletusadmitthatScriptureisperfectbecauserestingonan

    endlessunbrokentradition;butmustwethennotadmitthattexts

    evidentlypresupposingtheviewofduality,ase.g.'Lethimwhodesires

    theheavenlyworldoffertheJyotishtomasacrifice'areliableto

    refutation?True,wereply.AsinthecaseoftheUdgatriand

  • Pratihartribreakingthechain(notatthesametime,but)in

    succession[FOOTNOTE26:1],soherealsotheearliertexts(whichrefer

    todualityandtransitoryrewards)aresublatedbythelatertextswhich

    teachfinalrelease,andarenotthemselvessublatedbyanythingelse.

    ThetextswhichrepresentBrahmanasdevoidofqualitieshavegreater

    force

    ThesamereasoningappliestothosepassagesintheVedantatextswhich

    inculcatemeditationonthequalifiedBrahman,sincethehighestBrahman

    iswithoutanyqualities.Butconsidersuchpassagesas'Hewho

    cognisesall,whoknowsall'(Mu.Up.I,1,9);'Hishighpoweris

    revealedasmanifold,asessential,actingasforceandknowledge'(Svet.

    Up.VI,8);'Hewhosewishesaretrue,whosepurposesaretrue'(Ch.Up.

    VIII,1,5);howcanthesepassages,whichclearlyaimatdefiningthe

    natureofBrahman,beliabletorefutation?Owingtothegreaterweight,

    wereply,ofthosetextswhichsetforthBrahmanasdevoidofqualities.

    'Itisnotcoarse,notfine,notshort,notlong'(Bri.Up.III,8,8);

    'TheTrue,knowledge,infiniteisBrahman'(Taitt.Up.II,1);'That

    whichisfreefromqualities,''thatwhichisfreefromstain'these

    andsimilartextsconveythenotionofBrahmanbeingchangeless,eternal

    intelligencedevoidofalldifference;whiletheothertextsquoted

    beforeteachthequalifiedBrahman.Andtherebeingaconflictbetween

    thetwosetsofpassages,weaccordingtotheMimamsaprinciple

    referredtoabovedecidethatthetextsreferringtoBrahmanasdevoid

    ofqualitiesareofgreaterforce,becausetheyarelaterinorder

    [FOOTNOTE27:1]thanthosewhichspeakofBrahmanashavingqualities.

    Thuseverythingissettled.ThetextTaitt.Up.II,1referstoBrahman

    asdevoidofqualities.

  • Butanobjectionisraisedeventhepassage'TheTrue,knowledge,

    infiniteisBrahman'intimatescertainqualitiesofBrahman,viz.true

    being,knowledge,infinity!Notso,wereply.Fromthecircumstance

    thatallthetermsofthesentencestandincoordination,itfollows

    thattheyconveytheideaofonematter(sense)only.Ifagainstthis

    youurgethatthesentencemayconveytheideaofonematteronly,even

    ifdirectlyexpressingathingdistinguishedbyseveralqualities;we

    mustremarkthatyoudisplayanignoranceofthemeaningoflanguage

    whichappearstopointtosomeweakmindednessonyourpart.Asentence

    conveystheideaofonematter(sense)onlywhenallitsconstitutive

    wordsdenoteoneandthesamething;if,ontheotherhand,itexpresses

    athingpossessingseveralattributes,thedifferenceofthese

    attributesnecessarilyleadstoadifferenceinmeaningonthepartof

    theindividualwords,andthentheonenessofmeaningofthesentenceis

    lost.Butfromyourviewofthepassageitwouldfollowthatthe

    severalwordsaremeresynonyms!Giveusyourattention,wereply,and

    learnthatseveralwordsmayconveyonemeaningwithoutbeingidle

    synonyms.Fromthedeterminationoftheunityofpurportofthewhole

    sentence[FOOTNOTE27:2]weconcludethattheseveralwords,appliedto

    onething,aimatexpressingwhatisoppositeinnaturetowhateveris

    contrarytothemeaningsoftheseveralwords,andthatthustheyhave

    meaningandunityofmeaningandyetarenotmeresynonyms.Thedetails

    areasfollows.Brahmanistobedefinedaswhatiscontraryinnature

    toallotherthings.NowwhateverisopposedtoBrahmanisvirtuallyset

    asidebythethreewords(constitutingthedefinitionofBrahmaninthe

    Taittiriyatext).Theword'true'(or'trulybeing')hasthepurportof

    distinguishingBrahmanfromwhateverthingshavenotruth,asbeingthe

    abodesofchange;theword'knowledge'distinguishesBrahmanfromall

  • nonsentientthingswhoselightdependsonsomethingelse(whicharenot

    selfluminous);andtheword'infinite'distinguishesitfromwhatever

    islimitedintimeorspaceornature.Noristhis'distinction'some

    positiveornegativeattributeofBrahman,itratherisjustBrahman

    itselfasopposedtoeverythingelse;justasthedistinctionofwhite

    colourfromblackandothercoloursisjustthetruenatureofwhite,

    notanattributeofit.Thethreewordsconstitutingthetextthus_have_

    ameaning,have_one_meaning,andarenonsynonymous,insofarasthey

    conveytheessentialdistinctionofonething,viz.Brahmanfrom

    everythingelse.ThetextthusdeclarestheoneBrahmanwhichis

    selfluminousandfreefromalldifference.Onthisinterpretationof

    thetextwediscernitsonenessinpurportwithothertexts,suchas

    'Beingonlythiswasinthebeginning,oneonly,withoutasecond.'

    Textssuchas'Thatfromwhencethesebeingsareborn'(Taitt.Up.III,

    1);'Beingonlythiswasinthebeginning'(Ch.Up.VI,2,1);'Self

    alonewasthisinthebeginning'(Bri.Up.I,4,1),&c.,describe

    Brahmanasthecauseoftheworld;andofthisBrahmantheTaittiriya

    passage'TheTrue,knowledge,infiniteisBrahman'givesthestrict

    definition.

    Inagreementwiththeprinciplethatallsakhasteachthesamedoctrine

    wehavetounderstandthat,inallthetextswhichspeakofBrahmanas

    cause,Brahmanmustbetakenasbeing'withoutasecond',i.e.without

    anyotherbeingofthesameoradifferentkind;andthetextwhichaims

    atdefiningBrahmanhasthentobeinterpretedinaccordancewiththis

    characteristicofBrahman,viz.itsbeingwithoutasecond.The

    statementoftheChandogyaastoBrahmanbeingwithoutasecondmust

    alsobetakentoimplythatBrahmanisnondualasfarasqualitiesare

    concerned;otherwiseitwouldconflictwiththosepassageswhichspeak

  • ofBrahmanasbeingwithoutqualitiesandwithoutstain.Wetherefore

    concludethatthedefiningTaittiriyatextteachesBrahmantobean

    absolutelyhomogeneoussubstance.

    But,theaboveexplanationofthepassagebeingaccepted,itfollows

    thatthewords'truebeing,''knowledge,'&c.,havetobeviewedas

    abandoningtheirdirectsense,andmerelysuggestingathingdistinctin

    naturefromallthatisopposite(towhatthethreewordsdirectly

    denote),andthismeansthatweresorttosocalledimplication(implied

    meaning,lakshana)!Whatobjectionistheretosuchaproceeding?we

    reply.Theforceofthegeneralpurportofasentenceisgreaterthan

    thatofthedirectdenotativepowerofthesimpleterms,anditis

    generallyadmittedthatthepurportofgrammaticalcoordinationis

    oneness(ofthematterdenotedbythetermscoordinated).Butwenever

    observethatallwordsofasentencearetobeunderstoodinanimplied

    sense!Isitthennotobserved,wereply,that_one_wordistobe

    takeninitsimpliedmeaningifotherwiseitwouldcontradictthe

    purportofthewholesentence?Andifthepurportofthesentence,which

    isnothingbutanaggregateofwordsemployedtogether,hasoncebeen

    ascertained,whyshouldwenottaketwoorthreeorallwordsinan

    impliedsensejustaswehadtakenoneandthusmakethemfitinwith

    thegeneralpurport?Inagreementherewiththosescholarswhoexplainto

    usthesenseofimperativesentences,teachthatinimperativesentences

    belongingtoordinaryspeechallwordshaveanimpliedmeaningonly(not

    theirdirectlydenotativemeaning).For,theymaintain,imperativeforms

    havetheirprimarymeaningonlyin(Vedic)sentenceswhichenjoin

    somethingnotestablishedbyothermeans;andhenceinordinaryspeech

    theeffectoftheactionisconveyedbyimplicationonly.Theother

    wordsalso,whichformpartofthoseimperativesentencesanddenote

  • mattersconnectedwiththeaction,havetheirprimarymeaningonlyif

    connectedwithanactionnotestablishedbyothermeans;whileif

    connectedwithanordinaryactiontheyhaveasecondary,implied,

    meaningonly[FOOTNOTE30:1].Perceptionrevealstousnondifferenced

    substanceonly

    WehavesofarshownthatinthecaseofaconflictbetweenScripture

    andPerceptionandtheotherinstrumentsofknowledge,Scriptureisof

    greaterforce.Thefact,however,isthatnosuchconflictisobserved

    toexist,sincePerceptionitselfgivesrisetotheapprehensionofa

    nondifferencedBrahmanwhosenatureispureBeing.Buthowcanitbe

    saidthatPerception,whichhasforitsobjectthingsofvariouskinds

    andaccordinglyexpressesitselfinjudgmentssuchas'Hereisajar,'

    'Thereisapieceofcloth'causestheapprehensionofmereBeing?If

    therewerenoapprehensionofdifference,allcognitionswouldhaveone

    andthesameobject,andthereforewouldgiverisetoonejudgmentonly

    astakesplacewhenoneunbrokenperceptionalcognitioniscontinuedfor

    sometime.True.Wethereforehavetoenquireinwhatway,inthe

    judgment'hereisajar,'anassertionismadeaboutbeingaswellas

    somespecialformofbeing.Theseimpliedjudgmentscannotbothbe

    foundedonperception,fortheyaretheresultsofactsofcognition

    occupyingdifferentmomentsoftime,whiletheperceptionalcognition

    takesplaceinonemoment(isinstantaneous).Wethereforemustdecide

    whetheritistheessentialnatureofthejar,oritsdifferencefrom

    otherthings,thatistheobjectofperception.Andwemustadoptthe

    formeralternative,becausetheapprehensionofdifferencepresupposes

    theapprehensionoftheessentialnatureofthething,and,inaddition,

    theremembranceofitscounterentities(i.e.thethingsfromwhichthe

    giventhingdiffers).HencedifferenceisnotapprehendedbyPerception;

  • andalljudgmentsandpropositionsrelativetodifferencearefoundedon

    erroronly.

    Differencebhedadoesnotadmitoflogicaldefinition

    TheLogicians,moreover,areunabletogiveadefinitionofsuchathing

    as'difference.'Differencecannotinthefirstplacebetheessential

    nature(ofthatwhichdiffers);forfromthatitwouldfollowthaton

    theapprehensionoftheessentialnatureofathingtherewouldatonce

    arisenotonlythejudgmentastothatessentialnaturebutalso

    judgmentsastoitsdifferencefromeverythingelse.But,itmaybe

    objectedtothis,evenwhentheessentialnatureofathingis

    apprehended,thejudgment'thisthingisdifferentfromotherthings'

    dependsontheremembranceofitscounterentities,andaslongasthis

    remembrancedoesnottakeplacesolongthejudgmentofdifferenceis

    notformed!Suchreasoning,wereply,isinadmissible.Hewhomaintains

    that'difference'isnothingbut'essentialnature'hasnorightto

    assumeadependenceoncounterentitiessince,accordingtohim,

    essentialnatureanddifferencearethesame,i.e.nothingbutessential

    nature:thejudgmentofdifferencecan,onhisview,dependon

    counterentitiesnomorethanthejudgmentofessentialnaturedoes.His

    viewreallyimpliesthatthetwowords'thejar'and'different'(inthe

    judgment'thejarisdifferent')aresynonymous,justasthewords

    'hasta'and'kara'are(bothofwhichmean'hand').

    Nor,inthesecondplace,can'difference'beheldtobeanattribute

    (dharma).Forifitwerethat,weshouldhavetoassumethat

    'difference'possessesdifference(i.e.isdifferent)fromessential

    nature;forotherwiseitwouldbethesameasthelatter.Andthis

  • latterdifferencewouldhavetobeviewedasanattributeofthefirst

    difference,andthiswouldleadusontoathirddifference,andsoin

    infinitum.Andtheviewof'difference'beinganattributewouldfurther

    implythatdifferenceisapprehendedontheapprehensionofathing

    distinguishedbyattributessuchasgenericcharacterandsoon,andat

    thesametimethatthethingthusdistinguishedisapprehendedonthe

    apprehensionofdifference;andthiswouldconstitutealogicalseesaw.

    'Difference'thusshowingitselfincapableoflogicaldefinition,weare

    confirmedinourviewthatperceptionrevealsmere'Being'only.

    Moreover,itappearsthatinstatesofconsciousnesssuchas'Hereisa

    jar,''Thereisapieceofcloth,''Thejarisperceived,''Thepieceof

    clothisperceived,'thatwhichconstitutesthethingsisBeing

    (existence;satta)andperception(or'consciousness';anubhuti).Andwe

    observethatitispureBeingonlywhichpersistsinallstatesof

    cognition:thispureBeingalone,therefore,is_real_.Thedifferences,

    ontheotherhand,whichdonotpersist,areunreal.Thecaseis

    analogoustothatofthesnakerope.Theropewhichpersistsasa

    substrateisreal,whilethenoncontinuousthings(whichbywrong

    imaginationaresuperimposedontherope)suchasasnake,acleftin

    theground,awatercourse,andsoon,areunreal.

    Butouradversaryobjectstheinstanceisnottrulyanalogous.Inthe

    caseofthesnakeropethenonrealityofthesnakeresultsfromthe

    snake'sbeingsublated(badhita)bythecognitionofthetruenatureof

    thesubstrate'Thisisarope,notasnake';itdoesnotresultfromthe

    noncontinuousnessofthesnake.Inthesamewaytherealityoftherope

    doesnotfollowfromitspersistence,butfromthefactofitsbeingnot

    sublated(byanothercognition).Butwhat,weask,establishesthe

  • nonrealityofjarsandpiecesofcloth?Allareagreed,wereply,that

    weobserve,injarsandsimilarthings,individualdifference

    (vyavritti,literally'separation,''distinction').Thepointtodecide

    isofwhatnaturesuchdifferenceis.Doesitnotmeanthatthejudgment

    'Thisisajar'impliesthenegationofpiecesofclothandother

    things?Butthismeansthatbythisjudgmentpiecesofclothandother

    thingsaresublated(badhita).Individualdifference(vyavritti)thus

    meansthecessation(orabsence),duetosublation,ofcertainobjects

    ofcognition,anditprovesthenonrealityofwhateverhas

    noncontinuousexistence;whileontheotherhand,pureBeing,likethe

    rope,persistsnonsublated.Henceeverythingthatisadditionaltopure

    Beingisnonreal.Thisadmitsofbeingexpressedintechnicalform.

    'Being'isrealbecauseitpersists,asprovedbythecaseoftherope

    inthesnakerope;jarsandsimilarthingsarenonrealbecausetheyare

    noncontinuous,asprovedbythecaseofthesnakethathastheropefor

    itssubstrate.

    Fromallthisitfollowsthatpersistingconsciousnessonlyhasreal

    being;italoneis.

    Beingandconsciousnessareone.Consciousnessissvayamprakasa.

    But,ouradversaryobjects,asmereBeingistheobjectofconsciousness,

    itisdifferenttherefrom(andthusthereexistsafterall'difference'

    or'plurality').Notso,wereply.Thatthereisnosuchthingas

    'difference,'wehavealreadyshownaboveonthegroundsthatitisnot

    theobjectofperception,andmoreoverincapableofdefinition.It

    cannotthereforebeprovedthat'Being'istheobjectofconsciousness.

    HenceConsciousnessitselfis'Being'thatwhichis.This

  • consciousnessisselfproved,justbecauseitisconsciousness.Wereit

    provedthroughsomethingelse,itwouldfollowthatlikejarsand

    similarthingsitisnotconsciousness.Norcantherebeassumed,for

    consciousness,theneedofanotheractofconsciousness(throughwhich

    itsknowledgewouldbeestablished);foritshinesforth(prakasate)

    throughitsownbeing.Whileitexists,consciousnessdifferingtherein

    fromjarsandthelikeisneverobservednottoshineforth,andit

    cannotthereforebeheldtodepend,initsshiningforth,onsomething

    else.You(whoobjecttotheabovereasoning)perhapsholdthe

    followingview:evenwhenconsciousnesshasarisen,itistheobject

    onlywhichshinesforthafactexpressedinsentencessuchas:thejar

    isperceived.Whenapersonformsthejudgment'Thisisajar,'heis

    notatthetimeconsciousofaconsciousnesswhichisnotanobjectand

    isnotofadefinitecharacter.Hencetheexistenceofconsciousnessis

    thereasonwhichbringsaboutthe'shiningforth'ofjarsandother

    objects,andthushasasimilarofficeastheapproximationofthe

    objecttotheeyeortheotherorgansofsense(whichisanother

    conditionofperceptiveconsciousness).Afterthistheexistenceof

    consciousnessisinferredonthegroundthattheshiningforthofthe

    objectis(notpermanent,but)occasionalonly[FOOTNOTE34:1].And

    shouldthisargumentationbeobjectedtoonthegroundofitsimplying

    thatconsciousnesswhichisessentiallyofthenatureofintelligence

    issomethingnonintelligentlikematerialthings,weaskyoutodefine

    thisnegationofnonintelligence(whichyoudeclaretobe

    characteristicofconsciousness).Havewe,perhaps,tounderstandbyit

    theinvariableconcomitanceofexistenceandshiningforth?Ifso,we

    pointoutthatthisinvariableconcomitanceisalsofoundinthecaseof

    pleasureandsimilaraffections;forwhenpleasureandsoonexistat

    all,theyneverarenonperceived(i.e.theyexistinsofaronlyaswe

  • areconsciousofthem).Itisthusclearthatwehavenoconsciousness

    ofconsciousnessitselfjustasthetipofafinger,althoughtouching

    otherthings,isincapableoftouchingitself.

    Allthisreasoning,wereply,isentirelyspunoutofyourownfancy,

    withoutanydueconsiderationofthepowerofconsciousness.Thefactis,

    thatinperceivingcolourandotherqualitiesofthings,wearenot

    awareofa'shiningforth'asanattributeofthosethings,andas

    somethingdifferentfromconsciousness;norcantheassumptionofan

    attributeofthingscalled'light,'or'shiningforth,'beprovedinany

    way,sincetheentireempiricalworlditselfcanbeprovedonlythrough

    consciousness,theexistenceofwhichwebothadmit.Consciousness,

    therefore,isnotsomethingwhichisinferredorprovedthroughsome

    otheractofknowledge;butwhileprovingeverythingelseitisproved

    byitself.Thismaybeexpressedintechnicalformasfollows

    Consciousnessis,withregardtoitsattributesandtotheempirical

    judgmentsconcerningit,independentofanyotherthing,becausethrough

    itsconnexionwithotherthingsitisthecauseoftheirattributesand

    theempiricaljudgmentsconcerningthem.Foritisageneralprinciple

    thatoftwothingsthatwhichthroughitsconnexionwiththeotheris

    thecauseoftheattributesofandtheempiricaljudgmentsaboutthe

    latter,isitselfindependentofthatotherastothosetwopoints.We

    seee.g.thatcolour,throughitsconjunctionwithearthandthelike,

    producesinthemthequalityofvisibility,butdoesnotitselfdepend

    foritsvisibilityonconjunctionwithcolour.Henceconsciousnessis

    itselfthecauseofitsown'shiningforth,'aswellasofthe

    empiricallyobservedshiningforthofobjectssuchasjarsandthelike.

    Consciousnessiseternalandincapableofchange.

  • Thisselfluminousconsciousness,further,iseternal,foritisnot

    capableofanyformofnonexistencewhethersocalledantecedent

    nonexistenceoranyotherform.Thisfollowsfromitsbeing

    selfestablished.Fortheantecedentnonexistenceofselfestablished

    consciousnesscannotbeapprehendedeitherthroughconsciousnessor

    anythingelse.Ifconsciousnessitselfgaverisetotheapprehensionof

    itsownnonexistence,itcouldnotdosoinsofaras'being,'forthat

    wouldcontradictitsbeing;ifitis,i.e.ifitsnonexistenceisnot,

    howcanitgiverisetotheideaofitsnonexistence?Norcanitdoso

    ifnotbeing;forifconsciousnessitselfisnot,howcanitfurnisha

    proofforitsownnonexistence?Norcanthenonexistenceof

    consciousnessbeapprehendedthroughanythingelse;forconsciousness

    cannotbetheobjectofanythingelse.Anyinstrumentofknowledge

    provingthenonexistenceofconsciousness,coulddosoonlybymaking

    consciousnessitsobject'thisisconsciousness';butconsciousness,as

    beingselfestablished,doesnotadmitofthatobjectivationwhichis

    impliedintheword'this,'andhenceitspreviousnonexistencecannot

    beprovedbyanythinglyingoutsideitself.

    Asconsciousnessthusdoesnotadmitofantecedentnonexistence,it

    furthercannotbeheldtooriginate,andhencealsoallthoseother

    statesofbeingwhichdependonoriginationcannotbepredicatedofit.

    Asconsciousnessisbeginningless,itfurtherdoesnotadmitofany

    pluralitywithinitself;forweobserveinthiscasethepresenceof

    somethingwhichiscontrarytowhatinvariablyaccompaniesplurality

    (thissomethingbeing'beginninglessness'whichiscontrarytothe

    qualityofhavingabeginningwhichqualityinvariablyaccompanies

  • plurality).Forweneverobserveathingcharacterisedbypluralityto

    bewithoutabeginning.Andmoreoverdifference,origination,&c.,are

    objectsofconsciousness,likecolourandotherqualities,andhence

    cannotbeattributesofconsciousness.Therefore,consciousnessbeing

    essentiallyconsciousnessonly,nothingelsethatisanobjectof

    consciousnesscanbeitsattribute.Theconclusionisthatconsciousness

    isfreefromdifferenceofanykind.

    TheapparentdifferencebetweenConsciousnessandtheconscioussubject

    isduetotheunrealahamkara.

    Fromthisitfurtherfollowsthatthereisnosubstrateof

    consciousnessdifferentfromconsciousnessitselfsuchaspeople

    ordinarilymeanwhenspeakingofa'knower.'Itisselfluminous

    consciousnessitselfwhichconstitutesthesocalled'knower.'This

    followstherefromalsothatconsciousnessisnotnonintelligent(jada);

    fornonintelligenceinvariablyaccompaniesabsenceofSelfhood

    (anatmatva);hence,nonintelligencebeingabsentinconsciousness,

    consciousnessisnotnonSelf,thatmeans,itistheSelf.

    But,ouradversaryagainobjects,theconsciousnesswhichexpresses

    itselfinthejudgment'Iknow,'provesthatthequalityofbeinga

    'knower'belongstoconsciousness!Bynomeans,wereply.The

    attributiontoconsciousnessofthisqualityrestsonerror,noless

    thantheattribution,totheshell,ofthequalityofbeingsilver.

    Consciousnesscannotstandintherelationofanagenttowarditself:

    theattributeofbeingaknowingagentiserroneouslyimputedtoitan

    erroranalogoustothatexpressedinthejudgment'Iamaman,'which

    identifiestheSelfofapersonwiththeoutwardaggregateofmatter

  • thatbearstheexternalcharacteristicsofhumanity.Tobea'knower'

    meanstobetheagentintheactionofknowing;andthisissomething

    essentiallychangefulandnonintelligent(jada),havingitsabodein

    theahamkara,whichisitselfathingsubjecttochange.How,onthe

    otherhand,couldsuchagencypossiblybelongtothechangeless

    'witness'(ofallchange,i.e.consciousness)whosenatureispureBeing?

    ThatagencycannotbeanattributeoftheSelffollowstherefromalso

    that,likecolourandotherqualities,agencydepends,foritsownproof,

    onseeing,i.e.consciousness.

    ThattheSelfdoesnotfallwithinthesphere(isnotanobjectof),the

    ideaof'I'isprovedtherebyalsothatindeepsleep,swoon,and

    similarstates,theideaofthe'I'isabsent,whiletheconsciousness

    oftheSelfpersists.Moreover,iftheSelfwereadmittedtobeanagent

    andanobjectoftheideaof'I,'itwouldbedifficulttoavoidthe

    conclusionthatlikethebodyitisnonintelligent,somethingmerely

    outward('beingforothersonly,notforitself')anddestituteof

    Selfhood.Thatfromthebody,whichistheobjectoftheideaof'I,'

    andknowntobeanagent,thereisdifferentthatSelfwhichenjoysthe

    resultsofthebody'sactions,viz.theheavenlyword,andsoon,is

    acknowledgedbyallwhoadmitthevalidityoftheinstrumentsof

    knowledge;analogously,therefore,wemustadmitthatdifferentfromthe

    knowerwhomweunderstandbytheterm'I,'isthe'witnessing'inward

    Self.Thenonintelligentahamkarathusmerelyservestomanifestthe

    natureofnonchangingconsciousness,anditeffectsthisbybeingits

    abode;foritistheproperqualityofmanifestingagentstomanifest

    theobjectsmanifested,insofarasthelatterabideinthem.Amirror,

    e.g.,orasheetofwater,oracertainmassofmatter,manifestsaface

    orthediscofthemoon(reflectedinthemirrororwater)orthe

  • genericcharacterofacow(impressedonthemassofmatter)insofar

    asallthosethingsabideinthem.Inthisway,then,therearisesthe

    erroneousviewthatfindsexpressioninthejudgment'Iknow.'Normust

    you,inthewayofobjection,raisethequestionhowselfluminous

    consciousnessistobemanifestedbythenonintelligentahamkara,which

    ratherisitselfmanifestedbyconsciousness;forweobservethatthe

    surfaceofthehand,whichitselfismanifestedbytheraysofsunlight

    fallingonit,atthesametimemanifeststhoserays.Thisisclearly

    seeninthecaseofrayspassingthroughtheintersticesofnetwork;the

    lightofthoseraysisintensifiedbythehandonwhichtheyfall,and

    whichatthesametimeisitselfmanifestedbytherays.

    Itthusappearsthatthe'knowingagent,'whoisdenotedbythe'I,'in

    thejudgment'Iknow,'constitutesnorealattributeoftheSelf,the

    natureofwhichispureintelligence.Thisisalsothereasonwhythe

    consciousnessofEgoitydoesnotpersistinthestatesofdeepsleepand

    finalrelease:inthosestatesthisspecialformofconsciousnesspasses

    away,andtheSelfappearsinitstruenature,i.e.aspure

    consciousness.Henceapersonwhohasrisenfromdeep,dreamlesssleep

    reflects,'JustnowIwasunconsciousofmyself.'

    Summingupofthepurvapakshaview.

    Astheoutcomeofallthis,wesumupourviewasfollows.Eternal,

    absolutelynonchangingconsciousness,whosenatureispure

    nondifferencedintelligence,freefromalldistinctionwhatever,owing

    toerrorillusorilymanifestsitself(vivarttate)asbrokenupinto

    manifolddistinctionsknowingsubjects,objectsofknowledge,actsof

    knowledge.Andthepurposeforwhichweenterontheconsiderationof

  • theVedantatextsisutterlytodestroywhatistherootofthaterror,

    i.e.Nescience,andthustoobtainafirmknowledgeoftheonenessof

    Brahman,whosenatureismereintelligencefree,pure,eternal.

    [FOOTNOTE22:1.Inagreementwiththeusemadeofthispassagebythe

    Purvapakshin,vijnanamustherebeunderstoodinthesenseofavidya.

    Vijnanasabdenavividhamjnayatenenetikaranavyutpattyavidyabhidhiyate.

    Sru.Pra.]

    [FOOTNOTE25:1.Thedistinctionisillustratedbythedifferentviews

    PerceptionandInferencecauseustotakeofthenatureoftheflameof

    thelamp.ToPerceptiontheflame,aslongasitburns,seemsoneand

    thesame:butonthegroundoftheobservationthatthedifferent

    particlesofthewickandtheoilareconsumedinsuccession,weinfer

    thattherearemanydistinctflamessucceedingoneanother.Andwe

    accepttheInferenceasvalid,andassublatingorrefutingthe

    immediateperception,becausetheperceivedonenessoftheflameadmits

    ofbeingaccountedfor'otherwise,'viz.onthegroundofthemany

    distinctflamesoriginatinginsuchrapidsuccessionthattheeye

    mistakesthemforone.Theinferenceontheotherhanddoesnotadmitof

    beingexplainedinanotherway.]

    [FOOTNOTE26:1.ThereferenceistothepointdiscussedPu.Mi.Su.VI,

    5,54(Jaim.Nya.MalaVistara,p.285).]

    [FOOTNOTE27:1.ThetextswhichdenyallqualitiesofBrahmanarelater

    inorderthanthetextswhichrefertoBrahmanasqualified,because

    denialpresupposesthatwhichistobedenied.]

  • [FOOTNOTE27:2.Theunityofpurportofthesentenceisinferredfrom

    itsconstituentwordshavingthesamecaseending.]

    [FOOTNOTE30:1.Thetheoryherereferredtoisheldbysomeofthe

    Mimamsakas.Theimperativeformsoftheverbhavetheirprimarymeaning,

    i.e.thepoweroforiginatingaction,onlyinVedicsentenceswhich

    enjointheperformanceofcertainactionsforthebringingaboutof

    certainends:noothermeansofknowledgebuttheVedainformingusthat

    suchendscanbeaccomplishedbysuchactions.Nobody,e.g.wouldoffer

    asomasacrificeinordertoobtaintheheavenlyworld,werehenottold

    bytheVedatodoso.Inordinarylife,ontheotherhand,noimperative

    possessesthisentirelyuniqueoriginativeforce,sinceanyactionwhich

    maybeperformedinconsequenceofacommandmaybepromptedbyother

    motivesaswell:itis,intechnicalIndianlanguage,established

    already,apartfromthecommand,byothermeansofknowledge.Theman

    who,e.g.istoldtomilkacowmighthaveproceededtodoso,apart

    fromthecommand,forreasonsofhisown.Imperativesinordinaryspeech

    arethereforeheldnottohavetheirprimarymeaning,andthis

    conclusionisextended,somewhatunwarrantablyoneshouldsay,toall

    thewordsenteringintoanimperativeclause.]

    [FOOTNOTE34:1.Beingnotpermanentbutoccasional,itisaneffectonly,

    andassuchmusthaveacause.]

    THEGREATSIDDHANTA.

  • Thisentiretheoryrestsonafictitiousfoundationofaltogetherhollow

    andviciousarguments,incapableofbeingstatedindefinitelogical

    alternatives,anddevisedbymenwhoaredestituteofthoseparticular

    qualitieswhichcauseindividualstobechosenbytheSupremePerson

    revealedintheUpanishads;whoseintellectsaredarkenedbythe

    impressionofbeginninglessevil;andwhothushavenoinsightintothe

    natureofwordsandsentences,intotherealpurportconveyedbythem,

    andintotheprocedureofsoundargumentation,withallitsmethods

    dependingonperceptionandtheotherinstrumentsofrightknowledge.

    Thetheorythereforemustneedsberejectedbyallthosewho,through

    texts,perceptionandtheothermeansofknowledgeassistedbysound

    reasoninghaveaninsightintothetruenatureofthings.

    Thereisnoproofofnondifferencedsubstance.

    Toenterintodetails.Thosewhomaintainthedoctrineofasubstance

    devoidofalldifferencehavenorighttoassertthatthisorthatisa

    proofofsuchasubstance;forallmeansofrightknowledgehavefor

    theirobjectthingsaffectedwithdifference.Shouldanyonetakinghis

    standonthereceivedviewsofhissect,assertthatthetheoryofa

    substancefreefromalldifference(doesnotrequireanyfurthermeans

    ofproofbut)isimmediatelyestablishedbyone'sownconsciousness;we

    replythathealsoisrefutedbythefact,warrantedbythewitnessof

    theSelf,thatallconsciousnessimpliesdifference:allstatesof

    consciousnesshavefortheirobjectsomethingthatismarkedbysome

    difference,asappearsinthecaseofjudgmentslike'Isawthis.'And

  • shouldastateofconsciousnessalthoughdirectlyapprehendedas

    implyingdifferencebedeterminedbysomefallaciousreasoningtobe

    devoidofdifference,thisdeterminationcouldbeeffectedonlybymeans

    ofsomespecialattributesadditionaltothequalityofmereBeing;and

    owingtothesespecialqualitiesonwhichthedeterminationdepends,

    thatstateofconsciousnesswouldclearlyagainbecharacterisedby

    difference.Themeaningofthementioneddeterminationcouldthusonly

    bethatofathingaffectedwithcertaindifferencessomeother

    differencesaredenied;butmanifestlythiswouldnotprovethe

    existenceofathingfreefromalldifference.Tothoughtthereatany

    ratebelongsthequalityofbeingthoughtandselfilluminatedness,for

    theknowingprincipleisobservedtohaveforitsessentialnaturethe

    illumining(makingtoshineforth)ofobjects.Andthatalsointhe

    statesofdeepsleep,swoon,&c.,consciousnessisaffectedwith

    differenceweshallprove,initsproperplace,ingreaterdetail.

    Moreoveryouyourselfadmitthattoconsciousnessthereactuallybelong

    differentattributessuchaspermanency(oneness,selfluminousness,&c.

    ),andoftheseitcannotbeshownthattheyareonlyBeingingeneral.

    Andevenifthelatterpointwereadmitted,weobservethattheretakes

    placeadiscussionofdifferentviews,andyouyourselfattempttoprove

    yourtheorybymeansofthedifferencesbetweenthoseviewsandyourown.

    Itthereforemustbeadmittedthatrealityisaffectedwithdifference

    wellestablishedbyvalidmeansofproof.

    Sabdaprovesdifference.

  • Astosound(speech;sabda)itisspeciallyapparentthatitpossesses

    thepowerofdenotingonlysuchthingsasareaffectedwithdifference.

    Speechoperateswithwordsandsentences.Nowaword(pada)originates

    fromthecombinationofaradicalelementandasuffix,andasthesetwo

    elementshavedifferentmeaningsitnecessarilyfollowsthattheword

    itselfcanconveyonlyasenseaffectedwithdifference.Andfurther,

    thepluralityofwordsisbasedonpluralityofmeanings;thesentence

    thereforewhichisanaggregateofwordsexpressessomespecial

    combinationofthings(meaningsofwords),andhencehasnopowerto

    denoteathingdevoidofalldifference.Theconclusionisthatsound

    cannotbeameansofknowledgeforathingdevoidofalldifference.

    Pratyakshaevenofthenirvikalpakakindprovesdifference.

    Perceptioninthenextplacewithitstwosubdivisionsof

    nondeterminate(nirvikalpaka)anddeterminate(savikalpaka)

    perceptionalsocannotbeameansofknowledgeforthingsdevoidof

    difference.Determinateperceptionclearlyhasforitsobjectthings

    affectedwithdifference;foritrelatestothatwhichisdistinguished

    bygenericdifferenceandsoon.Butalsonondeterminateperceptionhas

    foritsobjectonlywhatismarkedwithdifference;foritisonthe

    basisofnondeterminateperceptionthattheobjectdistinguishedby

    genericcharacterandsoonisrecognisedintheactofdeterminate

    perception.Nondeterminateperceptionistheapprehensionoftheobject

    insofarasdestituteofsomedifferencesbutnotofalldifference.

    Apprehensionofthelatterkindisinthefirstplacenotobservedever

  • totakeplace,andisinthesecondplaceimpossible:forall

    apprehensionbyconsciousnesstakesplacebymeansofsomedistinction

    'Thisissuchandsuch.'Nothingcanbeapprehendedapartfromsome

    specialfeatureofmakeorstructure,ase.g.thetriangularlyshaped

    dewlapinthecaseofcows.Thetruedistinctionbetweennondeterminate

    anddeterminateperceptionisthattheformeristheapprehensionofthe

    firstindividualamonganumberofthingsbelongingtothesameclass,

    whilethelatteristheapprehensionofthesecond,third,andsoon,

    individuals.Ontheapprehensionofthefirstindividualcowthe

    perceivingpersonisnotconsciousofthefactthatthespecialshape

    whichconstitutesthegenericcharacteroftheclass'cows'extendsto

    thepresentindividualalso;whilethisspecialconsciousnessarisesin

    thecaseoftheperceptionofthesecondandthirdcow.Theperception

    ofthesecondindividualthusis'determinate'insofarasitis

    determinedbyaspecialattribute,viz.theextension,tothe

    perception,ofthegenericcharacterofaclassmanifestedinacertain

    outwardshapewhichconnectsthisactofperceptionwiththeearlier

    perception(ofthefirstindividual);suchdeterminationbeing

    ascertainedonlyontheapprehensionofthesecondindividual.Such

    extensionorcontinuanceofacertaingenericcharacteris,ontheother

    hand,notapprehendedontheapprehensionofthefirstindividual,and

    perceptionofthelatterkindthenceis'nondeterminate.'Thatitis

    suchisnotduetononapprehensionofstructure,colour,generic

    characterandsoon,foralltheseattributesareequallyobjectsof

    sensuousperception(andhenceperceivedasbelongingtothefirst

    individualalso).Moreoverthatwhichpossessesstructurecannotbe

    perceivedapartfromthestructure,andhenceinthecaseofthe

    apprehensionofthefirstindividualthereisalreadyperceptionof

    structure,givingrisetothejudgment'Thethingissuchandsuch.'In

  • thecaseofthesecond,third,&c.,individuals,ontheotherhand,we

    apprehend,inadditiontothethingpossessingstructureandtothe

    structureitself,thespecialattributeofthepersistenceofthe

    genericcharacter,andhencetheperceptionis'determinate.'Fromall

    thisitfollowsthatperceptionneverhasforitsobjectthatwhichis

    devoidofalldifference.

    Thebhedabhedaviewisuntenable.

    Thesameargumentstendtorefutetheviewthatthereisdifferenceand

    absenceofdifferenceatthesametime(thesocalledbhedabhedaview).

    Takethejudgment'Thisissuchandsuch';howcanwerealiseherethe

    nondifferenceof'beingthis'and'beingsuchandsuch'?The'suchand

    such'denotesapeculiarmakecharacterised,e.g.byadewlap,the

    'this'denotesthethingdistinguishedbythatpeculiarmake;the

    nondifferenceofthesetwoisthuscontradictedbyimmediate

    consciousness.Attheoutsetthethingperceivedisperceivedas

    separatefromallotherthings,andthisseparationisfoundedonthe

    factthatthethingisdistinguishedbyaspecialconstitution,letus

    saythegenericcharacteristicsofacow,expressedbytheterm'such

    andsuch.'Ingeneral,whereverwecognisetherelationof

    distinguishingattributeandthingdistinguishedthereby,thetwo

    clearlypresentthemselvestoourmindasabsolutelydifferent.

    Somethingse.g.staffsandbraceletsappearsometimesashavinga

    separate,independentexistenceoftheirown;atothertimesthey

    presentthemselvesasdistinguishingattributesofotherthingsor

  • beings(i.e.ofthepersonscarryingstaffsorwearingbracelets).Other

    entitiese.g.thegenericcharacterofcowshaveabeingonlyinso

    farastheyconstitutetheformofsubstances,andthusalwayspresent

    themselvesasdistinguishingattributesofthosesubstances.Inboth

    casesthereisthesamerelationofdistinguishingattributeandthing

    distinguishedthereby,andthesetwoareapprehendedasabsolutely

    different.Thedifferencebetweenthetwoclassesofentitiesisonly

    thatstaffs,bracelets,andsimilarthingsarecapableofbeing

    apprehendedinseparationfromotherthings,whilethegeneric

    characteristicsofaspeciesareabsolutelyincapablethereof.The

    assertion,therefore,thatthedifferenceofthingsisrefutedby

    immediateconsciousness,isbasedontheplaindenialofacertainform

    ofconsciousness,theonenamelyadmittedbyeveryonewhichis

    expressedinthejudgment'Thisthingissuchandsuch.'Thissame

    pointisclearlyexpoundedbytheSutrakarainII,2,33.

    Inferencealsoteachesdifference.

    Perceptionthushavingforitsobjectonlywhatismarkedbydifference,

    inferencealsoisinthesamecase;foritsobjectisonlywhatis

    distinguishedbyconnexionwiththingsknownthroughperceptionand

    othermeansofknowledge.Andthus,eveninthecaseofdisagreementas

    tothenumberofthedifferentinstrumentsofknowledge,athingdevoid

    ofdifferencecouldnotbeestablishedbyanyofthemsincethe

    instrumentsofknowledgeacknowledgedbyallhaveonlyoneandthesame

    object,viz.whatismarkedbydifference.Andapersonwhomaintains

  • theexistenceofathingdevoidofdifferenceonthegroundof

    differencesaffectingthatverythingsimplycontradictshimselfwithout

    knowingwhathedoes;heisinfactnobetterthanamanwhoasserts

    thathisownmotherneverhadanychildren.

    Perceptiondoesnotrevealmerebeing.

    Inreplytotheassertionthatperceptioncausestheapprehensionof

    pureBeingonly,andthereforecannothavedifferenceforitsobject;

    andthat'difference'cannotbedefinedbecauseitdoesnotadmitof

    beingsetforthindefinitealternatives;wepointoutthatthese

    chargesarecompletelyrefutedbythefactthattheonlyobjectsof

    perceptionarethingsdistinguishedbygenericcharacterandsoon,and

    thatgenericcharacterandsoonasbeingrelativethingsgiveatonce

    risetothejudgmentastothedistinctionbetweenthemselvesandthe

    thingsinwhichtheyinhere.Youyourselfadmitthatinthecaseof

    knowledgeandinthatofcolourandotherqualitiesthisrelationholds

    good,viz.thatsomethingwhichgivesrisetoajudgmentaboutanother

    thingatthesametimegivesrisetoajudgmentaboutitself;thesame

    maythereforebeadmittedwithregardtodifference[FOOTNOTE44:1].

    Forthisreasonthechargeofaregressusininfinitumandalogical

    seesaw(seeabove,p.32)cannotbeupheld.Forevenifperceptive

    cognitiontakesplacewithinonemoment,weapprehendwithinthatmoment

    thegenericcharacterwhichconstitutesontheonehandthedifference

    ofthethingfromothers,andontheotherhandthepeculiarcharacter

  • ofthethingitself;andthusthereremainsnothingtobeapprehendedin

    asecondmoment.

    Moreover,ifperceptionmadeusapprehendonlypureBeingjudgments

    cle

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