The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48
Religion
The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48
Vedanta
merit or demerit), the direction which actually exists in the other
direction (for a point which is to the north of me is to the south of
another point) is apprehended by itself, apart from the other elements
of direction; the apprehension which actually takes place is thus
likewise true. Similar is the case of the double moon. Here, either
through pressure of the finger upon the eye, or owing to some abnormal
affection of the eye, the visual rays are divided (split), and the
double, mutually independent apparatus of vision thus originating,
becomes the cause of a double apprehension of the moon. One apparatus
apprehends the moon in her proper place; the other which moves somewhat
obliquely, apprehends at first a place close by the moon, and then the
moon herself, which thus appears somewhat removed from her proper place.
Although, therefore, what is apprehended is the one moon distinguished
by connection with two places at the same time--an apprehension due to
the double apparatus of vision--yet, owing to the difference of
apprehensions, there is a difference in the character of the object
apprehended, and an absence of the apprehension of unity, and thus a
double moon presents itself to perception. That the second spot is
viewed as qualifying the moon, is due to the circumstance that the
apprehension of that spot, and that of the moon which is not apprehended
in her proper place, are simultaneous. Now here the doubleness of the
apparatus is real, and hence the apprehension of the moon distinguished
by connexion with two places is real also, and owing to this doubleness
of apprehension, the doubleness of aspect of the object apprehended, i.e.
the moon, is likewise real. That there is only one moon constituting the
true object of the double apprehension, this is a matter for which
ocular perception by itself does not suffice, and hence what is actually
seen is a double moon. That, although the two eyes together constitute
one visual apparatus only, the visual rays being divided through some
defect of the eyes, give rise to a double apparatus--this we infer from
the effect actually observed. When that defect is removed there takes
place only one apprehension of the moon as connected with her proper
place, and thus the idea of one moon only arises. It is at the same time
quite clear how the defect of the eye gives rise to a double visual
apparatus, the latter to a double apprehension, and the latter again to
a doubleness of the object of apprehension.
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