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
For the same reasons the theory of a Brahman, which is nothing but non-
differenced intelligence, must also be considered as refuted by the
Sûtrakâra, with the help of the scriptural texts quoted; for those texts
prove that the Brahman, which forms the object of enquiry, possesses
attributes such as thinking, and so on, in their real literal sense. On
the theory, on the other hand, of a Brahman that is nothing but
distinctionless intelligence even the witnessing function of
consciousness would be unreal. The Sûtras propose as the object of
enquiry Brahman as known from the Vedânta-texts, and thereupon teach
that Brahman is intelligent (Sû. I, 1, 5 ff.) To be intelligent means to
possess the quality of intelligence: a being devoid of the quality of
thought would not differ in nature from the Pradhâna. Further, on the
theory of Brahman being mere non-differenced light it would be difficult
to prove that Brahman is self-luminous. For by light we understand that
particular thing which renders itself, as well as other things, capable
of becoming the object of ordinary thought and speech; but as a thing
devoid of all difference does not, of course, possess these two
characteristics it follows that it is as devoid of intelligence as a pot
may be.--Let it then be assumed that although a thing devoid of all
distinction does not actually possess these characteristics, yet it has
the potentiality of possessing them!--But if it possesses the attribute
of potentiality, it is clear that you abandon your entire theory of a
substance devoid of all distinction!--Let us then admit, on the
authority of Scripture, that the universal substance possesses this one
distinguishing attribute of self-luminousness.--Well, in that case you
must of course admit, on the same authority, all those other qualities
also which Scripture vouches for, such as all-knowingness, the
possession of all powers, and so on.--Moreover, potentiality means
capability to produce certain special effects, and hence can be
determined on the ground of those special effects only. But if there are
no means of knowing these particular effects, there are also no means of
cognising potentiality.--And those who hold the theory of a substance
devoid of all difference, have not even means of proof for their
substance; for as we have shown before, Perception, Inference, Scripture,
and one's own consciousness, are all alike in so far as having for their
objects things marked by difference.--It therefore remains a settled
conclusion that the Brahman to be known is nothing else but the highest
Person capable of the thought 'of becoming many' by manifesting himself
in a world comprising manifold sentient and non-sentient creatures.--
Here terminates the adhikarana of 'seeing'.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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