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
'A flavour he is indeed; having obtained a flavour this one enjoys
bliss' (Taitt. Up. II, 7). This text declares that this one, i.e. the so-
called individual soul, enjoys bliss through obtaining the ânandamaya,
here called 'flavour.' Now to say that any one is identical with that by
obtaining which he enjoys bliss, would be madness indeed.--It being thus
ascertained that the Self of bliss is the highest Brahman, we conclude
that in passages such as 'if that bliss were not in the ether' (Taitt.
Up. II, 7). and 'knowledge, bliss is Brahman' (Bri. Up. III, 9, 28), the
word 'ânanda' denotes the 'ânandamaya'; just as vijñâna means the
vijñânamaya. It is for the same reason (viz. of ânanda meaning the same
as ânandamaya) that the clause 'he who knows the bliss of Brahman'
exhibits Brahman as being connected with ânanda, and that the further
clause 'he who knows this reaches the Self of bliss,' declares the
reaching of the Self of bliss to be the fruit of the knowledge of bliss.
In the subsequent anuvâka also, in the clauses 'he perceived that food
is Brahman,' 'he perceived that breath is Brahman,' &c. (III, i; 2, &c.),
the words 'food,' 'breath,' and so on, are meant to suggest the Self
made of food, the Self made of breath, &c., mentioned in the preceding
anuvâka; and hence also in the clause 'he perceived that bliss is
Brahman,' the word 'bliss' must be understood to denote the Self of
bliss. Hence, in the same anuvâka, the account of the fate after death
of the man who knows concludes with the words 'having reached the Self
of bliss' (III, 10,5). It is thus finally proved that the highest
Brahman--which in the previous adhikarana had to be shown to be other
than the so-called Pradhâna--is also other than the being called
individual soul.--This concludes the topic of the ânandamaya.
A new doubt here presents itself.--It must indeed be admitted that such
individual souls as possess only a moderate degree of merit are unable
to accomplish the creation of the world by their mere wish, to enjoy
supreme bliss, to be the cause of fearlessness, and so on; but why
should not beings like Âditya and Prajâpati, whose merit is
extraordinarily great, be capable of all this?--Of this suggestion the
next Sûtra disposes.
21. The one within (the sun and the eye); on account of his qualities
being declared.
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