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
In the Mahâbhârata also the form
assumed by the highest Person in his avatâras is said not to consist of
Prakriti, 'the body of the highest Self does not consist of a
combination of material elements.'--For these reasons the Person within
the Sun and the eye is the highest Self which is different from the
individual soul of the Sun, &c.
22. And on account of the declaration of difference (the highest Self
is) other (than the individual souls of the sun, &c.).
There are texts which clearly state that the highest Self is different
from Âditya and the other individual souls: 'He who, dwelling within
Aditya (the sun), is different from Âditya, whom Âditya does not know,
of whom Âditya is the body, who rules Âditya from within; who dwelling
within the Self is different from the Self,' &c. (Bri. Up. III, 7, 9 ff.
); 'Of whom the Imperishable is the body, whom the Imperishable does not
know; who moves within Death, of whom Death is the body, whom Death does
not know; he is the inner self of all beings, free from evil, divine,
the one God Nârâyana' (Sub. Up. VII). These texts declare all individual
souls to be the body of the sinless highest Self which is said to be the
inward principle of all of them.--It is thereby completely proved that
the highest Self is something different from all individual souls such
as Âditya, and so on.--Here terminates the adhikarana of the 'one within.'
The text, 'That from which these beings are born,' teaches that Brahman
is the cause of the world; to the question thence arising of what nature
that cause of the world is, certain other texts give a reply in general
terms (' Being only this was in the beginning'; 'It sent forth fire';
'The Self only this was in the beginning,' &c.); and thereupon it is
shown on the basis of the special nature of that cause as proved by the
attributes of 'thought' and 'bliss,' that Brahman is different from the
pradhâna and the individual souls. The remaining part of this Pâda now
is devoted to the task of proving that where such special terms as Ether
and the like are used in sections setting forth the creation and
government of the world, they designate not the thing-sentient or non-
sentient--which is known from ordinary experience, but Brahman as proved
so far.
23. Ether (is Brahman), on account of the characteristic marks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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