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
Self only.
14. And on account of the statement as to abode, and so on.
Abiding within the eye, ruling the eye, and so on are predicated by
scripture of the highest Self only, viz. in Bri. Up. III, 7, 18, 'He who
dwells within the eye, who rules the eye within.' We therefore recognise
that highest Self in the text, 'That Person which is seen within the eye.'
The argument founded on reference to 'something well known' thus suits
the highest Self very well; and also the clause which denotes immediate
perception ('is seen') appears quite suitable, since the highest Self is
directly intuited by persons practising mystic concentration of mind
(Yoga).
15. And on account of the text referring only to what is characterised
by pleasure.
The Person abiding within the eye is the highest Person, for the
following reason also. The topic of the whole section is Brahman
characterised by delight, as indicated in the passage 'Ka (pleasure) is
Brahman, Kha (ether) is Brahman' (Ch. Up. IV,10, 5). To that same Brahman
the passage under discussion ('The Person that is seen in the eye')
refers for the purpose of enjoining first a place with which Brahman is
to be connected in meditation, and secondly some special qualities--such
as comprising and leading all blessings--to be attributed to Brahman in
meditation.--The word 'only' in the Sûtra indicates the independence of
the argument set forth.
But--an objection is raised--between the Brahman introduced in the
passage 'Ka is Brahman,'&c., and the text under discussion there
intervenes the vidyâ of the Fires (Ch. Up. IV, 11-13), and hence Brahman
does not readily connect itself with our passage. For the text says that
after the Fires had taught Upakosala the knowledge of Brahman ('Breath
is Brahman, Ka is Brahman,' &c.), they taught him a meditation on
themselves ('After that the Gârhapatya fire taught him,' &c., Ch. Up.
IV, 11, 1). And this knowledge of the Fires cannot be considered a mere
subordinate part of the knowledge of Brahman, for the text declares that
it has special fruits of its own--viz. the attainment of a ripe old age
and prosperous descendants, &c.--which are not comprised in the results
of the knowledge of Brahman, but rather opposed to them in nature.--To
this we make the following reply. As both passages (viz. IV, 10, 5,
'Breath is Brahman,' &c.; and IV, 15, 1, 'this is Brahman') contain the
word Brahman, and as from the words of the Fires, 'the teacher will tell
you the way,' it follows that the knowledge of Brahman is not complete
before that way has been taught, we determine that the knowledge of the
Fires which stands between the two sections of the knowledge of Brahman
is a mere subordinate member of the latter. This also appears from the
fact that the Gârhapatya fire begins to instruct Upakosala only after he
has been introduced into the knowledge of Brahman. Upakosala moreover
complains that he is full of sorrows (I, 10, 3), and thus shows himself
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