The Philosophy of the Upanishads c12.s2.t4.8

c12.s2.t4.8

As the theory of the *videhamukti* together with the passages of the Upanishads that anticipate it rests upon the false supposition that between us and the âtman a temporal separation exists; so the hypothesis of a spatial separation between the two, so that a departure hence is necessary in order to reach the âtman, is not less mistaken and depends upon an unwarranted application of the methods of empirical knowledge. Nevertheless this mode of representation also is not rare in the Upanishads, under the influence of the ancient ideas of a departure to the gods, to Brahman, to the âtman.¹ That the ideas which thus emerge are far from being consistent lies in the nature of things. We propose briefly to survey the most important passages.