The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c3: Translator's Preface

The System of the Vedânta according to Bâdarâyana's Brahma-Sûtras and Çankara's Commentary c3

Language: English

Translator's Preface

WHEN, writing to me of your pilgrimage to India and your many friends in that old, sacred land, you suggested that I should translate *Das System des Vedânta* for them, and I most willingly consented, we had no thought that so long a time must pass, ere the completed book should see the light of day. Now that the period of waiting is ended, we rejoice together over the finished work.

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I was then, as you remember, in the Austrian Alps, seeking, amid the warm scented breath of the pine woods and the many-coloured beauty of the flowers, to drive from my veins the lingering fever of the Ganges delta, and steeping myself in the lore of the Eastern wisdom: the great *Upanishads*, the *Bhagavad Gîtâ*, the poems of Çañkara, Master of Southern India.

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Your book brought me a new task, a new opportunity. For in it I found, most lucidly set forth, the systematic teaching of the Vedânta, according to its greatest Master, with many rich treasures of the *Upanishads* added.

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Shall we say that the great *Upanishads* are the deep, still mountain tarns, fed from the pure water of the everlasting snows, lit by clear sunshine, or, by night, mirroring the high serenity of the stars?

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The *Bhagavad Gîtâ* is, perhaps, the lake among the foothills, wherein are gathered the same waters of wisdom, after flowing through the forest of Indian history, with the fierce conflict of the Children of Bharata.

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1. Justification of Exoteric Metaphysics, p. 97.—2. Exoteric and Esoteric Form of the Vedânta, p. 98.—3. Appendix: Çankara's Esoteric Philosophy, translated from 4, 3, 14. (a) Do the liberated go to Brahman? (b) Esoteric Cosmology. (c) Esoteric Psychology. (d) Esoteric Morality. (e) Esoteric Eschatology. (f) Esoteric Theology: p. 109.

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FIRST PART:

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THEOLOGY OR THE DOCTRINE OF BRAHMAN.

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VII. Prefatory Remarks and Arrangement . . . 119—122

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1. On the Names of God, p. 119.—2. Arrangement of the Theology, p. 120.

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VIII. Proofs of the Existence of God . . . . 123—128

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1. Prefatory Remark, p. 123.—2. Definition of the Brahman, p. 123.—3. Cosmological Proof, p. 124.—4. Physico-theological Proof, p. 125.—5. Psychological Proof, p. 126.—6. Cogito, ergo sum, p. 127.

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IX. The Brahman in itself . . . . . . . 129—144

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1. Brahman as the non-Existent, p. 129.—2. Brahman as the primordial Light, p. 130.—3. Brahman as the last, unknowable Origin of the Existent, p. 131.—4. Brahman as pure Intelligence, p. 134.—5. Brahman as Bliss, p. 137.—6. Brahman as Free from all Evil, p. 140.—7. Brahman as Free from Causality and Affliction, p. 141.

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X. The Brahman as Cosmic Principle . . . . 145—151

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1. Brahman as Creator of the World, p. 145.—2. Brahman as Ruler of the World, p. 148.—3. Brahman as Destroyer of the World, p. 150.

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XI. The Brahman as Cosmic and at the same time Psychic Principle . . . . . . . 152—171 1. Brahman as the Self (*âtman*), p. 172.—2. Brahman as *Prâna* (Breath, Life), p. 177.—3. Brahman as the Soul in deep Sleep, p. 183.—4. Brahman as the Soul in the State of Liberation, p. 188.

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¹ Brahman as the very Small and very Great, p. 152.—2. Brahman as Joy (kam) and as Amplitude (kham), p. 164.—3. Brahman as the Light beyond Heaven and in the Heart, p. 167.—4. Brahman and the Soul dwelling together in the Heart. p. 170.

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XIII. The Brahman as the highest Goal . . . 198—204
1. Brahman as Object of Meditation, p. 198.—2. Brahman as the Place of the Liberated, p. 200.—3. Brahman as Attainment of absolute Unity, p. 201.

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XIV. Esoteric Theology . . . . . . . 205—215
1. Preliminary Remark, p. 205.—2. The differentiated and undifferentiated Brahman, p. 206.—3. Characteristics of the esoteric Brahman, p. 210.—4. On the Possibility of Knowing the esoteric Brahman, p. 213.—5. On certain figurative Expressions used of Brahman, p. 214.

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SECOND PART:

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COSMOLOGY OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE WORLD.

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XV. Preliminary Remarks and Arrangement . . 219—221

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XVI. Brahman as Creator of the World . . . 222—229
1. The Motive of Creation, p. 222.—2. Brahman is the efficient and at the same time material Cause of the World, p. 223.—3. Brahman creates without Instruments, p. 225.—4. Brahman and the Powers of Nature, p. 227.

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XVII. The exoteric Picture of Creation . . . 230—249
1. General, p. 230.—2. The Origin of Space (*Âkâça*), p. 232.—3. The Origin of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, p. 235.—4. Incidental Remark on the Destruction of the World, p. 237.—5. Organic Nature, p. 238.—6. Physiological Remarks, p. 240.—7. The Controversy with the Buddhists concerning the Reality of the outer World, p. 241.

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XVIII. Cosmological Problems . . . . . . 250—254
1. The Problem of Causality, p. 250.—2. The Problem of the One and the Many, p. 252.—3. The Moral Problem, p. 252.

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1. The Cause persists in the Effect, p. 256.—2. The Effect exists before its Manifestation, namely, as Cause, p. 256.—3. What is the Difference between the Effect before and after Manifestation? p. 257.—4. The Effect is prefigured in the Cause, p. 257.—5. The Activity of becoming manifest must have a Subject, p. 258.—6. The Activity of the Agent is not superfluous, p. 258.—7. Generality of the Identity of Cause and Effect, p. 258.—8. The Activity of the Agent must have an Object, p. 259.—9. Result, p. 259.—10. Illustrative Examples, p. 259.

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XX. The Doctrine of Identity . . . . . . 261—272

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1. Introductory, p. 261.—2. "Tat tvam asi"—That art thou, p. 262.—3. The Doctrine of Identity in the Vedānta System: a) The Extinction of Plurality in Brahman, p. 267.—b) The Relation of Unity to Plurality, p. 268.—c) How is the Knowledge of Unity possible, from the Standpoint of Plurality? p. 270.—d) The Value of the Doctrine of Unity, p. 271.—e) Criticism of Anthropomorphism, p. 271.

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XXI. Solution of the Cosmological Problems . . 273—281

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1. The Problem of Causality, p. 274.—2. The Problem of the One and the Many, p. 277.—3. The Moral Problem, p. 278.

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THIRD PART:

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PSYCHOLOGY OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE SOUL.

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XXII. Proofs of the Immortality of the Soul . . 285—292

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1. Preliminary Remarks on Psychology, p. 285.—2. Arguments of the Materialists against the Immortality of the Soul, p. 287.—3. Proofs of the Immortality of the Soul, p. 288.—4. On the Doctrine of Immortality in general, p. 290.

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XXIII. Origin and Nature of the Soul . . . . 293—296 1. Non-Identity and Identity, p. 297.—2. Illusion of all Pain, p. 299.—3. Subjection to and Freedom from Law, p. 300.—4. How are the individual souls separated from each other? p. 301.—5. Brahman and the Upâdhis, p. 302.

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¹ Origin of the Soul, p. 293.—2. Nature of the Soul, p. 293.

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XXV. Relation of the Soul to the Body . . . 306—314
1. The Opinion of the Jainas that the Soul is as large as the Body, p. 306.—2. The Opinion that the Soul is of minute (aṇu) size, p. 308.—3. The Soul is infinitely great (vibhu), p. 310.—4. Connection of the Soul with the Intellect (buddhi), p. 312.

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XXVI. Relation of the Soul to its Actions . . . 315—323
1. Preliminary, p. 315.—2. Reasons for Supposing the Soul to be essentially an Agent (i. e. exercising Volition), p. 316.—3. The Soul is naturally not an Agent (exercising Volition), p. 317.—4. Freedom of the Will and Determinism, p. 321.

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XXVII. The Organs of the Soul . . . . . 324—341
1. Preliminary Survey, p. 324.—2. Origin and Nature of the Organs of Life (prâṇa), p. 327.—3. The System of the conscious Life: Organs of Relation, p. 329.—4. The System of the unconscious Life: Organs of Nutrition, p. 333.—5. Mutual Relation of the Systems of the conscious and unconscious Life, p. 336.—6. The Cooperation of the Gods, p. 337.—7. Retrospect, p. 338.

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XXVIII. Special States of the Soul . . . . 342—354
1. Dream-Sleep, p. 343.—2. Deep Sleep, p. 346.—3. Swooning, p. 352.—4. Metaphysical Significance of Death, p. 353.

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FOURTH PART:

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SAMSÂRA OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRANSMIGRATION OF THE SOUL.

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XXIX. The Eschatology of the Vedânta . . . 357—360
1. The main Phases of Indian Eschatology, p. 357.—2. Exoteric and Esoteric Eschatology, p. 358.—3. No Transmigration from the Esoteric Standpoint, p. 359.

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1. Introduction, p. 361.—2. The Five Sacrificial Offerings, p. 361.—3. The Path of the God (devayâna), p. 362.—4. The Path of the Fathers (pitriyâna), p. 363.—5. The third Place, p. 364.—6. Epilogue (only in Chândogya-Up.), p. 364.—7. On the two Recensions of the Doctrine of the Five Fires, p. 365.

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XXXI. The Passing of the Soul from the Body . 367—380
1. The Vedic Basis, p. 367.—2. The Involution of the Organs, p. 370.—3. Moral Determination of the transmigrating Soul: a) Prefatory Remark, p. 374.—b) The Karma-âçraya, p. 375.—c) Vidyâ-karma-pûrvaprajñâ, p. 376.—d) The Apûrvam, p. 377.—e) The Çraddhâ, p. 378.—5. The Path into the Beyond, p. 379.

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XXXII. The Destinies of the Soul in the Body . 381—386
1. Contradictions of the Vedic Texts, p. 381.—2. The Punishments of Hell, p. 382.—3. The Third Place, p. 383.—4. Felicity on the Moon, p. 385.

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XXXIII. The Cause of the Return to Earthly Existence . . . . . 387—393
1. Prefatory Remark, p. 387.—2. In Retribution a Residue remains (anuçaya), p. 387.—3. How is this Residue to be conceived? p. 389.—4. Ritual and Moral Work, p. 390.

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XXXIV. The Descent of the Soul for a new Embodiment . . . . . 394—398
1. The Stages on the Way, p. 394.—2. Duration of the Descent, p. 394.—3. The Soul sojourns in the various Stages only as a Guest, p. 395.—4. Retrospect, p. 396.

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FIFTH PART:

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MOKSHA OR THE TEACHING OF LIBERATION.

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XXXV. The Path of Liberation . . . . . . . 401—417
1. Definition of Liberation, p. 401.—2. Liberation impossible through Works, p. 402.—3. Liberation impossible through moral Improvement, p. 403.—4. Knowledge without Works liberates, p. 405.—5. How is this saving Knowledge brought about? p. 408.—6. Works as Means to Knowledge, p. 411.—7. Devout Meditation (*upāsanam*) as Means to Knowledge, p. 413.

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1. Characteristics of the Sage, p. 418.—2. The Destruction of Sin, p. 421.—3. Destruction of Good Works also, p. 423.—4. Why the Body, in spite of Liberation, still continues to exist, p. 424.

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XXXVII. The dying Sage . . . . . . . 427—431
1. His Soul does not depart, p. 427.—2. The Dissolution of the Psychic Apparatus, p. 428.—3. Can the Liberated assume a new Body? p. 430.

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XXXVIII. Condition of the Sage after Death . . 432—435
1. Entrance into the highest Light, p. 432.—2. Characteristics of him who has obtained absoluteness, p. 433. —3. The *Unio mystica*, p. 434.

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XXXIX. The Passing of the Pious to Brahman . 436—443
1. The Characteristics of the Pious, p. 436.—2. The Departure of the Soul of the Pious, p. 439.—3. The Stages on the Path of the Gods, p. 440.—4. Brahman as Goal of the Path, p. 442.

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XL. Heavenly Lordship and Final Liberation of the Pious . . . . . . . . . . 444—448
1. Lordship (*aiçvaryam*), p. 444.—2. The Existence of those who have obtained Lordship, p. 445.—3. Limits of Lordship, p. 446.—4. Final Liberation of the Pious, p. 447.

Linked texts (4)

Brahmasūtra — Bādarāyaṇa, Sanskrit
Chāndogyopaniṣad — Sanskrit
Upaniṣad — Sanskrit
Bhagavadgītā — Vyāsa, Sanskrit