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The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c6.s1: VII. Prefatory Remarks and Arrangement

The System of the Vedânta according to Bâdarâyana's Brahma-Sûtras and Çankara's Commentary c6.s1

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Contents

VII. Prefatory Remarks and Arrangement

1. On the names of God

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The doctrine, which we here undertake to set forth, is not seldom included under the general conception of Pantheism; this expression (like the corresponding: Theism, Atheism and the like) not only means very little, but also, seems actually inexact in its application to our system, as well in its exoteric and lower, as in its esoteric and higher form. For in the lower doctrine the Theology of the Vedânta should on the contrary be described as Theism, as is shown by the expressions for God, Îçvara, the Lord, Purusha, the Man, the Spirit, Prâjña, the wise, and the like; in the higher doctrine on the contrary, it is something that rises above all such catch words, and resists all attempts to include it in the accepted schemes, however, convenient such inclusion might be. In any case the name Bráhman, which, in the work which we are to analyse, is used only as a neuter,⁶⁶ indicates something impersonal, only in the sense, however, that its being is raised far above all personality. This word does not originally mean "the liberated," "the Absolute," from barh, separate, as the Vedântins derive it (p. 33, 2, and also perhaps already Kâṭh. 2, 13. 6, 17 pravṛihya, prahṛihet) but rather from barh, swelling, that is (above pp. 17, 49) "prayer," conceived not as a wishing (εὔχεσθαι) or wording (orare, precari) or demanding (bidjan) or softening (молиться) or offering incense (תְּפִלָּה), but as the will of man striving upwards towards the holy, the divine; in accordance with this, the designation of God as Brahman would arise from a concept which finds and grasps the Divine where it is preeminently to be sought and found. The other designation of God as Âtman, that is, “the Self,” or “the Soul” also points us to our inner life (cf. p. 100, 18: âtmâ hi nâma svarûpam); but when this is distinguished from “the living Self,” the individual soul (Jîvâtman, Jîva) as “the highest Self” (Paramâtman, Mukhyâtman, Aupanishadâtman), these expressions admonish us to distinguish two sides in our own selves, of which this whole empirical form of existence is only one, while the other, lying behind it, rests in the bosom of the deity, is even identical with it.

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⁶⁶ The Brahmán (m.) of Indian mythology appears quite exceptionally p. 913, 10 Vasiṣṭhaç ca Brahmaṇo mânasaḥ putraḥ and in the formula p. 61, 11 brahmâdi-sthâvarânta, p. 604, 2 brahmâdi-stambaparyanta; also in the quotations p. 209, 1. 301, 4. 338, 12. 339, 1. 998, 2, where he is usually explained as Hiraṇyagarbha (p. 301, 1. 339, 3). In the Vedânta it is frequently the custom, which we shall occasionally follow, to connect a pronun of masculine gender (he, his and the like) with Brahman in the neuter.

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This is not the place to follow up further the designations of God as Brahman, Âtman, Purusha, Îçvara and the profound views which they open up; to this end the first steps of our knowledge must first be exhibited from the Veda more clearly than has hitherto been done. Here we must restrict ourselves to developing the Theology of Bâdarâyaṇa and Çaṅkara, looking at the Upanishads only with their eyes; but even in this scholastic form, the ideas of the Godhead show a loftiness the like of which cannot easily be found elsewhere.

2. Arrangement of the Theology

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Apart from casual phrases scattered through the whole work, the doctrine of the Brahman is dealt with in two parts of the Brahmasûtras; that is, in the first Adhyâya, which lays down the Theology on the basis of a series of scripture texts, in a general way, and without developing the difference between Saguṇa and Nirguṇa Vidyâ,⁶⁷ and in an appendix to this, in 10) —, 13—17 . . . . . Chând. 4, 15, 1
11) —, 18—20 . . . . . Brịh. 3, 7, 3
12) —, 21—23 . . . . . Muṇḍ. 1, 1, 6
13) —, 24—32 . . . . . Chând. 5, 11—24
14) 1, 3, 1—7 . . . . . Muṇḍ. 2, 2, 5
15) —, 8—9 . . . . . Chând. 7, 23
16) —, 10—12 . . . . . Brịh. 3, 8, 8
17) —, 13 . . . . . Praçna 5, 5
18) —, 14—18 . . . . . Chând. 8, 1, 1
19) —, 19—21 . . . . . Chând. 8, 12, 3
20) —, 22—23 . . . . . Muṇḍ. 2, 2, 10
21) —, 24—25 . . . . Kâṭh. 4, 12
22) —, 39 . . . . . Kâṭh. 6, 1
23) —, 40 . . . . . Chând. 8, 12, 3
24) —, 41 . . . . . Chând. 8, 14
25) —, 42—43 . . . . . Brịh. 4, 3, 7
26) 1, 4, 14—15 Taitt. 2, 6
27) —, 16—18 Kaush. 4, 19
28) —, 19—22 . . . . . Brịh. 4, 5, 6

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⁶⁷ Such a difference seems to be kept in view, judging from the introductory discussions p. 111—114; but in the development of the question whether sagunam or nirgunam brahma is to be understood, another question is generally substituted, that is, whether the text cited refers to the highest self or to the individual self. The threefold antithesis of param brahma, 1) to the forms as which it is presented

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As this survey shews, the order of the passages, as they occur in the different Upanishads, is rigidly preserved. But apart from this, these passages are interwoven in a way for which we only here and there seem to recognise a reason. Possibly this enigmatic relation points to preparatory exegetical works within the different Çâkhâs, which were then gradually united in a single whole.

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However this may be, this much is clear, that this principle of arrangement is in fact an external one. Therefore, in our statement of the doctrine, we ignore it altogether, in order, after producing certain proofs of the existence of God (Chap. VIII), to treat of the Brahman on the basis of the material in question, first in itself (Chap. IX), then as a cosmic principle (Chap. X), again as a cosmic and at the same time psychic principle (Chap. XI), lastly as the soul (Chap. XII), and as the highest end (Chap. XIII). The investigation of the esoteric (nirguṇam) Brahman will form the conclusion of the Theology (Chap. XIV).

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