History of Indian Philosophy

SR No.: 007593
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Surendranath Dasgupta
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication Year: 1922
Total Pages: 2517
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 125 MB

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Observations on Systems of Indian Philosophy [CH.
The Vedānta sūtras, also called Uttara Mimāmsā, written by Bādarāyana, otherwise known as the Brahma-sūtras, form the original authoritative work of Vedānta. The word Vedānta means "end of the Veda," i.e. the Upanisads, and the Vedānta sūtras are so called as they are but a summarized statement of the general views of the Upanisads. This work is divided into four books or adhyāyas and each adhyāya is divided into four pādas or chapters. The first four sūtras of the work commonly known as Catuḥsūtri are (1) How to ask about Brahman, (2) From whom proceed birth and decay, (3) This is because from him the Vedas have come forth, (4) This is shown by the harmonious testimony of the Upanişads. The whole of the first chapter of the second book is devoted to justifying the position of the Vedānta against the attacks of the rival schools. The second chapter of the second book is busy in dealing blows at rival systems. All the other parts of the book are devoted to settling the disputed interpretations of a number of individual Upanisad texts. The really philosophical portion of the work is thus limited to the first four sūtras and the first and second chapters of the second book. The other portions are like commentaries to the Upanişads, which however contain many theological views of the system. The first commentary of the Brahmasūtra was probably written by Baudhāyana, which however is not available now. The earliest commentary that is now found is that of the great Sankara. His interpretations of the Brahma-sūtras together with all the commentaries and other works that follow his views are popularly known as Vedānta philosophy, though this philosophy ought more properly to be called Visuddhādvaitavāda school of Vedānta philosophy (i.e. the Vedānta philosophy of the school of absolute monism). Variant forms of dualistic philosophy as represented by the Vaisnavas, Saivas, Rāmāyatas, etc., also claim to express the original purport of the Brahma sūtras. We thus find that apostles of dualistic creeds such as Rāmānuja, Vallabha, Madhva, Śrīkantha, Baladeva, etc., have written independent commentaries on the Brahma-sútra to show that the philosophy as elaborated by themselves is the view of the Upanişads and as summarized in the Brahma-sūtras. These differed largely and often vehemently attacked Sankara's interpretations of the same sūtras. These systems as expounded by them also pass by the name of Vedānta as these are also claimed to be the real interpretations intended by the Vedānta (Upanisads)