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VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
whether ether has an origin or not.—The pärvapakshin maintains that ether does not originate, since there is no scriptural statement to that effect. For in the chapter which treats of the origin (of the world) ether is not mentioned at all. In the passage 'In the beginning there was that only which is, one only, without a second' the Khandogya at first introduces Brahman as the general subject-matter, by means of the clause 'that which is,' and thereupon (in the passages. It thought,' It sent forth fire,' &c.) records the origin of three elements, viz. fire, water, and earth; giving the first place to fire which (ordinarily) occupies the middle place among the five elements ? Now, as scriptural statement is our (only) authority in the origination of the knowledge of supersensuous things, and as there is no scriptural statement declaring the origin of ether, ether must be considered to have no origin.
2. But there is a scriptural statement of the origination of ether).
The conjunction 'but' indicates the adoption of another alternative. The origin of ether may not be stated in the Khandogya; but it is stated in other scriptural passages. For the text of the Taittirîyakas, after having introduced Brahman as the general subject matter,-in the words, 'The true, knowledge, without end is Brahman,'-goes on to say, 'From that Self sprang ether' (Taitt. Up. II, 1).—Hence there arises a conflict of scriptural passages, the creation sometimes being said to begin with fire, sometimes with ether.—But may we not appropriately assume the two scriptural passages to form one syntactical whole ?-It would be well indeed if we could do so, but a unity of the kind desired cannot be admitted, because the creator who is mentioned only once-in the passage 'he sent forth fire' - cannot be connected with two things to be created, as if the construction were 'He sent forth fire, he sent forth ether.'-But-an objection may be raised—we see that sometimes an agent, although mentioned once only, is yet
1 The usual order being ether, air, fire, water, earth.
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| SR No. | 007682 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1894 |
| Total Pages | 2240 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 38 MB |