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Presidential Address
071
process of thought, but only as a record of brilliant guesses and speculations which have occurred from time to time to men of genius and scholastic ability. This view, however, refutes itself by its very simplicity and unphilosophical character. Another view that all Darśanas are broken lights of a single Truth, and as such are complementary of one another-has been propounded fully in Madhūsūdan-sarasvatī's Prasthāna-bheda, and partially in Vijnānabhikshu's Sāınkhya-Pravachanabhāshya and Annāmbhatta's Tarkadipikā. This is a late tradition founded upon stray thoughts in earlier writings, such as the NyāyaKusumānjali of Udayanācārya. From a practical point of view of those who are not interested in the history of philosophy, but only in the use to be made of it for man's spiritual benefit, this view is natural and unimpeachable. Moreover, such a synthesis has its analogues in the well-known attempts to harmonize the texts of the Brāhmaṇas, of the Upanishads, and of the Smritis, which lapse of time had consecrated. But the historian cannot overlook the fact that the founders of the Darsanas did not meet at a council, distribute their work, and part, each to execute his own appointed piece. It is undeniably true that there were honest differences of opinion amongst them, which developed in the course of time into bitter controversies. However, it is possible to reconcile in a higher synthesis the point of view of the historian with that of the practical religious man. For, the differences of opinion, though real and quite sharp, originate from differences of outlook, which mark, successive steps in a single
