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144 Madhva's Interpretation of the Brahma-sūtras [CH. of the effect; if so, then it ought to have been visible at the time; if the manifestation also requires another manifestation and that another, then there is infinite regress. The point of view of causal conception accepted by Jaya-tīrtha is that, if the cause of production exists, there is production, and if sufficient cause of destruction exists, there is destruction. A hare's horn is not produced, because there is not a sufficient cause for its production, and ātman is not destroyed, because there is not a sufficient cause for its destruction'.
The seventh topic with Sankara (sūtras 21–23) is said to answer the objection that, if Brahman and jīva are identical, then it is curious that Brahman should make Himself subject to old age, death, etc., or imprison Himself in the prison-house of this body, by pointing out that the creator and the individual souls are not one and the same, since the latter represent only conditional existence, due to ignorance; so the same Brahman has two different forms of existence, as Brahman and as jīva. According to Madhva the topic is intended to introduce a discussion in favour of Iśvara being the creator, as against the view that individuals themselves are the creators. According to him this topic consists of sūtras 21-26; with Sankara, however, of sūtras 24 and 25, which according to him mean that, on account of the existence of diverse powers, it is possible that from one Brahman there should be the diversified creation. Again, sūtras 26–28 form according to Sankara the ninth topic, which purports to establish that it is possible that the world should be produced from the bodiless Brahman. The eighth topic begins with Madhva from the 28th sūtra, as counted by him, and extends to the 32nd. According to Madhva the object of this topic is to refute the arguments urged against the all-creatorship of Vişnu. Thus it refutes the objections that, if Brahman worked without any instrument, His whole being might be involved even in creating a single straw, etc. Everything is possible in God, who possesses diverse kinds of power. According to Sankara sūtras 30, 31, forming the tenth topic, maintain that Brahman possesses all powers and can perform everything without the aid of any sense organs. Sūtras 33 and 34 (32 and 33 of Sankara's counting) form a new topic, which maintains that, though all His wishes are always fulfilled, yet He
rudhgate. bharah.ina, p. 302.
1 yasya ca vināša-kāranam ridyate tat sad api nirudhyate, na ca khara-vişāņajanmani ātmavināśe t'ā kāraṇam asti iti tayor janana-rināśābhātaḥ.
Nyāya-sudhā, p. 302.
