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VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
resting on an endless unbroken tradition ; but must we then not admit that texts evidently presupposing the view of duality, as e. g. 'Let him who desires the heavenly world offer the Gyotishtoma-sacrifice'-are liable to refutation ?—True, we reply. As in the case of the Udgatri and Pratihartri breaking the chain (not at the same time, but) in succession", so here also the earlier texts (which refer to duality and transitory rewards) are sublated by the later texts which teach final release, and are not themselves sublated by anything else.
The texts which represent Brahman as devoid of
qualities have greater force. The same reasoning applies to those passages in the Vedanta-texts which inculcate meditation on the qualified Brahman, since the highest Brahman is without any qualities.—But consider such passages as 'He who cognises all, who knows all' (Mu. Up. I, 1, 9); His high power is revealed as manifold, as essential, acting as force and knowledge' (Svet. Up. VI, 8); "He whose wishes are true, whose purposes are true' (Kh. Up. VIII, 1, 5); how can these passages, which clearly aim at defining the nature of Brahman, be liable to refutation ?-Owing to the greater weight, we reply, of those texts which set forth Brahman as devoid of qualities. It is not coarse, not fine, not short, not long' (Bri. Up. III, 8, 8); 'The True, knowledge, infinite is Brahman' (Taitt. Up. II, 1); “That which is free from qualities,' that which is free from stain'-these and similar texts convey the notion of Brahman being changeless, eternal intelligence devoid of all difference; while the other texts--quoted before-teach the qualified Brahman. And there being a conflict between the two sets of passages, we-according to the Mîmâmså principle referred to above -decide that the texts referring to Brahman as devoid of qualities are of greater force, because they are later in
The reference is to the point discussed Pa. Mf. SQ. VI, 5, 54 (Gaim. Nya. Mala Vistara, p. 285).
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