Book Title: Systems of Indian Philosophy
Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

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Page 148
________________ THE VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY arises everything becomes known as Brahma only. We may ask, whence the names and forms and whence the phantasmagoria of unreality. The Vedantist has but one answer, it is simply due to erfa. There is another simile. Indian jugglers knew how to make people believe that they saw two or three jugglers while there was only one. The juggler himself remained one, knew himself to be one only-like Brahma; but to the spectators he appeared as many. But all these are similes only and with us there would remain the question whence this nescience. The Vedantist is satisfied with the conviction that for a time we are as a matter of fact nescient and what he cares for chiefly is to find out, not how that nescience arose but how it can be removed. Jain Education International 91 (n) What is the mode of removing this ignorance? Bharati Tirtha, a famous Vedanti, says: "Neglecting the unreal creation consisting of mere name and form, one should meditate on the af Brahma and should ever practise internal as well as external concentration. Internal concentration is of two kinds, सविकल्प and निर्विकल्प. The former again is of two kinds, दृश्यानुविद्ध and शब्दानुविद्ध. The first is the meditation of (on ?) the subjective as the witness of the mental world-passions, desires etc. arising in the mind. The second is the fixing one's mind on the thought I am Brahma ', [Brahma] which is described in the Vedas as selfexistent, eternal, all-consciousness and pleasure, selfillumined and unique in itself. That is f in which, through the ecstasy of the pleasure consequent upon the knowledge of one's self, the sight as well as the word are both overlooked and the mind stands like the jet of a lamp burning in a place protected from the slightest breeze. The separation in any external object of sight, of name and form from For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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