Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1To this we make the following reply. The contemplation on Brahman is exclusively to be superimposed on Aditya and so on. — Why ? — ' On account of exaltation.' For thus Aditya and so on are viewed in an exalted way, the contemplation of something higher than they being superimposed on them. Thereby we also comply with a secular rule, viz. the one enjoining that the idea of something higher is to be superimposed upon something lower, as when we view — and speak of — the king's charioteer as a king. This rule must be observed in worldly matters, because to act contrary to it would be disadvantageous ; for should we view a king as a charioteer, we should thereby lower him, and that would be no ways beneficial. — But, an objection is raised, as the whole matter rests on scriptural authority, the suspicion of any disadvantage cannot arise ; and it is, further, not appropriate to define contemplations based on scripture by secular rules ! — That might be so, we reply, if the sense of scripture were fully ascertained ; but as it is liable to doubt, there is no objection to our having recourse to a secular rule whereby to ascertain it. And as by means of that rule we decide that what scripture means the sun and so on, as being resolved into their causal substance, i. e. Brahman. True knowledge is concerned only with the resolution of the entire world of effects into Brahman. 344 VEDANTA-SUTRAS.
2is the superimposition of a higher contemplation on something lower, we should incur loss by superimposing a lower contemplation upon something higher. — As moreover in the passages under discussion the words 'Aditya' and so on stand first, they must, this being not contradictory, be taken in their primary sense. But, as our thought is thus defined by these words taken in their true literal sense, the word ' Brahman,' which supervenes later on, cannot be co-ordinated with them if it also be taken in its true literal sense, and from this it follows that the purport of the passages can only be to enjoin contemplations on Brahman (superinduced on Aditya and so on). — The same sense follows from the circumstance that the word ' Brahman ' is, in all the passages under discussion, followed by the word ' iti,' 'thus^' 'He is to meditate (on Aditya, &c.) as Brahman.' The words 'Aditya' and so on, on the other hand, the text exhibits without any such addition. The passages therefore are clearly analogous to such sentences as ' He views the mother o' pearl as silver,' in which the word ' mother o' pearl ' denotes mother o' pearl pure and simple, while the word ' silver ' denotes, by implication, the idea of silver ; for tlie person in question merely thinks ' this is silver ' while there is no real silver. Thus our passages also mean, ' He is to view Aditya and so on as Brahman.' — The complementary clauses, moreover, which belong to the passages under discussion (' He who knowing this meditates (upon) Aditya as Brahman ;' ' Who meditates (on) speech as Brahman ; ' ' Who meditates (on) will as Brahman'), exhibit the words 'Aditya' and so on in the accusative case, and thereby show them to be the direct objects of the action of meditation". — Against the remark that in all the mentioned cases Brahman only has to be meditated upon in order that a fruit may result from the meditation, we point out that from the mode of proof used
3^ Which in the translations given above of the texts under discussion is mostly rendered by 'as' before the words concerned. '^ While the word ' Brahman ' does not stand in the accusative case. IV ADHYAYA, I PADA, 6. 345 above we infer that (not Brahman but) only Aditya and so on have to be meditated upon. But as in the case of hospitahty shown to guests, Brahman, that is the supreme ruler of all, will give the fruit of meditations on Aditya and so on as well. This we have already shown under III, 2, 28. And, after all, Brahman also is meditated upon (in the cases under discussion) in so far as a contemplation on Brahman is superinduced on its symbols, analogously as a contemplation on Vish/zu is superinduced on his images. 6. And the ideas of Aditya and so on (are to be superimposed) on the members (of the sacrificial action) ; owing to the effectuation (of the result of the sacrifice),
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1To this we make the following reply. The contemplation on Brahman is exclusively to be superimposed on Aditya and so on. — Why ? — ' On account of exaltation.' For thus Aditya and so on are viewed in an exalted way, the contemplation of something higher than they being superimposed on them. Thereby we also comply with a secular rule, viz. the one enjoining that the idea of something higher is to be superimposed upon something lower, as when we view — and speak of — the king's charioteer as a king. This rule must be observed in worldly matters, because to act contrary to it would be disadvantageous ; for should we view a king as a charioteer, we should thereby lower him, and that would be no ways beneficial. — But, an objection is raised, as the whole matter rests on scriptural authority, the suspicion of any disadvantage cannot arise ; and it is, further, not appropriate to define contemplations based on scripture by secular rules ! — That might be so, we reply, if the sense of scripture were fully ascertained ; but as it is liable to doubt, there is no objection to our having recourse to a secular rule whereby to ascertain it. And as by means of that rule we decide that what scripture means the sun and so on, as being resolved into their causal substance, i. e. Brahman. True knowledge is concerned only with the resolution of the entire world of effects into Brahman. 344 VEDANTA-SUTRAS.
2is the superimposition of a higher contemplation on something lower, we should incur loss by superimposing a lower contemplation upon something higher. — As moreover in the passages under discussion the words 'Aditya' and so on stand first, they must, this being not contradictory, be taken in their primary sense. But, as our thought is thus defined by these words taken in their true literal sense, the word ' Brahman,' which supervenes later on, cannot be co-ordinated with them if it also be taken in its true literal sense, and from this it follows that the purport of the passages can only be to enjoin contemplations on Brahman (superinduced on Aditya and so on). — The same sense follows from the circumstance that the word ' Brahman ' is, in all the passages under discussion, followed by the word ' iti,' 'thus^' 'He is to meditate (on Aditya, &c.) as Brahman.' The words 'Aditya' and so on, on the other hand, the text exhibits without any such addition. The passages therefore are clearly analogous to such sentences as ' He views the mother o' pearl as silver,' in which the word ' mother o' pearl ' denotes mother o' pearl pure and simple, while the word ' silver ' denotes, by implication, the idea of silver ; for tlie person in question merely thinks ' this is silver ' while there is no real silver. Thus our passages also mean, ' He is to view Aditya and so on as Brahman.' — The complementary clauses, moreover, which belong to the passages under discussion (' He who knowing this meditates (upon) Aditya as Brahman ;' ' Who meditates (on) speech as Brahman ; ' ' Who meditates (on) will as Brahman'), exhibit the words 'Aditya' and so on in the accusative case, and thereby show them to be the direct objects of the action of meditation". — Against the remark that in all the mentioned cases Brahman only has to be meditated upon in order that a fruit may result from the meditation, we point out that from the mode of proof used
3^ Which in the translations given above of the texts under discussion is mostly rendered by 'as' before the words concerned. '^ While the word ' Brahman ' does not stand in the accusative case. IV ADHYAYA, I PADA, 6. 345 above we infer that (not Brahman but) only Aditya and so on have to be meditated upon. But as in the case of hospitahty shown to guests, Brahman, that is the supreme ruler of all, will give the fruit of meditations on Aditya and so on as well. This we have already shown under III, 2, 28. And, after all, Brahman also is meditated upon (in the cases under discussion) in so far as a contemplation on Brahman is superinduced on its symbols, analogously as a contemplation on Vish/zu is superinduced on his images. 6. And the ideas of Aditya and so on (are to be superimposed) on the members (of the sacrificial action) ; owing to the effectuation (of the result of the sacrifice),
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.