{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/sbe38/sbe38077.htm","path":"hin/sbe38/sbe38077.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe38/sbe38077.htm","text":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana, Commentary by Sankara (SBE38), tr. by George Thibaut [1896]\nREVERENCE TO THE HIGHEST SELF!\n1. In obtaining a different (body) (the soul) goes enveloped (by subtle parts of the elements), (as appears from) question and explanation.\nIn the second adhy\u00e2ya we have refuted the objections raised against the Ved\u00e2ntic of Brahman on the ground of Smriti and reasoning; we have shown that all other opinions are devoid of foundation, and that the alleged mutual contradictions of Vedic texts do not exist. Further we have demonstrated that the entities different from--but subordinate to--the individual soul (such as pr\u00e2na, &c.) spring from Brahman.--Now in the third adhy\u00e2ya we shall discuss the following subjects: the manner in which the soul together with its subordinate adjuncts passes through the sams\u00e2ra (III, 1); the different states of the soul and the nature of Brahman (III, 2); the separateness or non-separateness of the vidy\u00e2s and the question whether the qualities (of Brahman) have to be cumulated or not (III, 3); the accomplishment of man's highest end by means of perfect knowledge (samyagdarsana), the different injunctions as to the means of perfect knowledge and the absence of certain rules as to release which is the fruit (of perfect knowledge 1) (III, 4). As occasion leads some other matters also will be explained.--The first p\u00e2da explains, on the ground of the so-called vidy\u00e2 of the five fires (Kh. Up. V, 3-10), the different modes of the soul's passing through the sams\u00e2ra; the reason of that doctrine being (the inculcation of) absence\nof all desire (vair\u00e2gya), in accordance with the scriptural remark at the end (of the vidy\u00e2), 'hence let a man take care to himself.'--The soul accompanied by the chief vital air, the sense-organs and the mind, and taking with itself nescience (avidy\u00e2), moral good or ill-desert (karman), and the impressions left by its previous existences 1, leaves its former body and obtains a new body; this is known from the scriptural passage extending from Bri. Up. IV, 4, 1 ('Then those pr\u00e2nas gather around him') up to IV, 4, 4 ('It makes to itself another newer and more beautiful shape'); which passage forms part of a chapter treating of the sams\u00e2ra-state. And it moreover follows from the possibility (thus resulting) of the soul enjoying the fruits of good and evil actions.--Here the question arises whether the soul when going to the new body is enveloped or not by subtle parts of the elements constituting the seeds of the body.--It is not so enveloped, the p\u00fbrvapakshin.--Why?--Because scripture, while stating that the soul takes the organs with itself, does not state the same with regard to the elements. For the expression 'those parts of light' (tegom\u00e2tr\u00e2h) occurs in the passage 'He taking with him those parts of light,' &c., intimates that the organs only are taken (and not the elements), since in the complementary portion of the passage the eye, &c., are spoken of, and not the subtle parts of the elements. The subtle parts of the elements can moreover easily be procured anywhere; for wherever a new body is to be originated they are present, and the soul's taking them with itself would, therefore, be useless. Hence we conclude that the soul when going is not enveloped by them.\nTo this the teacher replies, 'in obtaining another it goes enveloped.' That means: we must understand that the soul when passing from one body to another is enveloped by the subtle parts of the elements which are the seeds of the new\nbody.--How do we know this?--'From the question and the explanation.' The question is, 'Do you know why in the fifth libation water is called man?' (V, 3, 3.) The explanation, i.e. answer, is given in the entire passage which, after having explained how the five libations in the form of sraddh\u00e2, rain, food, seed are offered in the five fires, viz. the heavenly world, Parganya, the earth, man and woman, concludes, 'For this reason is water in the fifth oblation called man.' Hence we understand that the soul goes enveloped by water.--But--an objection will be raised--another scriptural passage declares that like a caterpillar the soul does not abandon the old body before it makes an approach to another body 1. (Bri. Up. IV, 4, 3, 'And as a caterpillar.')--We reply that what there is compared to the (action of the) caterpillar is (not the non-abandonment of the old body but) merely the lengthening out of the creative effort whose object is the new body to be obtained, which (new body) is presented by the karman of the soul 2Hence there is no contradiction.--As the mode of obtaining a new body is thus declared by Sruti, all hypotheses which owe their origin to the mind of man only are to be set aside because they are contradicted by scripture. So e.g. the opinion (of the S\u00e2\u1e45khyas) that the Self and the organs are both all--pervading 3, and when obtaining a new body only begin to function in it in consequence of the karman; or the opinion (of the Bauddhas) that the Self alone\n(without the organs) begins to function in a new body, and that as the body itself, so new sense-organs also are produced in the new abode of fruition 1; or the opinion (of the Vaiseshikas) that the mind only proceeds to the new abode of fruition 2; or the opinion (of the Digambara Gainas) that the individual soul only flying away from the old body alights in the new one as a parrot flies from one tree to another.--But--an objection will be raised--from the quoted question and answer it follows that the soul goes enveloped by water only, according to the meaning of the word made use of by scripture, viz. water. How then can the general statement be maintained that the soul goes enveloped by subtle parts of all elements?--To this doubt the next S\u00fbtra replies.\n101:1 I.e. the absence of a rule laying down that release consequent on knowledge takes place in the same existence in which the means of reaching perfect knowledge are employed.\n102:1 I read avidy\u00e2 the commentators (Go. \u00c2n., however, mentions the reading 'vidy\u00e2,' also); although vidy\u00e2 appears preferable. Cp Max M\u00fcller's note 2, p. 175, Upan. II; Deussen, p. 405.--P\u00fbrvagprag\u00f1\u00e2 ganm\u00e2ntar\u00eeya-samsk\u00e2rah. \u00c2n Gi.\n103:1 Evam hi s\u00fbkshmadehaparishvakto ramhet yady asya sth\u00fblam sar\u00eeram ramhato na bhavet, asti tv asya vartam\u00e2nasth\u00fblasar\u00eerayogah \u00e2deh\u00e2ntarapr\u00e2ptes trinagal\u00e2yuk\u00e2nidarsanena, tasm\u00e2n nidarsanasrutivirodh\u00e2n na s\u00fbkshmadehaparishvakto ramhat\u00eeti. Bh\u00e2.\n103:2 Pratipattavyah pr\u00e2ptavyo yo dehas tadvishay\u00e2y\u00e2 bh\u00e2van\u00e2y\u00e2 utp\u00e2dan\u00e2y\u00e2 d\u00eerghibh\u00e2vam\u00e2tram gal\u00fbkayopam\u00eeyate. Bh\u00e2.--\u00c2n. Gi. explains: pr\u00e2ptavyo yo dehas tadvishayabh\u00e2van\u00e2y\u00e2 devo\u093dham ity\u00e2dik\u00e2y\u00e2 d\u00eergh\u00eebh\u00e2vo vyavahit\u00e2rth\u00e2lambanatvam t\u00e2vanm\u00e2tram ity\u00e2di.\n103:3 Karan\u00e2n\u00e2m \u00e2hamk\u00e2rikatv\u00e2t tasya vy\u00e2pitv\u00e2t tesh\u00e2m api tad\u00e2tmak\u00e2n\u00e2m vy\u00e2pitvam. Go. \u00c2n.--The organs are, according to the S\u00e2\u1e45khya, the immediate effects of the ahamk\u00e2ra, but why all-pervading on that account?\n104:1 \u00c2tm\u00e2 khalv alayag\u00f1\u00e2nasamt\u00e2nas tasya vrittayah sabd\u00e2dig\u00f1\u00e2n\u00e2ni tall\u00e2bhah sar\u00eer\u00e2ntare bhavati, kevalasabdas tu karanas\u00e2hityam \u00e2tmano v\u00e2rayati. Go. \u00c2n.\n104:2 Kevalam karanair \u00e2tman\u00e2 ka rahitam iti y\u00e2vat, karan\u00e2ni n\u00fbtanany eva tatr\u00e2rabhyante \u00e2tm\u00e2 tu vibhutv\u00e2d akriyo\u093dpi tatra vrittim\u00e2tram \u00e2pnoti. \u00c2n. Gi.","title":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana: Third Adhy\u00e2ya. First P\u00e2da.: III, 1, 1","type":"page"}