No scriptural texts teach a Brahman devoid of all difference. We now turn to the assertion that certain scriptural texts, as e.g. 'Being only was this in the beginning,' are meant to teach that there truly exists only one homogeneous substance, viz. Intelligence free from all difference.--This we cannot allow. For the section in which the quoted text occurs, in

Nor do Smriti and Purāṇa teach such a doctrine. Nor is it true that also according to Smriti and Purāṇas only non-differenced consciousness is real and everything else unreal.--'He who knows me as unborn and without a beginning, the supreme Lord of the worlds' (Bha. Gī. X, 3); 'All beings abide in me, I abide not in them. Nay, the

The theory of Nescience cannot be proved. We now proceed to the consideration of Nescience.--According to the view of our opponent, this entire world, with all its endless distinctions of Ruler, creatures ruled, and so on, is, owing to a certain defect, fictitiously superimposed upon the non-differenced, self-luminous Reality; and what constitutes that defect is beginningless Nescience, which invests the

All knowledge is of the Real. 'Those who understand the Veda hold that all cognition has for its object what is real; for. Śruti and Smriti alike teach that everything participates in the nature of everything else. In the scriptural account of creation preceded by intention on the part of the Creator it is said that each of these elements

Summary statement how different scriptural texts are reconciled. The whole matter may be summarily stated as follows. Some texts declare a distinction of nature between non-intelligent matter, intelligent beings, and Brahman, in so far as matter is the object of enjoyment, the souls the enjoying subjects, and Brahman the ruling principle. 'From that the Lord of Māyā creates all this;

The Vedāṅtin aiming to ascertain the nature of Brahman from Scripture, need not be disconcerted by the Mimāṁsa-theory of all speech having informing power with regard to actions only. Here another prima facie view finally presents itself. The power of words to denote things cannot be ascertained in any way but by observing the speech and actions of experienced people.

Topic 2 - Definition of Brahman Sutra 1,1.2 जन्माद्यस्य यतः ॥ २ ॥ janmādyasya yataḥ || 2 || janmādi —Origin etc. (i.e. sustenance and dissolution); asya —of this (world); yataḥ —from which. 2. (Brahman is that omniscient, omnipotent cause) from which proceed the origin etc. (i.e. sustenance and dissolution) of this (world) . The expression 'the origin', etc., means 'creation,

Topic 3 - Brahman cognisable only through the scriptures Sutra 1,1.3 शास्त्रयोनित्वात् ॥ ३ ॥ śāstrayonitvāt || 3 || śāstrayonitvāt —The scripture being the means of right knowledge. 3. The scriptures (alone) being the means of right knowledge (with regard to Brahman, the proposition laid in Sutra 2 becomes corroborated) . Because Brahman, being raised above all contact with the

Topic 4 - Brahman the main purport of all Vedānta texts Sutra 1,1.4 तत् तु समन्वयात् ॥ ४ ॥ tat tu samanvayāt || 4 || tat —That; tu —but; samanvayāt —because It is the main purport. 4. But that (Brahman is to be known only from the scriptures and not independently by any other means is established) because It is