Page:Prabôdha chandrôdaya, or, Rise of the moon of intellect- a spiritual drama ; and, Âtma bodha, or, The knowledge of self (microform) (IA prabdhachandr00krsnrich).pdf/120

$ APPENDIX. sprang from his navel; the worshippers of Shiva assorb his snpre- macy, because Vishnu is unable to discover his feet, and the follow- ers of Ganesha believe that he is the supreme Lord, because Maha- deva or Shiva before slaying the demon Purstraya, paid adoration to him who controls all events,” And thus, as is remarked by the author of the Panchdashi, “the worshippers of other gods affirm that they are above all, each individual conceiving the being whom he adores as the Supreme Lord.” These sectaries support their res- pective tenets and beliefs by the Sitras, Mantras, Puranas, &c., which declare the object of their yeneration to be the First Being in the universe, and they are distinguished by the peculiar rites, obser- vances, marks, and dress enjoined in these sacred books, The follow- ers, however, of the Brahmanical systems of philosophy, may be- long indiscriminately to any of these religions sects; and accordingly we find that the Védanta philosophy is professed by numbers in Bengal who are chiefly Vaishnayas, whilst it is also the system most generally received on the western side of India, where the great majority are either pure Shaivas or of the Smartha sect, which ordains equal adoration to Mahidéva and Vishnu,

The eight sects which have been enumerated, may he divided into two classes ; those who admit the Védas, and those who reject them. The first class includes the Védanta, Nyfya, Mimdnsa, Patanjala, aud Sankhya; the sceond ¢lass embraces the Jninas, Buddhas, and Chirvikas, In the following remarks I shall consider chicfly the ‘Védanta system,

The name Védanta, whieh signifies what is contained in the Yédas was probably given to this sect or assumed by it, becanse its doc- trines are derived entirely from the text of the Védas, according to the most literal interpretation; whereas the other sects, besides supporting their opinions by that sacred authority, employ logical reasonings in their investigations.

The fundsmental principle of the Védanta* philosophy is, that the universe is one simple, unextended, indivisible Being, who is denominated the true, the living, the haypy, to distinguish him from illusory, inanimate, visible appearance. It is evident that no des-

[* Cong, Colebrooke’s, Essays, Vol. I. pp. 325-377, or Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society Vot 11. pp, 1-34] �