Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/107

 14 SRl-BHASHYA. [Chap. I. Part.^I.

removes the ignorance for avidyd) of him whose innate impression of distinctions has been removed by ' hearing ', &c.; and so whatever is desiderated by that ' hearing ' which is of this nature, should be . ta ed to be the necessary antecedent (of the enquiry into the Brahman). And that (which is so desiderated) is this fourfold means, namely, (i) the discrimination between the eternal and the non-eternal things, (2) tranquillity of the mind, restraint of the senres, and an abundance of other J 7 (similar) means, (3) the renunciation of the enjoyment of the fruits (o" actions) here and hereafter, (4) and the desire for final release ; because without this (four old mean*) it is impossible for the desire to know (the Brahman) to co.ne into existence. Fro:n the very nature of the subject itself, this alone is made out to be the ne:e>sary antecedent (here).

Wnat has been said is this : That the cause of the bon- dage (of the soul) is merely the perception of distinctions, which is based on unreality and has its origin in the avidyd (or ignorance) that veils the true nature of the Brahman ; that the bondage itself is unreal ; that solely by reason of it-* inre-ility it is destroyed to the very roots only by means of knowledge ; that the knowledge th.it (so) destroys (the bondage) is derived cut of (scriptunv) passages such as "That thou art" [Qihand. Up. VI. 8. 7.], &c. ; that works are of no use in causing the origination of such knowledge in its own true nature, or in producing the effect oi this knowledge mat is so derived out of such passages, but that the use of works consists only in (proaiuing) the desire to know (the Brahman) ; and that it (viz. the use of works) is to be found in causing the

17. i These other similar means patience, s.imiil.idna or equanim- are : uparati, or cessation from all ity, and sraddha or faith, d .13 ires, titiksha or resignation and

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