Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/25

 The cause of the bondage (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 ; this bondage itself is unreal ; solely by reason of its unreality it is de- stroyed to the very roots by means of knowledge ; the knowledge that (so) destroys (the bondage) is derived out of (scriptural) passages such as "That thou art" &c.; works are of no use in causing the origination of such knowledge in its own true nature, or in producing the effect of this knowledge that is so derived out of such passages, but the use of works consists only in (producing) the desire to know (the Brahman}] and the use of works - is to be found in causing the increase of sattva or the qua- lity of goodness an increase resulting from the destruction of rajas and tamas or the qualities of passion and darkness respectively, which form the roots of sin ; and therefore, having in view only this use of works, it is declared in the scripture--" Brahmanas desire to know, &c." Hence, on account of the uselessness of the knowledge of works, the aforesaid fourfold means alone has to be stated to be the necessary antecedent of the enquiry into the Brahman (pp. 10 to 15.).

Then follows what is called the Laghn-siddhdnta or the ' small conclusion ' that is the answer to the ' small objection'. In this answer it is pointed out that it is not the mere knowledge of what the scripture says that tends to the removal of ignorance and the attainment o f immor- tality, but that devotion, meditation and worship alone can produce such a result. It is here shown how a purely in- tellectual realisation of the truth cannot eradicate the innate tendencies towards error, and how the word know- ledge is frequently enough used in the scriptures to mean