Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/27

 phenomena is based upon ignorance or avidya, and is hence such an unreality (pp. 30-32.). Knowledge destroys this ignorance which forms the foundation of our world-percep- tion ; and the knowledge which so destroys ignorance and the consequent bondage of unreality is the knowledge that the self or the alman of the individual is one with the absolute Brahman (pp. 32-33.). Scriptural authority is all along aptly quoted in support of every one of these points. It is then shewn how, when there is conflict between scripture and perception, the former is of stronger authority and is capable of stultifying the latter (pp. 33-35.). There being scriptural passages which deal with the one absolute Brahman and those which deal with the phenomenal world of variety and distinctions, it is shown how the former passages are of stronger authority than the latter, and how it is even possible for some portions of the scrip- ture to stultify other portions thereof (pp. 35-37.)' Then the meaning of the definitive scriptural sentence ' The Brahman is Existence, Knowledge, Infinity ' is discussed from the Adwaitic stand-point, and it is shown how that sentence defines the absolute attributeless Brahman as He is essentially in Himself (pp. 37-42.). So far it is a discus- sion of the meaning of scriptural passages. After this the Adwaitic position is argued out on independent lines. At first it is brought out that perception apprehends only pure and unqualified existence, and that the distinction between things neither belongs to their essential nature nor consti- tutes any attribute of existence in itself (pp. 42-44.). It is then pointed out that all external objects are invariably apprehended as compounded of existence and experience, that in all perceptive cognitions existence alone unvary- ingly persists, while the differentiating peculiarities of things are seen to vary from thing to thing, and that therefore pure