Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/64

 ANALYTICAL OUTLINE OF CONTENTS. xlvii

Brahman ; it is both distinct and non-distinct from Him ; and there is ample scriptural authority to prove this (pp. 311-314.). In the state of final beatific release the indivi- dual self has to be absolutely identical with the Brahman ; and non-distinction alone is thus natural, while the distinc- tion of the individual selves from the Brahman as well as from each other is due to limiting conditions. The karma of the individual self gives rise to these limiting conditions, and they in their turn give rise to karma. The stream is thus kept up ; and according as the Brahman is or is not subject to these limiting conditions, He is realised to be distinct or non-distinct from the individual self. The spatial ether is, for example, distinct or non-distinct from the ether in a pot according as it is or is not limited by the walls of the containing pot (pp. 314-317.).

The position of the Bhcddbhedavddin so stated is then attacked by the Dhydna-niyoga-vadin. The idea of non- contradiction between distinction and non-distinction is shown to be illogical and untenable, and it is pointed out that in every perception it is realised that a particular thing is of a particular nature. Here the characterising thing is the genus and the characterised thing is the parti- cular individual. The individual self is not, however, real- ised as belonging to the genus Brahman, and cannot therefore be both distinct and non-distinct from the Brahman. Non-distinction is based upon the sdstras ; and distinction is due to avidyd, which being unreal, is in- capable of tainting the Brahman. It is inconceivable how the supposed limiting conditions really do limit the Brahman who is only one and indivisible and homogene- ous. The individual self cannot be a bit of the Brahman cut off from Him by limiting conditions ; it cannot be such a part of the Brahman as is not cut off from Him and