By the above refutation of Kapila's Smriti the Yoga-smriti also is
refuted.--But a question arises, What further doubt arises here with
regard to the Yoga system, so as to render needful the formal extension
to the Yoga of the arguments previously set forth against the Sânkhya?--
It might appear, we reply, that the Vedânta should be supported by the
Yoga-smriti, firstly, because the latter admits the existence of a Lord;
secondly, because the Vedânta-texts mention Yoga as a means to bring
about final Release; and thirdly, because Hiranyagarbha, who proclaimed
the Yoga-smriti is qualified for the promulgation of all Vedânta-texts.--
But these arguments refute themselves as follows. In the first place the
Yoga holds the Pradhâna, which is independent of Brahman, to be the
general material cause, and hence the Lord acknowledged by it is a mere
operative cause. In the second place the nature of meditation, in which
Yoga consists, is determined by the nature of the object of meditation,
and as of its two objects, viz. the soul and the Lord, the former does
not have its Self in Brahman, and the latter is neither the cause of the
world nor endowed with the other auspicious qualities (which belong to
Brahman), the Yoga is not of Vedic character. And as to the third point,
Hiranyagarbha himself is only an individual soul, and hence liable to be
overpowered by the inferior gunas, i.e. passion and darkness; and hence
the Yoga-smriti is founded on error, no less than the Purânas,
promulgated by him, which are founded on rajas and tamas. The Yoga
cannot, therefore, be used for the support of the Vedânta.--Here
finishes the adhikarana of 'the refutation of the Yoga.'
4. Not, on account of the difference of character of that; and its being
such (appears) from Scripture.
The same opponent who laid stress on the conflict between Scripture and
Smriti now again comes forward, relying this time (not on Smriti but) on
simple reasoning. Your doctrine, he says, as to the world being an
effect of Brahman which you attempted to prove by a refutation of the
Sânkhya Smriti shows itself to be irrational for the following reason.
Perception and the other means of knowledge show this world with all its
sentient and non-sentient beings to be of a non-intelligent and impure
nature, to possess none of the qualities of the Lord, and to have pain
for its very essence; and such a world totally differs in nature from
the Brahman, postulated by you, which is said to be all-knowing, of
supreme lordly power, antagonistic to all evil, enjoying unbroken
uniform blessedness. This difference in character of the world from
Brahman is, moreover, not only known through Perception, and so on, but
is seen to be directly stated in Scripture itself; compare 'Knowledge
and non-knowledge' (Taitt. Up. II, 6, 1); 'Thus are these objects placed
on the subjects, and the subjects on the prâna' (Kau. Up. III, 9); 'On
the same tree man sits grieving, immersed, bewildered by his own
impotence' (Svet. Up. IV, 7); 'The soul not being a Lord is bound
because he has to enjoy' (Svet. Up. I, 8); and so on; all which texts
refer to the effect, i.e. the world as being non-intelligent, of the
essence of pain, and so on. The general rule is that an effect is non-
different in character from its cause; as e.g. pots and bracelets are
non-different in character from their material causes--clay and gold.
The world cannot, therefore, be the effect of Brahman from which it
differs in character, and we hence conclude that, in agreement with the
Sânkhya Smriti, the Pradhâna which resembles the actual world in
character must be assumed to be the general cause. Scripture, although
not dependent on anything else and concerned with super-sensuous objects,
must all the same come to terms with ratiocination (tarka); for all the
different means of knowledge can in many cases help us to arrive at a
decisive conclusion, only if they are supported by ratiocination. For by
tarka we understand that kind of knowledge (intellectual activity) which
in the case of any given matter, by means of an investigation either
into the essential nature of that matter or into collateral (auxiliary)
factors, determines what possesses proving power, and what are the
special details of the matter under consideration: this kind of
cognitional activity is also called ûha. All means of knowledge equally
stand in need of tarka; Scripture however, the authoritative character
of which specially depends on expectancy (âkânkshâ), proximity
(sannidhi), and compatibility (yogyatâ), throughout requires to be
assisted by tarka. In accordance with this Manu says,'He who
investigates by means of reasoning, he only knows religious duty, and
none other.' It is with a view to such confirmation of the sense of
Scripture by means of Reasoning that the texts declare that certain
topics such as the Self must be 'reflected on' (mantavya).--Now here it
might possibly be said that as Brahman is ascertained from Scripture to
be the sole cause of the world, it must be admitted that intelligence
exists in the world also, which is an effect of Brahman. In the same way
as the consciousness of an intelligent being is not perceived when it is
in the states of deep sleep, swoon, &c., so the intelligent nature of
jars and the like also is not observed, although it really exists; and
it is this very difference of manifestation and non-manifestation of
intelligence on which the distinction of intelligent and non-intelligent
beings depends.--But to this we reply that permanent non-perception of
intelligence proves its non-existence. This consideration also refutes
the hypothesis of things commonly called non-intelligent possessing the
power, or potentiality, of consciousness. For if you maintain that a
thing possesses the power of producing an effect while yet that effect
is never and nowhere _seen_ to be produced by it, you may as well
proclaim at a meeting of sons of barren women that their mothers possess
eminent procreative power! Moreover, to prove at first from the Vedânta-
texts that Brahman is the material cause of the world, and from this
that pots and the like possess potential consciousness, and therefrom
the existence of non-manifested consciousness; and then, on the other
hand, to start from the last principle as proved and to deduce therefrom
that the Vedânta-texts prove Brahman to be the material cause of the
world, is simply to argue in a circle; for that the relation of cause
and effect should exist between things different in character is just
what cannot be proved.--What sameness of character, again, of causal
substance and effects, have you in mind when you maintain that from the
absence of such sameness it follows that Brahman cannot be proved to be
the material cause of the world? It cannot be complete sameness of all
attributes, because in that case the relation of cause and effect (which
after all requires _some_ difference) could not be established. For we
do not observe that in pots and jars which are fashioned out of a lump
of clay there persists the quality of 'being a lump' which belongs to
the causal substance. And should you say that it suffices that there
should be equality in some or any attribute, we point out that such is
actually the case with regard to Brahman and the world, both of which
have the attribute of 'existence' and others. The true state of the case
rather is as follows. There is equality of nature between an effect and
a cause, in that sense that those essential characteristics by which the
causal substance distinguishes itself from other things persist in its
effects also: those characteristic features, e.g., which distinguish
gold from clay and other materials, persist also in things made of gold-
bracelets and the like. But applying this consideration to Brahman and
the world we find that Brahman's essential nature is to be antagonistic
to all evil, and to consist of knowledge, bliss and power, while the
world's essential nature is to be the opposite of all this. Brahman
cannot, therefore, be the material cause of the world.
But, it may be objected, we observe that even things of different
essential characteristics stand to each other in the relation of cause
and effect. From man, e.g., who is a sentient being, there spring nails,
teeth, and hair, which are non-sentient things; the sentient scorpion
springs from non-sentient dung; and non-sentient threads proceed from
the sentient spider.--This objection, we reply, is not valid; for in the
instances quoted the relation of cause and effect rests on the non-
sentient elements only (i.e. it is only the non-sentient matter of the
body which produces nails, &c.).
But, a further objection is raised, Scripture itself declares in many
places that things generally held to be non-sentient really possess
intelligence; compare 'to him the earth said'; 'the water desired'; 'the
prânas quarrelling among themselves as to their relative pre-eminence
went to Brahman.' And the writers of the Purânas ako attribute
consciousness to rivers, hills, the sea, and so on. Hence there is after
all no essential difference in nature between sentient and so-called non-
sentient beings.--To this objection the Pûrvapakshin replies in the next
Sûtra.
5. But (there is) denotation of the superintending (deities), on account
of distinction and entering.
The word 'but' is meant to set aside the objection started. In texts
such as 'to him the earth said,' the terms 'earth' and so on, denote the
divinities presiding over earth and the rest.--How is this known?--'
Through distinction and connexion.' For earth and so on are denoted by
the distinctive term 'divinities'; so e.g. 'Let me enter into those
three divinities' (Ch. Up. VI, 3, 2), where fire, water, and earth are
called divinities; and Kau. Up. II, 14, 'All divinities contending with
each other as to pre-eminence,' and 'all these divinities having
recognised pre-eminence in prâna.' The 'entering' of the Sûtra refers to
Ait. Ar. II, 4, 2, 4, 'Agni having become speech entered into the mouth;
Aditya having become sight entered into the eyes,' &c., where the text
declares that Agni and other divine beings entered into the sense-organs
as their superintendents.
We therefore adhere to our conclusion that the world, being non-
intelligent and hence essentially different in nature from Brahman,
cannot be the effect of Brahman; and that therefore, in agreement with
Smriti confirmed by reasoning, the Vedânta-texts must be held to teach
that the Pradhâna is the universal material cause. This primâ facie view
is met by the following Sûtra.