The _or_ sets aside the other two alternatives. If Brahman itself only
appeared in the form of non-sentient things--as the snake itself only
constitutes the coils--both sets of texts, those which declare
difference as well as those which declare the unchangeableness of
Brahman, would be contrary to sense. We therefore, adopting the second
alternative, hold that the case under discussion is analogous to that of
light and that in which it abides, i.e. the luminous body. The two are
different, but at the same time they are identical in so far as they
both are fire (tejas). In the same way the non-sentient world
constitutes the form of Brahman.