Brahma Sutras (Shankara Bhashya)
by Swami Vireshwarananda | 1936 | 124,571 words | ISBN-10: 8175050063
This is the English translation of the Brahma-sutras including the commentary (Bhashya) of Shankara. The Brahma-sutra (or, Vedanta-sutra) is one of the three canonical texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and represents an early exposition the Vedantic interpretation of the Upanishads. This edition has the original Sanskrit text, the r...
Chapter III, Section III, Adhikarana VI
Adhikarana summary: Meditations on Brahman
Adhikarana VI - In all the meditations on Brahman qualities like 鈥楤liss鈥� etc., which describe Its nature, are to be combined into one meditation, and not others.
Brahma-Sutra 3.3.11: Sanskrit text and English translation.
啶嗋え啶ㄠ啶︵ぞ啶︵く啶� 啶啶班ぇ啶距え啶膏啶� 啷� 啷оェ 啷�
膩nand膩daya岣� 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补蝉测补 || 11 ||
膩nand膩daya岣モ�擝liss and other attributes; 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补蝉测补鈥攐f the subject (i.e. Brahman).
11. Bliss and other attributes (which depict the true nature) of the subject (i.e. Brahman) (have to be combined from all places in the meditation on Brahman).
Brahman is described as Bliss, Knowledge, all-pervading, the self of all, true, etc. in different texts of different Sakhas. All the attributes are not mentioned in all places. Now the question is whether they have to be combined in the meditation on Brahman or not. This Sutra says that they have to be combined, since the object of meditation (Brahman) is one and the same in all Sakhas, and therefore the Vidya is one.
Brahma-Sutra 3.3.12: Sanskrit text and English translation.
啶啶班た啶ざ啶苦ぐ啶膏啶む啶掂ぞ啶︵啶お啷嵿ぐ啶距お啷嵿い啶苦, 啶夃お啶氞く啶距お啶氞く啷� 啶灌た 啶啶︵ 啷� 啷оエ 啷�
priya艣irastv膩dy补辫谤腻辫迟颈岣�, 耻辫补肠补测腻辫补肠补测补耻 hi bhede || 12 ||
辫谤颈测补艣颈谤补蝉迟惫腻诲颈鈥�(Qualities like) joy being Its head etc.; 补辫谤腻辫迟颈岣�鈥攁re not to be taken everywhere; 耻辫补肠补测腻辫补肠补测补耻鈥攊ncrease and decrease; hi鈥攂别肠补耻蝉别; bhede鈥�(are possible) in difference.
12. (Qualities like) joy being Its head etc. are not to be taken everywhere, (being subject to increase and decrease and) increase and decrease (are possible only) if there is difference (and not in Brahman in which there is non-difference).
Attributes like joy being Its head etc. mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad are not to be taken and combined in other places where the Upasana of Brahman is enjoined, because the terms 鈥榡oy鈥�, 鈥榮atisfaction鈥�, 鈥榞reat satisfaction鈥�, 鈥榖liss鈥�, etc. indicate qualities which have increase and decrease relatively to each other and to other experiencers (Jivas), and therefore can exist only where there is difference. But Brahman being absolutely without any difference, these attributes cannot constitute Its nature, and as such they are to be confined to the texts prescribing them and not taken in other places.
Brahma-Sutra 3.3.13: Sanskrit text and English translation.
啶囙い啶班 啶む啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぅ啶膏ぞ啶ぞ啶ㄠ啶ぞ啶む 啷� 啷оォ 啷�
itare tv补谤迟丑补蝉腻尘腻苍测腻迟 || 13 ||
itare鈥擮ther attributes; tu鈥攂耻迟; 补谤迟丑补蝉腻尘腻苍测腻迟鈥攐n account of identity of purport.
33. But other attributes (like Bliss etc. are to be combined) on account of identity of purport.
Attributes like Bliss, Knowledge, all-pervading, etc., which describe the nature of Brahman are to be combined, for their purport is the one and indivisible, unconditioned Brahman. These attributes are mentioned with a view to the knowledge of Brahman and not for Upasana.