| Vedantic
thought moves round two fundamental conceptions, Brahma and the
individual soul. With the advance of enlightenment these two local points converge.
The external universe is a transient form and not reality. What the true nature of that
reality is, we cannot know. The external universe is the form in which it presents itself
to our perception. How it may appear to intelligence’s differently constituted from
mankind’s we do not know. The Vedanta sets
itself the task of reaching a clear comprehension of absolute reality. This attempt, says
o modern philosopher, has been made on three occasions in the noble story of human
thought-in India in the Upanishads, in Greece by Parmenides and Plato and in modem Europe
by Kant and Schopen -hauer. Of these attempts, undoubtedly the earliest is that of the
rishis of the Upanish- ads; the other two were probably derived from or inspired by it.
Thoughts travel in a subtle way from one part of the world
to another. According to Vedanta, the external world gives rise to an almost infinite and
bewildering variety of concept- ions, some of which seem mutually contradictory. They
gather and revolve round two conceptions—Brahma, and the soul-and finally with the
gradual advance and ultimate perfection of knowledge the clouds of mere seeming are
dispersed, and there emerges the one absolute Reality, Brahma. The multitudinous illusions
are maaya. ‘This maaya of Mine’, says Sri Krishna in the Gita, ‘is divine
and consists of the basic qualities of beings. It is impossible to extricate oneself from
it; but those who come to Me will get over it.’ -Gita VII (xiv) |
