The Vedanta Sutras With The Commentary

The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary By Sankaracarya and Thibaut

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Badarayana's 'The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Sankaracarya' is a seminal work in the realm of Indian philosophy. The book delves into the intricate teachings of Vedanta, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of Hinduism. Written in a concise and logical manner, the text explores complex metaphysical concepts with clarity and precision, making it accessible to scholars and students alike. Badarayana's work is considered a cornerstone of Vedantic literature, setting the stage for centuries of philosophical inquiry and debate. The inclusion of Sankaracarya's commentary adds depth and insight, giving readers a nuanced perspective on the text. This scholarly edition is a must-read for anyone interested in delving into the depths of Vedic philosophy and exploring the complexities of the Vedanta tradition.

The Sri Bhasya is the most famous work of Sri Ramanuja, (1017-1137). It is his commentary on Sri Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra. It was completed when he was around a hundred years old (citation required). In his commentary, Ramanuja presents the fundamental philosophical principles of Visistadvaita based on his interpretation of the Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita and other smrti texts, the previous acaryas, and of course the Vedanta-sutra itself. This is done by way of refuting Sankara's Advaita Vedanta and in particular his theory of maya

For common observation shows that the consciousness of one person may become the object of the cognition of another, viz. of an inference founded on the person's friendly or unfriendly appearance and the like, and again that a person's own past states of consciousness become the object of his own cognition--as appears from judgments such as 'At one time I knew.' It cannot therefore be said 'If it is consciousness it is self-proved'.

""To the sacred literature of the Brahmans, in the strict sense of the term, i.e. to the Veda, there belongs a certain number of complementary works without whose assistance the student is, according to Hindu notions, unable to do more than commit the sacred texts to memory. In the first place all Vedic texts must, in order to be understood, be read together with running commentaries such as Sâyana's commentaries on the Samhitâs and Brâhmanas, and the Bhâshyas ascribed to Sankara on the chief Upanishads. But these commentaries do not by themselves conduce to a full comprehension of the contents of the sacred texts, since they confine themselves to explaining the meaning of each detached passage without investigating its relation to other passages, and the whole of which they form part; considerations of the latter kind are at any rate introduced occasionally only. The task of taking a comprehensive view of the contents of the Vedic writings as a whole, of systematising what they present in an unsystematical form, of showing the mutual co-ordination or subordination of single passages and sections, and of reconciling contradictions-which, according to the view of the orthodox commentators, can be apparent only-is allotted to a separate sâstra or body of doctrine which is termed Mîmâmsâ, i.e. the investigation or enquiry, viz. the enquiry into the connected meaning of the sacred texts. Of this Mîmâmsâ two branches have to be distinguished, the so-called earlier (pûrva) Mîmâmsâ, and the later (uttara) Mîmâmsâ. The former undertakes to systematise the karmakânda, i.e. that entire portion of the Veda which is concerned with action, pre-eminently sacrificial action, and which comprises the Samhitâs and the Brâhmanas exclusive of the Âranyaka portions; the latter performs the same service with regard to the so-called jñânakanda, i.e. that part of the Vedic writings which includes the Âranyaka portions of the Brâhmanas, and a number of detached treatises called Upanishads. Its subject is not action but knowledge, viz. the knowledge of Brahman."" Vedanta Sutras offers this knowledge to its readers. This edition contains commentary by Sankara and is translated into English by GEORGE THIBAUT.

The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja - Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48 By Ramanuja