English
A passage for editorial review. A SKETCH OF THE VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY TO WHICH IS PREFIXED THAT OF THE LIFE OF SUJNA GOKULAJI zAlA, A TYPICAL VEDANTIN, BY MANASSUKHARAMA SURYARAMA TRIPATHI. SECOND EDITION. BOMBAY : N. M. T. AND CompAi^y. KinKiDEvi Road. 1901. BOMBAY : Printed at JAvaji Dadaji’s ‘‘ NmNAYA-AGAH ” Press PREFACE. Ik presenting this revised and extended second edition of the Sketch of the Vedanta Philosophy, and that of the Life of Sujna Grokulaji Ziila, which ^^“iginally formed the English introduction to a larger Gujarati work entitled ^ Stijna Golulaji Zaht mid the Vedanta,' the writer has to express his •siiScere thanks to the public for the kind apprecia- tion accorded to the first edition published in 1881. ' For the necessarily limited number of students interested in poetry, religion, and philosophy, at one and the same time, an observation of a seeker after truth may be given here in reference to the Vedanta sketch, namely, that the best way of judging philo- sophical thoughts is to try to enter fully into the opinions of those whom we read, to make them, for a time at least, our own, till at last we discover the point of view from which the writers looked at the facts before them, and catch the light in which they struck the mental vision of the writers. The writer of this sketch purposes humbly to |)|rer a garland of choice flowers of the Vedanta ™ilosophy — of which the central thread is the right ppowledge of Brahman ( ) — to encircle our life with the fragrance and hues of Heaven. Such garland, it is hardly necessary to remind the reader. IV PEEFACE. does not include the earth, root, stem, branches, leaves^ or dust of the plant, and yet it is none the less genuine. Similarly, matters open to discussion, ex- planation, and criticism are absent from this sketch, the principal aim being, not to controvert, but to understand and unfold truths for the adoption of those with whom they might find favour, and who wish to awaken within themselves the diviner mind and to rouse themselves to a consciousness of Avhat is best in man and Nature, in themselves and others, and to live a noble life dedicated to the glory of God and the relief of man’s estate. The true and felt knowledge of Brahman, the Highest Self, God, the Infinite, the All, the One and only Substance, the Sole Being, the Sole Reality, the all-satisfying Good, with that of the relations of man and of the universe to It, is the means of man’s highest well-being and the security of his upward progress and final release. The writer is deeply and firmly convinced that the Vedanta in its pursuit of truth teaches this very satisfactorily, and hence his humble attempt to give a sketch of it hereby. The Vedanta is ‘the desire of the thoughtful among all nations of the waiting world,’ because it has power to transform the whole man and make him see in the living consciousness of union with God the highest effort of human genius. In short, it teaches us to feel, in PREFACE. V the moments of spiritual exaltation, that 'we are greater than we know.’ We experience therein a ‘peace that passeth understanding,’ a 'joy un- speakable and full of glory.’ All that needs saying here is that to realise the great, noble and Divine truths contained in the Vedanta, we must read and re-read it till its music and its spirit become a part of our nature. The subject is to be thought over, digested and assimi- lated till its ideal world habitually surrounds us in the midst of the practical world. We have need, hour by hour, to have our mind enlightened and warmed by its truths: just as we need each day to have our eyes filled by the light of heaven and our blood warmed by the glow of the sun. The writer begs permission to repeat here what he has said in his Essay ‘ The Astodaya,’ that he ' has tried to keep in view the well-known rule, namely, to learn the best that is known and thought in the world, and to propagate it for the benefit of others.’ nadiAd IK gujarAta. < B. B. & C. I. B. STATION. ) 9th May 1901. M. S. TRIPATHI. CONTENTS PAGES. PREFACE III^V. GOKULAJI S. ZALA, A TYPICAL VEDANTIN* ( A SKETCH OP THE LIFE OP ) Biography, 1. Birth and education, 2. The Vedanta, 5. Gokulaji enters the State service, 7. HLs capacity, 9. Becomes Diwan — Minister, 11. Col. Keatinge, 13. Gokulaji’s continued pursuit of the Vedanta Philosophy, 13. Correspondence on the same with Messrs. Gauris'ankara and Samaldasa, and the writer of this, 14. On S'ankara, 14. Gokulaji’s visit to Bombay, 15. Tennyson on Friendship quoted, 16. Gokulaji’s independence, 17. The Rajasthanika Sabha, 20. Mr. J. B. Peile’s opinion of, 22. Gokulaji’s forced retirement, and reinstatement, 23. The Delhi Darabar, 24. Gokulaji’s opinion of Mr. DMabhai Naoroji, 25. His broad views on Government, 25. His work in the JunagMh State, 26. His guide in the life of thought, Vedanta; in that of action. Selections from Europe- an and Indian precepts, 28. Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, 28. Zeno, the Stoic, 29. Seneca, 30. Epic- tetus, 3 1. The Emperor Marcus Aurelius, 32. Goethe, 33. Gokulaji’s views on Education and reform, 34. On British Representatives, 36. Gokulaji’s death, 38. His character, 38. Opinion of Blackwood’s Edin- burgh Magazine, Mr. Haridasa V. Desai, and Mr- H. A. Wadia, 39-42. Lessons from his life, 43. The Sujna Gokulaji Z&la Ved&nta Pidze, 44. ... 1~45 VIII CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. THE VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY ( A SKETCH OP ) The importance and excellence of Philosophy, — Milton, Victor Cousin, 49. Schopenhauer on the Vedanta, 50. Max Muller, 51. Lewes on Pantheism, 51. Dr. Paul Deussen, 51. Gladstone, 52. Goldstiicker, 52. The Ved&nta is poetry, philosophy and religion sim- ultaneously, 52. Indian Philosophers, 52. The aim and teaching of the Vedanta, 53. S'ankara on the Vedanta 53. S'ankara as a paragon, 54. S'ankara’s summary of the Vedanta, 56. The excellence of the Vedanta Philosophy, 59. Goethe, 60. Reconciliation of Religion and Philosophy, 61. Salient points in both, Jxva^ Jagat, Paramdtman, Man, Nature, and God, 62. The leading ideas of the Vedanta Philosophy. — A Sanskrita Couplet on Brahman, M^ya-produced Jagat — universe, and Jtva — the individual Self, 64. Similar ideas from Kant and Fichte, 65-66, By knowing Brahman all is known, 66. Beahman, — Theo- logy, Kosmology, Psychology, 67. Methods for indic- ation of Brahman, ( ) &c., 68. The doc- trine of Manifestation ( ), 7 0. The Negative Method-^ftr ^ftr-Not that, Not that, 71. The un- A qualified and qualified Brahman, 72. Is'vara, the Lord. He, like the giver of rain, gives fruits accord- ing to the merit and demerit of the actions of the Agents, the souls, 73. Knowledge of Brahman at- tainable, 75. Tennyson, 75. Poetical language, 76. Upanishads on Brahman, SairChiuAnanda^ 77. The Brahma-(Vedanta-)Sutras on Brahman, Sat-Chit- Ananda^ 79. The Bhagavad-Gitd on Brahman, 81. S'ankara on Brahman, 84. Brahman and the simile of the Sun, 86. Parallel ideas of Modern Thinkers, 87. Socrates on God, 88. Plotinus, 89. The Con- temporary Review^ 90. The Fortnightly Eemew^ 91. Pope, 92. The SiddhdntOrMuktdvalij 93. Advantage of presenting ideas in different lights, 94. The Ved&nta and Plato’s Philosophy, 94, ... ... ... 49-100 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER II. MAYA. The Vedanta leaves the learner to adopt any theory that may satisfy liim on Creation projected by May^i, 101. What is Maya? 101. Her three qualities, 102. She is called Avidyd in connection with individual souls, 104. She is extraordinary, practically or phenomenal- ly real, but not really real, 104. The Bhagavad-Gitd on Maya, 105. The Panchadasi on Maya, 106. All is possible with Maya, 108. An inscrutable something that cannot be further solved is Maya, 110. Parallel idea of Herbert Spencer, 110. Maya is assumed to construct a science. 111. The Vedanta aims to show the way out of M%a and that there is the One Highest Brahman, 112. Lower and Higher Know- ledge, 114. Comte’s Method, 115. Jagat, the uni- vei’se, Emanation, 117. The Bhagavad-Gxtd on the universe Samsdra, 118. Vasishtha, 119. Jada^ insenti- ent Matter, and Chaitanya^ Intelligence, Mind, 119. The Five Elements of the TJiiiverse — Existence, Know- ledge, Joy, Name, and Form, 119. The Noumenal and Phenomenal, the Invisible and visible, 120. Sat the true, 122. Maya is inexplicable, 123. Two kinds of illusions, 124. Grades in Creation, 124. Sat, Chit, Ananda, — Existence, Intelligence, Happiness, 125. The Vedanta unity — Harmony between Egoism and Al- truism. Manu, Vyasa, quoted, 126. True Knowledge is gained by right Thinking; S'ankara, V. Cousin, 127. The Vedanta Unity, the all-pervading Being, 128. The best Worship of the Lord, Vasishtha, Coleridge, Dean Stanley, H. Dinimmond, 128. The Vedtota affords common ground to all religions and Philo- sophies, 130. The Vedanta knowledge removes Maya, 131 101-132 X CONTENTS, CHAPTER III. THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL, JIVA. Man should study himself for true knowledge, 133. S'ankara’s views on the Self and the non-self, and Nescience, 134. The nature of the Self and the non- self, 135. What are Subject and Object ? 136. The qualifications for the Vedanta Student, 138. The Self- knowledge, 139. Three Classes in Mankind, 140. An ignorant selfish man, 141. An educated man, 142. A well-to-do class of men, 143. Miseries of Life, Hume, 144. We are what we have made ourselves, 145. Know Thyself, 146. The Higher Pantheism, Tennyson, 147. The Divine and Demoniac Natures, the Bhagavad-Gxidy 148. The knowledge of Jxva^ Jagaty Baramatmariy i, e.. Soul, Nature, and God, 151. The Nature of the individual Soul, Jtva, 153.