BRAHMA SUTRA BHASYA | ADI SANKARACARYA

|| CHAPTER II | SECTION I | TOPIC 08 | VERSE 24 ||

|| TOPIC 08 | CREATION WITHOUT MATERIALS ||

If it be said that ( BRAHMAN ) cannot be the cause , since one is noticed to procure materials ( for the production of an object ) , then we say , no , for it is possible on the analogy of milk . || 24 ||

|| BHASYA ||

OPPONENT : The assertion made that conscious BRAHMAN alone , without a second , is the cause of the Universe cannot stand scrutiny .

Why ?

" Since one is noticed to collect materials . "

In common experience it is seen that potters and others who make pots , cloth , etc , engage themselves in those works after they have provided themselves with the requisite causal means by collecting such materials as clay , rod , wheel , string , and so on .

And you maintain that BRAHMAN is without any help .

But how can there be any creatorship for BRAHMAN unless IT has procured an assemblage of other accessories ?

Therefore BRAHMAN is not the cause of the Universe .

VEDANTIN : That fault does not arise , since on the analogy of milk it can be reasonably maintained that this can happen on account of the peculiar nature of the thing itself .

As in the world , milk or water gets transformed into curds or ice by itself without depending on any extraneous accessory , so it can be here as well .

OPPONENT : Even when milk etc turn into curds etc they have to depend on external factors like heat etc .

So how can it be said , " For it is possible on the analogy of milk " ?

VEDANTIN : That creates no difficulty , for whichever may be the transformation and whatever its extent , it is milk itself that undergoes that modification , while heat etc merely accelerate the process .

If it had not any intrinsic capacity to turn into curds , then it could not have been forcibly transformed into curds even by heat etc ; for neither air nor space can be forced by heat etc to become curds .

An accession of paraphernalia only perfects the capacity of milk .

BRAHMAN , however , is possessed of the fullest power , and IT has not to depend on anything else for imparting an excellence ( to that power ) .

In support of this is the Upanisadic text :

" IT is without body or organs ; none is seen either as equal or superior to IT . ITs supreme power is heard of as of various kinds . And ITs knowledge , power , and action are natural . " ( Sv . VI . 8 )

Hence even though BRAHMAN is One , it is possible for IT , by virtue of the possession of diverse powers , to be transformed variously on the analogy of milk etc .

SOURCE | SATYAVEDISM.ORG