104 Veddnta- Sara, or Essence of the Veddnta. [No. 158. 



is, however, impossible for any individual immediately to obtain this true 

 knowledge, as any idea, which we may conceive of Brahma, previous to 

 the performance of the conditions, conducive to that knowledge, must be 

 one of the various illusions, which are created by ignorance in our minds. 

 The true knowledge can only be obtained by a systematic method, 

 which is twofold, theoretical and practical. The theoretical method is 

 the direction of there flective power upon Brahma, and it proceeds first 

 synthetically from the infinite substance to the ag w \a or appearances, 

 showing the various modes, in which Brahma is successively represented 

 by unconsciousness ; and secondly analytically, from the manifold crea- 

 tions of unconsciousness to the infinite substance, successively showing 

 the unreality of them and returning to Bramha as the only source of 

 reality. The practical method presents the means, by which our senses, 

 passions, and thoughts are subdued; the mind is gradually detached 

 from worldly concerns, directed to the performance of good acts alone, 

 and finally fixed upon the contemplation of God. 



It is remarkable, how in the principle itself the fallacy of the system 

 is manifest. If Bramha be the only real being, all other things (materi- 

 al or immaterial) are unreal, and this inference is expressly recognized, 

 there should be not even the appearance of an existence of them ; 

 but it is also said, that those things must not be considered as nothing ; 

 so that they have, to say so, a kind of imperfect existence, but still an 

 existence, which cannot be derived from the infinite Bramha. In short, 

 there is not one principle, but, against the express assertion of the Ve- 

 ddnta, two principles, the infinite, unchangeable, omniscient being, and 

 the finite, changeable and unconscious being. This is also evident from 

 the consequences ; for the world or its appearance is not produced either 

 by Bramha or by unconsciousness, but by their mutual causality ; for in 

 Bramha only, when clouded by the mists of ignorance, is the spectacle 

 of a world produced. According to this exposition of the theory, which 

 must, I think, be allowed to be correct, Bramha would coincide with the 

 notion, which occidental philosophers form of substance, and uncon- 

 sciousness with that of attributes and modes. 



What is called unconsciousness, has, however, a twofold meaning ; 

 according to one, it is delusive appearance, by which unreal things are 

 represented as real ; according to the other, it is the origin of the 

 actual world. We shall consider only this second meaning, which we 



