Chapter III, Section III, Adhikarana XIII

Adhikarana summary: The Purusha Vidya in the Chhandogya and the Taittiriya are not one

Brahma-Sutra 3.3.24: Sanskrit text and English translation.

पुरुषविद्यायामिव चेतरेषामनाम्नानात् ॥ २४ ॥

puruṣavidyāyāmiva cetareṣāmanāmnānāt || 24 ||

puruṣavidyāyām-iva—As in the Purusha Vidya (of the Chhandogya); ca—and; itareṣām—of the others; anāmnānāt—not being mentioned (in the Taittiriya).

24. And (since the qualities) as (mentioned) in the Purusha Vidya (of the Chhandogya) are not mentioned (in that) of the others (i.e. in the Taittiriya) (the two Purusha Vidyas are not one).

In the last Sutra the Vidyas were held to be different as there was no recognition of the fundamental attribute of the one Vidya in the other. This Sutra cites an example where such a fundamental attribute occurs in both. On this ground the opponent argues that the two Vidyas are one. In the Chhandogya there is a Vidya about man in which he is identified with the sacrifice: “Man is the sacrifice.” In the Taittiriya Aranyaka (10. 64) also occurs a similar Vidya where man is so identified: “For him who knows thus, the self of the sacrifice is the sacrificer” etc. The fundamental attribute referred to is that man is identified with sacrifice in both. This Sutra says that in spite of this, the two Vidyas are not one, for the details differ. Moreover, the result of the Vidya in the Taittiriya is the attainment of the greatness of Brahman, while that oi the Chhandogya is long life. Therefore the two Vidyas are separate, and there can be no combination of particulars in the two places.