Brahma-Sūtra 2.2.24

English of translation of Brahmasutra 2.2.24 by Roma Bose:

“And in the ether too, on account of the non-distinction.”

Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):

And the initial proposition enunciated by them was that there is non-existence “in the ether”;^[1] and this is not reasonable, “on account of (its) non-distinction” from the earth and the rest.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

They maintain that the destruction of existing objects which is preceded by an act of thought, the destruction which is not preceded by an act of thought, and the ether,—these three are non-entities, and as such, non-definable, causeless and unreal. Among these, the two kinds of destruction have been disposed of. Incidentally, salvation, consisting in the cessation of nescience, has been condemned. Now, the reverend author of the aphorisms, maintaining the demonstrated conclusion of Scripture, is condemning the (doctrine of) the non-definableness of the ether, the remaining one.

The initial proposition of the non-substantiality of the ether is not reasonable, “on account of the non-distinction” of the ether, in point of substantiality, from the earth and the rest,—and just as terrestrial animals move on the earth, and the acquatic animals in water, so do the flying animals in the sky;—and also on account of the scriptural declaration of the producibleness of the ether, like other positive entities,—this is indicated by the particle “and” (in the sūtra),—in the passage: “From him arise the vital-breath, the mind, and all the sense-organs, the ether, the air, the light, water and the earth, the supporter of all” (Muṇḍaka-upaniṣad 2.1.3). The substantiality of the ether was approved by the Buddha as well, who said out of compassion: ‘As long as there is the existence of the ether, and as long as there is the existence of the world, so long may there be the existence of me, the destroyer of the sufferings of the world

Comparative views of Bhāskara:

This is sūtra 23 in Bhāskara.^[2] Interpretation of the word “aviśeṣāt” different; viz. “from the same (scriptural text, viz. Taittirīya-upaniṣad 2.1)” it is known that the ether like the air and the rest, arises from the soul.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.e. the ether is a non-entity.

[2]:

Written as sūtra 2.2.24 in conformity with Śaṃkara’s number.

[3]:

Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary) 2.2.23, p. 121.