uncontradicted experience. But no enquiry was made whether any absolute judgments about the ultimate truth of knowledge and matter could be made at all. That which appeared was regarded as the real. But the question was not asked, whether there was anything which could be regarded as absolute truth, the basis of all appearance, and the unchangeable, reality. This philosophical enquiry had the most wonderful charm for the Hindu mind.
Vedânta Literature.
It is difficult to ascertain the time when the Brahma-sûtras were written, but since they contain a refutation of almost all the other Indian systems, even of the S'ûnyavâda Buddhism (of course according to S'a@nkara's interpretation), they cannot have been written very early. I think it may not be far from the truth in supposing that they were written some time in the second century B.C. About the period 780 A.D. Gau@dapâda revived the monistic teaching of the Upani@sads by his commentary on the Mâ@n@dûkya Upani@sad in verse called Mâ@n@dûkyakârikâ. His disciple Govinda was the teacher of S'a@nkara (788—820 A.D.). S'a@nkara's commentary on the Brahma-sûtras is the root from which sprang forth a host of commentaries and studies on Vedântism of great originality, vigour, and philosophic insight. Thus Ânandagiri, a disciple of S'a@nkara, wrote a commentary called Nyâyanir@naya, and Govindânanda wrote another commentary named Ratna-prabhâ. Vâcaspati Mis'ra, who flourished about 841 A.D., wrote another commentary on it called the Bhâmati. Amalânanda (1247—1260 A.D.) wrote his Kalpataru on it, and Apyayadik@sita (1550 A.D.) son of Ra@ngarâjadhvarîndra of Kâñcî wrote his Kalpataruparimala on the Kalpataru. Another disciple of S'a@nkara, Padmapâda, also called Sanandana, wrote a commentary on it known as Pañcapâdikâ. From the manner in which the book is begun one would expect that it was to be a running commentary on the whole of S'a@nkara's bhâsya, but it ends abruptly at the end of the fourth sûtra. Mâdhava (1350), in his S'a@nkaravijaya, recites an interesting story about it. He says that Sures'vara received S'a@nkara's permission to write a vârttika on the bhâsya. But other pupils objected to S'a@nkara that since Sures'vara was formerly a great Mîmâ@msist (Ma@n@dana Misra was called Sures'vara after his conversion to Vedântism) he was not competent to write
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a good vârttika on the bhâ@sya. Sures'vara, disappointed, wrote a treatise called Nai@skarmyasiddhi. Padmapâda wrote a @tîkâ but this was burnt in his uncle's house. S'a@nkara, who had once seen it, recited it from memory and Padmapâda wrote it down. Prakâs'âtman (1200) wrote a commentary on Padmapâda's Pañcapâdikâ known as _Pañcapâdikâvivara@na. _Akha@n@dânanda wrote his Tattvadîpana, and the famous N@rsi@mhâs'rama Muni (1500) wrote his Vivara@nabhâvaprakâs'ikâ on it. Amalânanda and Vidyasâgara also wrote commentaries on Pañcapâdikâ, named Pañcapâdikâdarpa@na and Pañcapâdikâ@tîkâ respectively, but the Pañcapâdikâvivara@na had by far the greatest reputation. Vidyâra@nya who is generally identified by some with Mâdhava (1350) wrote his famous work Vivara@naprameyasa@mgraha [Footnote ref 1], elaborating the ideas of Pañcapâdikâvivara@na; Vidyâra@nya wrote also another excellent work named Jîvanmuktiviveka on the Vedânta doctrine of emancipation. Sures'vara's (800 A.D.) excellent work Nai@skarmyasiddhi is probably the earliest independent treatise on S'a@nkara's philosophy as expressed in his bhâ@sya. It has been commented upon by Jñânottama Mis'ra. Vidyâra@nya also wrote another work of great merit known as Pañcadas'î, which is a very popular and illuminating treatise in verse on Vedânta. Another important work written in verse on the main teachings of S'a@nkara's bhâ@sya is Sa@mk@sepas'arîraka, written by Sarvajñâtma Muni (900 A.D.). This has also been commented upon by Râmatîrtha. S'rîhar@sa (1190 A.D.) wrote his Kha@n@danakha@n@dakhâdya, the most celebrated work on the Vedânta dialectic. Citsukha, who probably flourished shortly after S'rîhar@sa, wrote a commentary on it, and also wrote an independent work on Vedânta dialectic known as Tattvadîpikâ which has also a commentary called Nayanaprasâdinî written by Pratyagrûpa. S'a@nkara Mis'ra and Raghunâtha also wrote commentaries on Kha@n@danakha@n@dakhâdya. A work on Vedânta epistemology and the principal topics of Vedânta of great originality and merit known as Vedântaparibhâ@sâ was written by Dharmarâjâdhvarîndra (about 155OA.D.). His son Râmak@r@snâdhvarin wrote his S'ikhâma@ni on it and Amaradâsa his Ma@niprabhâ. The Vedântaparibhâ@sâ with these two commentaries forms an excellent exposition of some of the fundamental principles of Vedânta. Another work of supreme importance
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[Footnote 1: See Narasi@mhâcârya's article in the Indian Antiquary, 1916.]
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(though probably the last great work on Vedânta) is the Advaitasiddhi of Madhusûdana Sarasvatî who followed Dharmarâjâdhvarîndra. This has three commentaries known as Gau@dabrahmânandî, Vi@t@thales'opadhyâyî and Siddhivyâkhyâ. Sadânanda Vyâsa wrote also a summary of it known as Advaitasiddhisiddhântasâra. Sadânanda wrote also an excellent elementary work named Vedântasâra which has also two commentaries Subodhinî and Vidvanmanorañjinî. The Advaitabrahmasiddhi of Sadânanda Yati though much inferior to Advaitasiddhi is important, as it touches on many points of Vedânta interest which are not dealt with in other Vedânta works. The Nyâyamakaranda of Ânandabodha Bha@t@târakâcâryya treats of the doctrines of illusion very well, as also some other important points of Vedânta interest. Vedântasiddhântamuktâvalî of Prakâs'ânanda discusses many of the subtle points regarding the nature of ajñâna and its relations to cit, the doctrine of d@r@stis@r@stivâda, etc., with great clearness. _Siddhântales'a by Apyayadîk@sita is very important as a summary of the divergent views of different writers on many points of interest. Vedântatattvadîpikâ and Siddhântatattva are also good as well as deep in their general summary of the Vedânta system. Bhedadhikkâra of Nrsi@mhâs'rama Muni also is to be regarded as an important work on the Vedânta dialectic.
The above is only a list of some of the most important Vedânta works on which the present chapter has been based.