5. Śaṅkara: The Commentary on the Aphorisms of Brahman
A Sourcebook in Global Philosophy - Mohammed Rustom
Swami Gambhirananda [+]
Swami Medhananda [+]
Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education
Description
The Aphorisms on Brahman, likely composed some time between 300 BCE and 400 CE, consists of 555 aphorisms (sūtras) divided into four chapters (adhyāyas). These chapters are divided into four sections (pādas), each of which contains numerous aphorisms. The aim of the text is to systematize and defend the teachings of the Upaniṣads by reconciling apparently contradictory statements in the Upaniṣads and refuting the rival views of schools such as Sāṃkhya, Nyāya, Buddhism, and Jainism. The aphorisms in Aphorisms on Brahman are laconic in the extreme and often lack essential words and information. As a result, various Vedāntic commentators have interpreted many of these aphorisms in divergent ways. In this excerpt from Śaṅkara’s lengthy commentary on the Aphorisms on Brahman, we will see how Śaṅkara attempts to prove that the aphorisms support the tenets of Advaita Vedānta concerning topics pertaining to the prerequisites for deliberating on Brahman, the true nature of the self, the relationship between reason and scripture, and the ontological status of the world and the personal God.