Questions of King Milinda Part 02

SR No.: 007682
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 2240
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 38 MB

Page 1293

280
VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
59. There is (restriction to) option (between the vidyâs), on account of their having non-differing results.
The difference of the vidyâs having been determined, we now enter on an inquiry whether, according to one's liking, there should be cumulation of the different vidyas or option between them; or else restriction to an optional proceeding (to the exclusion of cumulation). For restriction to cumulation (which might be mentioned as a third alternative) there is no reason, because the separation of the vidyâs has been established.-But we observe that in the case of the sacrifices, agnihotra, darsapurnamasa and so on, there is restriction to cumulation (i. e. that those sacrifices have all of them to be performed, not optionally one or the other) although they are different from each other.-True; but the reason for the obligatory cumulation of those sacrifices lies therein that scripture teaches them to be of absolute obligation. No scriptural passage, on the other hand, teaches the absolute obligatoriness of the vidyas, and it cannot therefore be a rule that they must be cumulated. -Nor can it be a rule that there must be option between them, because a person entitled to one vidyâ cannot be excluded from another vidya. It therefore only remains to conclude that one may proceed as one likes. But-an objection is raised—we must rather conclude that option between them is the rule, because their fruits are nondifferent. For vidyås such as 'He who consists of mind, whose body is prâna;''Brahman is Ka, Brahman is Kha;' "He whose wishes are true, whose purposes are true,' have all of them equally the obtaining of the Lord for their fruit.
- This does not affect our conclusion; for we see that it is allowed to proceed as one likes also with regard to certain sacrificial acts which are the means of obtaining the heavenly world, and thus have all of them the same result. It therefore remains a settled conclusion that in the case of vidyas one may proceed as one likes.
To this we reply as follows. There must be option between the vidyâs, not cumulation, because they have the
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