THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com

viPREFACEbeen looked upon as paradoxical, inconsistentand unsystematic. Scholars have only dashed atthem to get out some meaning, but have hardlyattempted to see if there existed in them an innerprinciple of unity and system. Deussen has, ofcourse, indicated in his Geschichte the evolution ofthought within the Upanisads, and has attemptedto base their chronology on such internal evidence.Working independently on the original texts of theUpanisads, I have also reached practically the sameconclusion, hence in Chapter II have enlarged andthat scheme with the aid of all the moredevelopedimportant passages bearing on each point. Mymethod has been analytical, more appropriatelysynthetico-analytic ; I have not stated a factdogmatically, but have in every instance supportedit with appropriate references, an examination ofwhich will lead us inductively to the establishedconclusion. To those who do not hold the sameview as I, a statement here and there may appeara little dogmatic, but that hardly touches me, sinceI have kept out all questions of personal belief andhave only made an honest attempt to treat thequestion scientifically. To press one s own personal belief and point of view in a scientific inquiryvitiates, Ibelieve, the conclusions to be arrived at.On the question whether the conception of Mayais found in the literature from Sankara down to thepresent day, all opinions concur. The point to beinvestigatedis how far and to what extent the con-