THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com

"n8THE DOCTRINE OF MAYAeffect, the universe, or matter). Their doctrine isconsequently known as Visistddvaita, or the doctrine of Unity with attributes. 1 Madhava 2 sumsup the tenets of Ramanuja in the formula Threecategories are established, as soul, not-soul, andLord ;or as subject, object, and 3Supreme Disposer."Ramanuja himself has furnished us with a summary of his main teachings in the* introduction tohis Veddntadipa. He starts with what he calls thethree primary and ultimate certainties known tophilosophy,viz.1. God (Hari). Universal Soul, personal, andintelligent.2. Soul (cit). Individual, intelligent.3. Matter (acit). Non-intelligent.Each of these three entities is distinct from theother :God, the Supreme Soul of the Universe, isdistinct from the individual soul, which againisdistinct from non-intelligent matter. This difference is intrinsic and natural. The relation betweenGod and the universe (matter and soul) is that ofcause and effect.Matter and soul form the body ofGod, which in its subtle condition is the universe inits causal state, and in its gross condition the createduniverse itself. The individual soul enters into1See Wilson, Religious Sects of the Hindus, London, 1861,vol. i., p. 43.2Cf. Sarvadarsanasamgraha, Bibl. Ind., Calc., 1858,p. 46, ff.3 Cf. Sarvadarsanasamgraha, Trans. Cowell and Gough,1 882, p. 66. Deussen, Geschichte der Philosophie, iii., p. 261.