scholiasts to the meaning of the Sûtras themselves. A full and
exhaustive comparison of the views of the two commentators would indeed
far exceed the limits of the space which can here he devoted to that
task, and will, moreover, be made with greater ease and advantage when
the complete Sanskrit text of the /S/rî-bhâshya has been printed, and
thus made available for general reference. But meanwhile it is possible,
and--as said before--even urged upon a translator of the Sûtras to
compare the interpretations, given by the two bhâshyakâras, of those
Sûtras, which, more than others, touch on the essential points of the
Vedânta system. This will best be done in connexion with a succinct but
full review of the topics discussed in the adhikara/n/as of the
Vedânta-sûtras, according to /S/a@nkara; a review which--apart from the
side-glances at Râmânuja's comments--will be useful as a guide through
the Sûtras and the /S/a@nkara-bhâshya. Before, however, entering on that
task, I think it advisable to insert short sketches of the philosophical
systems of /S/a@nkara as well as of Râmânuja, which may be referred to
when, later on discrepancies between the two commentators will be noted.
In these sketches I shall confine myself to the leading features, and
not enter into any details. Of /S/a@nkara's system we possess as it is
more than one trustworthy exposition; it may suffice to refer to
Deussen's System of the Vedânta, in which the details of the entire
system, as far as they can be learned from the Sûtra-bhâshya, are
represented fully and faithfully, and to Gough's Philosophy of the
Upanishads which, principally in its second chapter, gives a lucid
sketch of the /S/a@nkara Vedânta, founded on the Sûtra-bhâshya, the
Upanishad bhâshyas, and some later writers belonging to /S/a@nkara's
school. With regard to Râmânuja's philosophy our chief source was,
hitherto, the Râmânuja chapter in the Sarvadar/s/a/n/asa/m/graha; the
short sketch about to be given is founded altogether on the
/S/rî-bhâshya itself.