place, to note a certain number of adhikara/n/as and Sûtras concerning
whose interpretation /S/a@nkara and Râmânuja disagree altogether; and we
have seen that not unfrequently the explanations given by the latter
commentator appear to be preferable because falling in more easily with
the words of the text. The most striking instance of this is afforded by
the 13th adhikara/n/a of II, 3, which treats of the size of the jîva,
and where Râmânuja's explanation seems to be decidedly superior to
/S/a@nkara's, both if we look to the arrangement of the whole
adhikara/n/a and to the wording of the single Sûtras. The adhikara/n/a
is, moreover, a specially important one, because the nature of the view
held as to the size of the individual soul goes far to settle the
question what kind of Vedânta is embodied in Bâdarâya/n/a's work.

But it will be requisite not only to dwell on the interpretations of a
few detached Sûtras, but to make the attempt at least of forming some
opinion as to the relation of the Vedânta-sûtras as a whole to the chief
distinguishing doctrines of /S/a@nkara as well as Râmânuja. Such an
attempt may possibly lead to very slender positive results; but in the
present state of the enquiry even a merely negative result, viz. the
conclusion that the Sûtras do not teach particular doctrines found in
them by certain commentators, will not be without its value.

The first question we wish to consider in some detail is whether the
Sûtras in any way favour /S/a@nkara's doctrine that we have to
distinguish a twofold knowledge of Brahman, a higher knowledge which
leads to the immediate absorption, on death, of the individual soul in
Brahman, and a lower knowledge which raises its owner merely to an
exalted form of individual existence. The adhyâya first to be considered
in this connexion is the fourth one. According to /S/a@nkara the three
latter pâdas of that adhyâya are chiefly engaged in describing the fate