doctrine of one non-differenced substance; that they do _not_ teach that
the universe of things is false; and that they do _not_ deny the
essential distinction of intelligent beings, non-intelligent things, and
the Lord.

[FOOTNOTE 92:1. 'Pranamaya' is explained as meaning 'prana' only.]

[FOOTNOTE 94:1. The sense in which this sloka has to be taken is 'As in
ordinary life we ascribe to certain things (e.g. gems, mantras) certain
special powers because otherwise the effects they produce could not be
accounted for; so to Brahman also,' &c.]




The theory of Nescience cannot be proved.

We now proceed to the consideration of Nescience.--According to the view
of our opponent, this entire world, with all its endless distinctions of
Ruler, creatures ruled, and so on, is, owing to a certain defect,
fictitiously superimposed upon the non-differenced, self-luminous
Reality; and what constitutes that defect is beginningless Nescience,
which invests the Reality, gives rise to manifold illusions, and cannot
be denned either as being or non-being. Such Nescience, he says, must
necessarily be admitted, firstly on the ground of scriptural texts, such
as 'Hidden by what is untrue' (Ch. Up. VIII, 3, 2), and secondly because
otherwise the oneness of the individual souls with Brahman--which is
taught by texts such as 'Thou are that'--cannot be established. This
Nescience is neither 'being,' because in that case it could not be the
object of erroneous cognition (bhrama) and sublation (badha); nor is it