The Brahmasūtras

Course content

We will read the entire corpus of the Brahmasūtras with an abridged translation of Śāṅkarabhāṣyam by Swami Vireswarananda. The method of exegesis (uttara-mīmāṃsā), interpretive principles (such as harmonization or samanvaya), and proper use of logic (śrutimatas tarka) will be discussed. In addition to the abridged text, some key sections such as the first four Brahmasūtras will require us to read the entire commentary translated by Swami Gambhirananda.

In addition to these translations, the course will also briefly look at Sanskrit phrases and some grammatical points. These will be explained, though no prior knowledge of Sanskrit is required. We will supplement our study of Śāṅkarabhāṣyam with Rāmānuja’s Vedārtha-Saṅgraha. Close reading of the text, class discussion, lectures, and guest lectures (when possible) constitute the method of instruction.

Sūtras are precise and terse propositions, traditionally defined as follows: “The pandits who are learned in sūtra literature say that a sūtra is a saying which consists of fewer words, free of ambiguity, which gives the essence of the argument of a topic, but at the same time deals with all aspects of the question and which is free from repetition and fault.”

Other titles for this work include Vedānta-mīmāṃsā, Bhikṣu-sūtra (aphorisms of mendicants), and Uttara-mīmāṃsā-sūtra (interpretation of the philosophical portions of the Vedas). The Brahmasūtras contain four adhyāyas or chapters.

• Samanvaya adhyāyaḥ (Chapter on Harmony): This chapter shows that Brahman is the sole aim of the teachings of all the Upaniṣads. It can also be called the chapter on consistency, since it shows the unity of the Upaniṣads by showing that Brahman is the central theme in all these teachings.
• Virodhaparihāra adhyāyaḥ (Chapter on the Removal of Objections): This chapter takes up the objections raised by other philosophies that argue that Brahman is not the cause of the universe. Through rational argumentation, this chapter removes the apparent inconsistency (contradictions) found among the Upaniṣadic statements contained in these various texts, between the Upaniṣadic statements and smṛtis (such as the Mahābhārata, Viṣṇupurāṇa, etc.) and between śruti (scripture) and yukti (reasoning).
• Sādhana adhyāyaḥ (Chapter on Disciplines to be Practiced in order to Realize One’s Identity with Brahman): A central theme of this chapter is the means for replacing the conception “I am my ego” with the truer conception “I am Brahman” and thereby replacing all the limiting adjuncts (upādhis) with the true nature (svarūpa-lakṣaṇa) of Brahman.
• Phala adhyāyaḥ (Chapter on the Result of Realizing One’s Identity with Brahman): The goal of philosophy is the complete eradication of sorrow and gaining unconditional happiness. This is discussed in this chapter.

The Brahmasūtras have inspired important commentaries, sub-commentaries, and glosses over a period of at least 1500 years. The most important commentary on the Brahmasūtras is the Śāṅkarabhāṣyam written by the greatest of Indian philosophers, Śaṅkarācārya. All of the great teachers (ācāryas) wrote commentaries on the Brahmasūtras.

Ācārya Śaṅkara wrote the Advaita (monistic) commentary called Śārīraka-bhāṣya or Brahma-mīmāṃsā, which we call Śāṅkarabhāṣyam. Ācārya Rāmānuja wrote a Viśiṣṭādvaita (qualified monistic) commentary called Śrī Bhāṣyam. Ācārya Madhva wrote a Dvaita (dualistic) commentary called Pūrṇa-prajñā-darśanam. This class is based on the Śāṅkarabhāṣyam, which forms the basis of all the other commentaries, whether the latter commentators elaborate on, or agree or disagree with, it.