SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
sUthram 27
ஆத்மா ஜ்ஞாநத்துக்கிருப்பிடமன்றிக்கே ஜ்ஞாநமாத்ரமாகில்;
AthmA gyAnaththukku iruppidam anRikkE gyAnamAthramAgil.
Meaning: Suppose one says that the soul is not the substratum of knowledge but is merely knowledge itself.
Explanation
In the previous sUthram, it was established that the soul is ज्ञानाश्रय (gyAnASraya), the substratum in which knowledge resides.
The author now introduces the doctrine of the buddhists and similar schools who do not accept the soul’s status as the knower (having ज्ञातृत्व – gyAthruthva).
The opponent’s view
These philosophers do not accept that there is a distinct soul which possesses knowledge.
They hold that there is no separate knower apart from knowledge. According to them, what truly exists is only knowledge itself.
Therefore they would say:
- The soul is not ज्ञानाश्रय (gyAnASraya), the locus of knowledge.
- The soul is not a distinct ज्ञाता (gyAthA), a knower.
- Reality is merely ज्ञानमात्र (gynAnamAthra) – knowledge alone.
Why this view is stated
The commentator explicitly says that this view is being introduced in order to refute the doctrine of the buddhists and similar thinkers who deny the soul’s ज्ञातृत्व (gyAthruthva).
Thus the present sUthram does not establish a conclusion. It merely states the opponent’s position (पूर्वपक्ष – pUrvapaksha) before examining its defects.
The same has been shown by parASara bhattar, refuting the buddhist doctrine, in SrirangarAja sthavam, “idham aham api vEdhmi ithAthma”.
The refutation will follow in the succeeding sUthrams.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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