Several great ideas have to be understood, in order to grasp properly the workings of the Vedanta philosophy. In the first place it is not philosophy in the sense we speak of the philosophy of Kant and Hegel.It is not one book,or the work of one man. Vedanta is the name of a series of books written at different times. Sometimes in one of these productions there will be fifty different things. Neither are they properly arranged; the thoughts, as it were, have been jotted down.



Sometimes in the midst of other extraneous things, we find some wonderful idea. But one fact is remarkable,that these ideas in the Upanishads would be always progressing. In that crude old language, the working of the mind of every one of the sages has been, as it were, painted just as it went; how the ideas are at first very crude, and they become finer and finer till they reach the goal of the Vedanta, and this goal assumes a philosophical name. Just at first it was a search after the Devas, the bright ones, and then it was the origin of the universe, and the very same search is getting another name,more philosophical, clearer -- the unity of all things --"Knowing which everything else becomes known."

The Vedanta philosophy,as it is generally called at the present day,really comprises all the various sects that now exist in India. Thus there have been various interpretations, and to my mind they have been progressive, beginning with the dualistic or Dvaita and ending with the non - dualistic or Advaita. The word Vedanta literally means the end of the Vedas -- the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus.*

Sometimes in the West by the Vedas are meant only the hymns and rituals of the Vedas. But at the present time these parts have almost gone out of use, and usually by the word Vedas in India, the Vedanta is meant. All our commentators, when they want to quote a passage from the scriptures,as a rule, quote from the Vedanta,which has another technical name with the commentators -- the Shrutis**. Now, all the books known by the name of the Vedanta were not entirely written after the ritualistic portions of the Vedas. For instance,one of them -- the Isha Upanishad -- forms the fortieth chapter of the Yajur - Veda, that being one of the oldest parts of the Vedas. There are other Upanishads*** which form portions.

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