पृष्ठम्:तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद्भाष्यम्.djvu/९

grandeur and the beauty of the Advaita System, we must, by diligent industry and by transparent sincerity, seek to make that system our own. Abundant will be out reward. A true conception of the Universe and of our relations to it; a larger conception of Life, and a nobler conception of the duties which that Life in volves; apure source of happiness and a firm basis for that morality without which happiness is impossible: these are among the benefits that will be bestowed upon our study. It must, however, be confessed that the study of Ad waita philosophy is certainly not an easy one. It demands a grasp of thought and a closeness of attention which cannot be acquired without sustained effort Readers whose time for contemplation is very limited, ot who are deeply absorbed in worldly affairs, unay, therefore, be excused when they fail to master its principles. The inexcusable offence is that so many persons presume to pronounce judgment on a matter which they do neither take pains to understand not have the capacity to understand. That critics of this order are pretty nurlerous , current literature affords overwhelming evidence. The philosophy of Shri Shankara has, no doubt, exerted a vast influence on the progress of thought, and especially on the development of Indian philosophy. But it is not at present as popular as some dualistic philosophies. Of the many men one meets who have studied Shri Shankar's philosophy as part of their University course, one finds many who admit that they never understand him, or who say that they think his theories attractive but quite untenable, or who regard the whole systena as absurd; but one rarely finds one who is heart and soul and without any re servation an Adwaitin, a follower of Shri Shankar, ready to devote his whole life to the thorough study of his grand Bhashyas. But we can hardly keepout ofthe way of Dualists. The reason liesin the fact that Shri Shankar's philosophy which is difficult to understand, does not readily lend itself to any misinterpretation that is likely to be attractive. The study of Shri Shankar's philosophy could hardly lead any one to accept conclusions from his writings which are not