ether in all the meditations on Brahman all its
qualities are to be included or only those mentioned in the special
vidya. The decision is that the essential and unalterable attributes of
Brahman, such as bliss and knowledge, are to be taken into account
everywhere, while those which admit of a more or less (as, for instance,
the attribute of having joy for its head, mentioned in the Taitt. Up.)
are confined to special meditations.--Adhik. VII (14, 15), according to
/S/a@nkara, aims at proving that the object of Ka/th/a. Up. III, 10, 11
is one only, viz. to show that the highest Self is higher than
everything, so that the passage constitutes one vidya only.--Adhik. VIII
(16, 17) determines, according to /S/a@nkara, that the Self spoken of in
Ait. Ar. II, 4, 1, 1 is not a lower form of the Self (the so-called
sutratman), but the highest Self; the discussion of that point in this
place being due to the wish to prove that the attributes of the highest
Self have to be comprehended in the Aitarcyaka meditation.

According to Ramanuja the Sutras 11-17 constitute a single adhikara/n/a
whose subject is the same as that of /S/a@nkara's sixth adhikar/n/a.
Sutras 11-13 are, on the whole, explained as by /S/a@nkara; Sutra 12,
however, is said to mean, 'Such attributes as having joy for its head,
&c. are not to be viewed as qualities of Brahman, and therefore not to
be included in every meditation; for if they were admitted as qualities,
difference would be introduced into Brahman's nature, and that would
involve a more or less on Brahman's part.' Sutras 14-17 continue the
discussion of the passage about the priya/s/irastva.--If
priya/s/irastva, &c. are not to be viewed as real qualities of Brahman,
for what purpose does the text mention them?--'Because,' Sutra 14
replies, 'there is no other purpose, Scripture mentions them for the
purpose of pious meditation.'--But how is it known that the Self of
delight is the highest Self? (owing to which you maintain that having
limbs, head, &c. cannot belong to it as attributes.)--'Because,' Sutra
15 replies, 'the term "Self" (atma anandamaya) is applied to it.'--But
in the previous parts of the chapter the term Self (in atma pra/n/amaya,
&c.) is applied to non-Selfs also; how then do you know that in atma
anandamaya it denotes the real Self?--'The term Self,' Sutra 16 replies,
'is employed here to denote the highest Self as in many other passages
(atmaa va idam eka, &c.), as we conclude from t