o be reconciled? Sankara does
this in the following way. As long as the soul is tied down to material
conditions--that is, is passing through the processes of Samsara--it is
an agent. But as soon as it has escaped from this bondage of
transmigration it dwells in a state of perfect repose, inactive and
restful. In all its activities the soul is prompted by Brahman, without
whose inspiration and guidance the soul could perform nothing, and could
never, therefore, reach the true goal of all souls, absorption in the
one All, which can be obtained in no other way than by the performance
of good deeds, which means action.

_BOOK III.--OF THE SOUL AND ITS SUMMUM BONUM_

When at death the soul passes from the body its subtle material elements
still cling to it. Good souls pass on to the moon, whence they
afterwards descend in a form and state determined by their former
actions [Karma]. If the previous life has been a moral failure, the new
life now entered upon will belong to a lower level of being, _i.e._, the
man may become an animal, the higher, animal may become a lower one. On
the other hand, there may be an ascent in the scale of being.

When the soul is a-dreaming, what it thinks it sees and hears, etc., is
all illusion, for it does not see or hear, etc., what it thinks it does.
In a state of profound dreaminess the soul leaves the body and lives in
close fellowship with Brahman.

How is the soul to obtain final release from the thraldom of material
conditions? By meditating on Brahman as he is set forth in the sacred
scriptures. Brahman must be thought about and meditated on in all his
attributes, and this produces identity with the one great self of
existence.

Though Sankara makes this to be the teaching of the Sutras, in another
place he insists that Brahman is without attributes. He is not,
therefore, consistent. The meditation on Brahman which leads to
soul-freedom must have regard also to Brahman's negative qualities,
_i.e._, his not being gross, nor subtle, wise nor foolish, etc.

THE RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND CONDUCT

The knowledge of Brahman is independent of action, and not subordinate
to it. It is _vidya_ [compare _vision_, which has the same etymology],
or knowledge, that is alone prescribed in the holy writings, not
conduct. Where, however, there is right knowledge, there will be
rightness of life. But mere rightness of life is nothing; it is that
which leads to it and is the cause that is a