ut not accurately, termed, the Mima/m/sa-/s/astra--and, on the
other hand, all those works which are commonly comprised under the name
Vedanta-/s/astra. At the head of this extensive literature there stand
two collections of Sutras (i.e. short aphorisms constituting in their
totality a complete body of doctrine upon some subject), whose reputed
authors are Jainini and Badaraya/n/a. There can, however, be no doubt
that the composition of those two collections of Sutras was preceded by
a long series of preparatory literary efforts of which they merely
represent the highly condensed outcome. This is rendered probable by the
analogy of other /s/astras, as well as by the exhaustive thoroughness
with which the Sutras perform their task of systematizing the teaching
of the Veda, and is further proved by the frequent references which the
Sutras make to the views of earlier teachers. If we consider merely the
preserved monuments of Indian literature, the Sutras (of the two
Mima/m/sas as well as of other /s/astras) mark the beginning; if we,
however, take into account what once existed, although it is at present
irretrievably lost, we observe that they occupy a strictly central
position, summarising, on the one hand, a series of early literary
essays extending over many generations, and forming, on the other hand,
the head spring of an ever broadening activity of commentators as well
as virtually independent writers, which reaches down to our days, and
may yet have some future before itself.

The general scope of the two Mima/m/sa-sutras and their relation to the
Veda have been indicated in what precedes. A difference of some
importance between the two has, however, to be noted in this connexion.
The systematisation of the karmaka/nd/a of the Veda led to the
elaboration of two classes of works, viz. the Kalpa-sutras on the one
hand, and the Purva Mima/m/sa-sutras on the other hand. The former give
nothing but a description as concise as possible of the sacrifices
enjoined in the Brahma/n/as; while the latter discuss and establish the
general principles which the author of a Kalpa-sutra has to follow, if
he wishes to render his rules strictly conformable to the teaching of
the Veda. The j/n/anaka/nd/a of the Veda, on the other hand, is
systematised in a single work, viz. the Uttara Mima/m/sa or
Vedanta-sutras, which combine the two tasks of concisely stating the
teaching of the Veda, and of argumentatively establishing the special