समाकर्षात् ॥ १५ ॥
samākarṣāt || 15 ||
15. On account of the connection (with passage referring to Brahman, nonexistence does not mean absolute nonexistence).
A further objection is raised that even as regards the First Cause there is a conflict, for some texts say that the Self created these worlds (Ait. Ar. 2. 4. 1. 2-3), others say that creation originated from non-existence (Taitt. 2. 7). Again existence is taught as the First Cause in some texts (Chh. 6. 2. 1-2). Spontaneous creation also is taught by some texts (Brih, 1. 4. 7). On account of these conflicting texts it cannot be said that all the Vedanta texts refer to Brahman uniformly as the First Cause. These objections are answered as follows: “This was: indeed non-existence in the beginning” (Taitt. 2. 7). Non-existence here does not mean absolute nonexistence but undifferentiated existence. Existence was at the beginning undifferentiated into name and form.
In the texts of the Taittiriya Upanishad Brahman is definitely described as not being nonexistence.
“He who knows Brahman as nonexisting becomes himself non-existing. He who knows Brahman as existing is known by sages as existing” (Taitt. 2 . 6).
This Brahman is again described as having wished to be many and created this world. Again “How can that which is be created from non-existence?” (Chh. 6. 2. 2) clearly denies such a possibility. “Now this was then undifferentiated” (Brih. 1 . 4. 7), does not speak of spontaneous creation without a ruler, for it is connected with another passage where it is said, “He has entered here to the very tips of the finger-nails” (Brih. 1 . 4. 7), where ‘He’ refers to this ruler, and hence we have to take that the Lord, the ruler, developed what was undeveloped. Similarly Brahman, which is described in one place as existence, is referred to in another place as being the Self of all by the word ‘Atman’. So all texts uniformly point to Brahman as the First Cause, and there is no conflict as regards this.