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10. And on account of the objections to his view.

The theory of Brahman being the universal cause has to be accepted not only because it is itself free from objections, but also because the pradhāna theory is open to objections, and hence must be abandoned. For on this latter theory the origination of the world cannot be accounted for. The Sānkhyas hold that owing to the soul’s approximation to Prakr̥ti the attributes of the latter

are fictitiously superimposed upon the soul which in itself consists entirely of pure intelligence free from all change, and that thereon depends the origination of the empirical world. Now here we must raise the question as to the nature of that approximation or nearness of Prakr̥ti which causes the superimposition on the changeless soul of the attributes of Prakr̥ti. Does that nearness mean merely the existence of Prakr̥ti or some change in Prakr̥ti? or does it mean some change in the soul?–Not the latter; for the soul is assumed to be incapable of change.–Nor again a change in Prakr̥ti; for changes in Prakr̥ti are supposed, in the system, to be the effects of superimposition, and cannot therefore be its cause. And if, finally, the nearness of Prakr̥ti means no more than its existence, it follows that even the released soul would be liable to that superimposition (for Prakr̥ti exists always).–The Sānkhya is thus unable to give a rational account of the origination of the world. This same point will be treated of fully in connexion with the special refutation of the Sānkhya theory. (II, 2, 6.)