Indian
Philosphy
by
Brahmasrii
Dr K C Varadachari
The
Purva-mimamsa is concerned with transcendental satisfactions of desire and in
respect of the fruits to be achieved from the performance of yajna or yaga
it is postulated that the result is apurva, not existent priorly in
the yajna or yaga but has to be granted (automatically or
mechanically or as prasada by the Gods) – and as such is a new product.
This shews that parinama-vada is not accepted by them by only arambha-vada
or asat-karya-vada. This is of course a limited application of the
principle of non-identity between cause and effect. The whole problem
of identity of cause and effect should not be restricted
to material-efficient causes but to the whole of reality. But this cannot be
done in experiences of such wide difference as the sensory, and the practical
and the spiritual.
What
does Sankara do with these ideas so divergent as these. It is possible to say
that all these are wrong views but the fact remains that all these appear to be
right in parts and in a critical valuation one should put them in their right
places within which they will not only appear to be right but be right.
Dividing
Reality into two as noumenal and as phenomenal, (para-marthika and vyavaharika
satta) Advaita of Sankara accepts the Samkhyan sat-karya-vada phenomenally
but refutes it in the paramarthika for the paramarthika is
entirely different from the vyavahara world and is no cause of this and
does not posses this even in a subtle form. It accepts the asat-karya-vada of
Nyaya-Vaisesika but in a modified sense. The vyavaharika reality
is the illusory manifestation of the paramarthika and is in every way a
new thing, characterized by contradictory attributes of the
paramarthika word or
being or anubhava. This it calls the vivarta-vada.
Phenomenally
the Advaita accepts akhyati-vada (non-observation) of the Samkhya as the
cause of avidya or result of avidya, whichever is the cause, but
transcendentally it accepts the anyathakhyati of the Vaisesikas which is
the perverse perception due to karma, avidya and so on the evolutes of maya,
and calls its own species as anirvacaniya-because the perverse
perception is indeed a fact of the phenomenal order. It is real, but since it
is dissolved or dissipated (badhita) when the real experience occur it
is asat (non-existence): thus being both sat and asat it
is incapable of being defined as existent or non-existent. The pramana is
claimed to be svatahpramana needing no other pramana to prove its
reality for it can be logically shown to be consistent or inconsistent but
actually like the Naiyavikas the extraneous test of another pramana is
utilized to prove a thing’s reality and truth by its concept of abadhita-jnana
(uncontradicted testimony).
Phenomenally
it accepts the karma-kanda of the Purva-mimamsa as helpful to the
purification of the
body or the soul but transcendentally it rejects its
value, because karma and jnana are said to be opposites or
contradictories. How jnana can come out of karma and karma out
of jnana is a problem of deepest concern and by refusing to solve it the
Advaita relegates it as a dichotomy in its attempt to arrive at Identity or
Unity. In fact maya is all solution but it cannot solve itself except by
a fiat of transcendental anubhava.
The
Advaita accepts the value of pratyaksa, anumana, upamana, arthapatti and
anupalabdhi (a species of abhava) along with all other systems by
taking all of them as valid within vyavahara experience. But all of them
have no value for the ultimate reality depends on those Monistic texts alone
which teach what these cannot and do not teach, and as such true sabda,
paramartha. These texts alone are the means to transcendental experience – aparoksanubhuti
– mystic revelation that once for abolishes the vyavahara world as a
dream and influence of maya that deludes and makes one ignorant and
creates all diversities that cause suffering and blindness.
KARMA
AND REBIRTH
Assuming
that karma produces rebirth we have to ask ourselves how karma is the cause of
rebirth, and in what way rebirth is connected with it as effect. If karma
potentially contains rebirth then it manifests it after one dies and moves
towards getting the conditions that make rebirth of the soul, who does the karma
or act. This would mean that rebirth is already present in the cause namely
karma. If rebirth is considered to be a misery and wisemen would avoid it, then
karma has also to be abjured. Therefore there have been serious students of
liberation or moksa who have counselled absolute renunciation of all action
(karma-sannyasa). This means that these thinkers hold that cause contains the
effect potentially, a doctrine known as sat-karya-vada.
If
on the other hand one follows the counter-doctrine or alternative doctrine that
cause does not
contain the effect, but it is a new product created by
the efficient cause, then the efficient cause has to be inspected as to whether
it can be the cause of the rebirth - this is revealed by all to be desire, kama,
trsna, conscious or unconscious, voluntary in a sense. But when extended to
cover all living which is said to be the 'will to live', then the abjuring of
all desire would be the cause of non-birth. This means a niskama karma will not
produce the conditions for rebirth or in any way stick to a man. The
renunciation of desire is the dharma that has to guide the performance of all
duties, not the renunciation of all karma. Karma then would be the upadana
karana, whereas kama would be the nimitta
karana of rebirth: and consequently niskama would lead to non-birth.
There
are three kinds of karma which the ancient Indian thinkers have propounded, the
nitya (permanent or daily) performance, the naimittika (occasional for one's
spiritual advancement and for paying one's debts to one's ancestors, and gods
on prescribed occasions), and lastly the kamya (rightful desires which are for
progeny, for success in one's undertaking). One is expected normally to perform
all karmas with a sense of
detachment in respect of fruits even. Desires for wealth,
power, glory and knowledge are desires; even desires for emancipation and
spiritual advancement are desires; and there are legitimate as well as
illegitimate desires as well as means adopted to gain these goals. These could
be the cause of pleasure or pain, success or defeat. There are desires to take
further lives to ensure the fulfillment of one's desires or for taking
vengeance.
We
have to take note of karma which is not linked up with rebirth or even in any
way restricting or binding the soul which does its duty by its knowledge of
God's all-pervasiveness or presence and in the light of its own nature
determined by this vision. Such action is capable of making one cross over
death. As the Isa. Up. says, Na karma lipyate nare, and avidyaya mrtyum
tirtva, the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita also says kartavyam karma has to be
performed and the kartavyam karma are nitya-permanent and daily duty – such as
the observance of self-discipline, yama which includes satya, ahimsa,
aparigraha, asteya and brahmacarya which have to be followed as also the
niyamas of Sauca and Isvara pranidhana. These duties
performed with dedication of their results to God or
without any attachment lead to svarupa avadharanam. It makes one know oneself
as a spirit seeking liberation from the cycle of births and deaths. The nitya
works are described in the Agamas as pancakala duties – so that one develops
the conditions of God-mindedness (maccitta) or (man-mana) of the Gita which
helps one to cross over all obstacles (sarva-durgani) through the grace of God
(mat-prasadat). This shows that karma-yoga shows the way to realisation of
moksa through performance of works through dispassion and dedication.
The
naimittika duties are for higher evolution, for sublime happiness. One should
aspire for the attainment of the divine nature. Here desire is sublimated and
made to help the realization of the divine nature. This occasions the
undertaking of tapas (austerity), dana (charity) and yajna
(sacrifice). Svargakama which is certainly a higher sublimated
experience and at one time considered to be the highest that one could aspire
for, a world of light and bliss fulfilled only through sacrifice (yajna).
Of course Brahma-yajna is very important, so too devayajna, pitr-
yajna and atithi-yajna and lastly bhuta-yajna reveal the
highest aspiration for the unity of the triple worlds, bhuh, bhuvah and svar.
In a modern conception this is for higher evolution and births in higher
worlds. Unless one goes to the highest one is said to return to lower worlds –
the earth itself. One is said to return – punaravrtti. If one reaches
the highest Brahman one does not return--na punaravrtti. The attainment of the
Purusottama is said to secure this state of non-return. All yajna is for higher
results. If we consider the kamya-karma these procure results even now and here
such as progeny, kingdoms which have been lost, or attainment of world mastery
or sovereignty. Yagas help these – these are called istis secured by offering
yaga to the gods who could give or work for them directly. Here the results are
not permanent and one may, because of sacrificial killing suffer also, though
there is difference of opinion on this matter. It is only Buddha and Sankhya
that hold yaga to be a violation of the rule of ahimsa. In any case it is
kamya-karma that is capable of landing one in misery of rebirth. The fear of
rebirth is therefore very evident in this conception.
II
It
is a very fundamental question whether rebirth is not something that is not
desirable. Though transmigration to lower types of bodies, such as that of
asuras, animals etc is to be avoided the birth in higher types of bodies such
as devas or of nitya-suris, rsis is something very much desired for, firstly
because such beings are of the purest type, without a taint of sin or bondage,
suddha sattva, ever apakrta, divya. Many seek to prolong their happy existence
even on this planet and wish to be reborn again and again to be of service to
God, or enjoy bliss even in this body. Some do not desire even Vaikuntha for
service of the Godhead here seems to them to be preferable. But some others
even though they express such sentiments seek to attain the state of Brahman or
His world (paramapada) and as Sri Krsna stated that which determines one’s next
birth is the antyakalasmarana – the remembrance at the last moment. This has
therefore to be carefully watched. Since by the axiom that which we desire,
that we become, rebirth is caused by the strongest desire at the last moment or
during last days of a man’s life, for he would have rejected many
things, learnt also what not to desire and what to
desire, and finally would be remembering his sins and transgressions for which
he had to perform prayascitta, expiations and pray for being saved. This is the
place for saranagati, self-surrender which helps him to cross over the birth
into lower kinds of wombs. He is said to become quickly a good soul, a soul
which has decided to help himself or uplift himself, kalyanakrt.
If
unending births with unlimited joys – whatever these may be ‘is desirable’,
then all that is needed is the performance of such actions which bring forth
these results. Proper selection of actions for the attainment of these ends is
important. Thus the Vedic seers knew of karma – divya-karma which led to
results that grant joys or delight. The knowledge that one might have to return
to mortal birth after exhaustion of the fruits of actions was also an incentive
to (i) continuous performance of such karma (yajna) or kratu, and (ii) to discover
that sacrifice which leads to non-return. The second was the self surrender –
and bhakti into which it developed.
It
is possible at this point to consider whether rebirth consciousness does not
entail the remembrance
(smarana or smrti) of past lives or not. One of the
arguments against rebirth is that we do not remember the past life. There are
cases of such remembrances. Swami Vivekananda himself has declared that he
remembers them after performing samyama on that matter. A yogin can remember his
past lives. For others it is a necessity not to remember not only one’s own
past lives but also others as well. Indeed forgetfulness or the necessity to
forget is one of the great incentives to take one’s life or suicide. Apoha or
loss of memory is a great psychological or psychoanalytical fact about which
Freud has written.
If
there is conscious desire or volition to be born again there is also a
conscious volition to forget one’s past. Perhaps it is remembrance that makes
saints speak about their sinfulness through lives. Therefore it is the belief
in this power of will or desire (trsna) that is expressed as the most powerful
force towards realizations of both the good and the bad.
Sri
Aurobindo has in his brilliant work on Rebirth mentioned that continuous or
serial births is one way by which immortality of the soul is being
demonstrated.
The soul is the transmigrator, it is that which has been
moving up the ladder of: evolution through several kinds of births in the
several levels of consciousness from the elemental molecules or matter to the
level of man by their appetitions and later desires and volitions.
Other
seers also have spoken about their previous lives and despite the incredulity
of modern materialists it is clear that one can realize his own past lives
though this realization is bound to be of personal interest alone. This should
not be a reason for dismissing the remembrance of past lives and rebirth
therefore as sheer moonshine or imagination. Our hatreds and lives are verily
based on prior life-histories as Kalidasa himself states. Sri Krsna himself
mentions about his own previous lives all of which he remembers, whereas Arjuna
is one who has forgotten them: janma karma ca me divyam: bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna, tani aham veda sarvani na tvam vettha Parantapa (4.5). In
the Bhagavata he reminds his mother about his previous births in her womb in
her previous births.
Hinduism
always believed in this cycle of rebirths
and births-divine as well as human and sub-human of the
soul. Karma is the cause of these, either as propelled by a divine desire and
divine work, or by undivine desire and undivine work, as of the asuras and the
human beings and sub-humans. To deny the rebirths is therefore to go against
all facts.
The
immortality of the germ-plasm and its continuity does not spell out rebirth
idea. Rebirth in one sense is to speak about the continuous ascent of life. But
it could well be just a cycle of birth and death at every level as such. We
cannot directly affirm or deny the principle of karma-rebirth relation in
biology. All that we could affirm is that lower organisms which are wholes
become parts of larger wholes whilst yet keeping up their wholeness. This
holistic nisus towards larger and more intelligent and conscious organisms in a
polyphasic manifestation is about the most significant factor of organic
evolution. But karma and rebirth are not of relevance at the level of the
germ-plasm. It is the inveterate habit of some thinkers to seek to make Vedanta
or any other scientific study by utilizing phraseology which they hardly
perhaps understand as inapplicable at the lower levels.
All such identifications are bound to be firstly first
look analogies which fail to satisfy under scrutiny. Karma is something deliberately
chosen and not all kinds of acts. As a matter of fact karma has been dealt with
in three forms: 1. Karma-action which is done and it may be either dharma
(righteous) or adharma (unrighteous). If former, according to Buddhism it
severs the chain of rebirth-cycle; according to Mimamsa it is that which
procures svarga: 2. Karma means not knowledge and therefore akarma means
knowledge. Actions which lead to purification of the citta removing its vrttis
is the preparation for non-birth. Thus avidya means karma and vidya means
knowledge. Isa says that by avidya one conquers or goes beyond or
crosses death, whereas vidya leads to immortality or non-death. The third is
called vikarma which is wrong activity. It is this wrong activity that
constitutes the principle of fall (patana). Asuric activities,
transgressions of divine law, egoism and so on are the causes of misery, death,
rebirth into lower wombs. Adam’s fall is due to transgression of Divine counsel
or command. So all transgressions involve death as well as birth into lower
wombs, wombs suitable for the qualities of wickedness
and so on with their resultant miseries and further
falls. There is a hierarchy in the fall as there is a hierarchy in the ascent.
The spiritual evolution is not like the biological evolution by which the
individual soul is made to traverse the whole downward path through a search
for pleasure or enjoyment of nature but slowly discovering that Nature can only
give insecure and paradoxical pleasures and enjoyments attended by the misery
(duhkha of three kinds adhibhautika, adhyatmika and adhidaivika) he gains
wisdom through these anubhavas and seeks to liberate himself from Nature by
withdrawal of Nature from him and or he from her. Science in this field is a
little different and the laws of the higher level could only be by distortion
applied to the lower levels like the biological life. Spirit has different aims
and laws, perhaps remotely correspondential not directly. Swami
Ishwaranandaji’s paper confuses the two evolutions. The samskaras of pumsavana
and simantham at the fifth and ninth months or thereabouts speak about the
special process of entry of the soul into the growing uterus. How far this is
justifiable from our present or current knowledge it is difficult to say.
Further the transmigration occurs through the subtle body
comprising the ten sense-organs, mind and the tanmatras and the Buddhi and the
Purusa, in an infinitesimal state. The lingasarira is that which enters the
body and groups together the gross elements according to the attractions of the
subtle elements and with all the defects earned in the previous life. An
alternative account is given by Plato in his Republic regarding how the soul
selects its next body.
There
is every evidence to hold that there are cases of the subtle or astral body
moving about for a foothold again in some body in some womb. Some inexplicable
cases of monstrous births are results of such wandering souls which yearn for a
body. For the physical body is the only means by which they could expiate their
past or redeem their future. The hereditary principle which tries to question
the rebirth-karma principle is not conclusive. The divine determines the birth
of each soul, according to a complex set of circumstances like the parents karma,
the individual's karma, the conditions under which both karmas or other karmas
as well would work out. Fate there is but it is conditioned by the principle of
grace and the principle of
ascent through aspiration or yearning after liberation
and renunciation of the pleasure principle without hugging the pain principle.
The
soul can exist in a disembodied state, that is to say, without a karma – body,
or a body filled by karma as the Jainas say. To give up the body is to give up
bondage. Such a condition is one of pure spirit. Such a soul is freed from all
kinds of prarabdha, sancita and agami karmas, and lives a spirit. Such a soul
it is stated can get a divine body and also could freely operate in all the
worlds of God without any taint of karma or rebirth. The divine karma of
avataras to which reference was made earlier in this paper reveals that when
the Divine work takes place also the angels or rsis and liberated souls would
be taking bodies to assist the avatara. Ramayana mentions this as also the Mahabharata.
So is it with the disciples and workers who also come with their leaders. So
too their opponents are said to come into the world to oppose the Divine, even
as Zoroaster posited. The purpose of these divine births – of those who
remember their previous lives – is to protect the good, to punish the wicked
and to restore the reign of justice or law
(dharma) in the world. They may suffer much but it is
taken as a consequence of their past misconduct or papa, but as an expiation
for other’s wrongs and sins, or as preparing for the punishment of the wicked
through giving opportunities for doing evil or desisting from it before it is
too late for pardon.
We
can also refer to the two lines of karma – the descending one determined by
desire for low pleasures of the body, and the other the higher line of karma
which seeks higher and divine births through purest aspiration for the divine
life.
In
the higher lines of birth we have a series of births spoken of as the twice
born, the thrice born, the quadruple born and so on. The dvija is one who had
the initiatory sacrament called the upanayana – which in a sense prepares him
for study of the scriptures and also to worship the Divine Sun and Gayatri in
order to go upwards to the next birth – namely of sarana or self surrender and
self offering. The individual is then fit for higher births beyond the
terrestrial world. This is what is intimated in the Isavasyopanisad – sambhutim
ca vinasam ca yastad vedobhayam saha, vinasena
mrtyum tirtva, sambhutya amrtam asnute.
Such
births are invaluable steps which lead to that condition of being without a
body, akayam, avranam, asnaviram etc. These are very important in order to show
that one has to distinguish between karmas that take one down, because such
karmas are pleasure-seeking motivated. There are karmas which lead to higher
evolution because one seeks to transcend all sorrow through knowledge and
devotion. These are important for evolution and liberation. There are karmas
which are divine and do not produce any births. The divine personalities take
births in order to liberate man. Karma does not condition birth but birth
conditions karmas. These later do not come down to be subject to laws of
karma-rebirth sequence at all. They may not elect to do any actions also-either
divine or human. They can be perfect contemplatives-jnanins enjoying their
samatva.
Their
descent can only be through love – for to emancipate souls in suffering from
their suffering. Such loving karma partakes of the divine nature, and can produce
only happiness – sukha, because it is done
with a prayer for the welfare of all – lokah samastah
sukhino bhavantu. It is a blessing.
The
Bhagavata-dharma also speaks of kainkarya or service of waiting on God as the
most perfect expression of karma dedicated to the Ultimate seeking no return
but love of God as an end in itself. Even the desire for liberation is
surrendered because at that level one beholds God as the only object and Him in
all. Na va are patyuh kamaya patih priyo bhavati Atmanastu kamaya patih priyo
bhavati – Not for the sake of the husband is the husband dear but for the sake
of the Self is the husband dear.
Such
transfiguration happens when one seizes the inward divinity of dedicated
activity of the higher lines.
Concluding,
it can be said that biological conceptions are yet in their infancy in these
matters of heredity and evolution. Spiritual truths have been discerned through
revelation and sruti and not by reasoning or laboratory statements or even by
dogmatic Christian or Islamic theologians who have not seriously
weighed the testimony of the mystics. Perhaps there are
hierarchical levels to which the denominational mystics belong who had kept
certain realities of their experiences closed. An open mind can throw more light
on the relationship between karma and rebirth, both higher and lower. It is an
axiom of spiritual experience. It is a moral principle of responsibility. It
does not abrogate at the human level the freedom of choice to do sacramental
acts, or knowledge acts or evil acts at all, with the responsibility of getting
their deserts. But this is an integral conception also and it is in this sense
that one should conceive of it. To deny its operation on the ground that it
belongs to realm of maya also is not to abolish it. Karma or dharma can
transcend maya also if not make use of it for liberation itself when one
interiorises it or turns it on itself or upward even like the Kundalini-kriya.
It
is true that for one who is concerned only with liberation and jivanmukti the
results of karma and rebirth do not hold any terrors. It is not to be construed
that the fear of rebirth is a great incentive to seeking liberation from all
birth. It is perfectly clear that as Silenus the Satyr said to King Midas that
the first best is
not to be born, and the second best is to die at once.
The significant meaning is that every one should seek to avoid rebirth by
knowing the Ultimate nature of Oneself. The second best is to be understood as
the renunciation of all and become a nothing (akincana) or a zero, and avadhuta
who has thrown away all that make one deem himself to be living in the worldly
sense of the term. Dying to possessions and even rights and duties,
(sarvadharman parityajya of the Gita) is to die at once and this will prevent
the formation of the next life itself. This is done by Saranagati, as the great
Sathakopa did show, and earned for himself the name of one who has destroyed
and was the enemy of future births or the potency that makes for it (satha).
Swami Ishwarananda's standpoint of not trouble oneself with karma or rebirth
but to attain the ultimate state is understandable, but not the support he
tries to get from biology or the science and physiology of life.
REFERENCES
Bhagavad Gita
Upanisads that deal with
rebirth & birth. Isa, etc.
Sri Aurobindo: Problem of
Rebirth, Karma and rebirth – higher lines of karma. Life Divine.
Annie Besant: Reincarnation
Wincent Lutoslavski:
Pre-existence and Reincarnation
Plato’s Republic
VISION
IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
Indian
philosophers had a long tradition of searching for the Infinite Reality. Their
first attempts have been fundamental research in many directions. Broadly
speaking they probed the extensive regions of man’s terrestrial globes to find
out the basic substance out of which all elements in Nature have come into
being. They sought for that one substance which constitutes the inward psychic
being in one and all. They also sought to discover the One God who might be
considered to be Maker, the Original Being, who had become the deities of the
several areas of Nature, man and activities of the entire worlds above, here,
and below. The devotion needed for this enterprise was of a rare and arduous
quality.
The
reasons for these attempts are obviously manifold. Some have sought to know in
order to master Nature, man and deities. But it was necessary to know. The
story of these enterprises at knowing the
reality about Nature revealed a great amount of
particular knowledges which pointed towards that one substance out of which all
were produced. The problems of knowing were indeed many. The needed appropriate
knowledge organs or instruments of knowledge or knowing for knowing the diverse
and manifold world. Science grew out of this study of Nature. The attempt to study
the knower who tries to know or seeks this knowledge of Nature led to the study
of the knower as knower as a psychic being. The knower and known in relation to
one another had been an interesting study of cognitive psychology. But the
psychic being or knower has other attributes in addition to knowing even as the
known or Nature has other attributes that being known, therefore the extension
of psychology and science into fields beyond the knowing or knowledge. The
nature of knowing had itself pointed out that the principle that is known to be
at the back of Nature and the Knower is a higher luminous personality ordering
the commerce between these two. This was the Deva or deity that one had to
perceive in order to know fully or adequately. In fact the possibility of true
knowledge or integral knowledge is on account of the
guidance of the deity.
The
ancients therefore had instructed that for all veridical knowledge there are
three ingredients necessary. In actual practice of knowing they instructed that
one should know the seer, who is the Rsi the world that one sees through the
seer-vision, the deva or deity who is the presiding power determining that
world, and lastly the energy that is pervading that world. The last is the
additional fact necessary for the work that could be done with the help of that
force.
The
Vedic seers (Rsis) provided for the fourfold instruments or powers by which
knowledge that is real, integral, and bliss-productive can be had. These are
known as Rsis, Lokas, Devas and Chandas. Every one of these has a
correspondence or in the human body they are each given a particular location.
Thus:
Atri Bhub Agni Gayatri
Bhrgu Bhuvah Vyau Usnih
Kutsa Svar Arka Anustubh
Vasista Mahar Vagisa Brhati
Gautama Jana Varuna Pankti
Kasyapa Tapas Indra Tristubh
Angirasa Satya Visvedevas
Jagati
They are integrated and interrelated within the system.
Later thinkers had further referred these places to the six psychic cakras
(wheels), such as the Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Visuddha,
Ajna and Sahasrara. Which are effective centres of the different powers of the
one Kundalini – the power that is secret and occult within the system, the
awakening of which is deemed necessary for the realization of Union
with the Ultimate Reality.
The
Vedic seers had provided that there are of course four ways of knowing, such as
pratyaksa, anumana, upamana and sabda (amnaya). But each one of them in order
to be true has its application to the respective level of experience. The
proper method of knowing and working at a particular level of experience is to
utilize the seer, and the deva and the energy necessary for knowing properly or
as it is in itself. Though this method was adopted by the seers themselves, the
most important use of the fourfold nature of knowing was in the realm of
institution. Thus before one ever undertook to do any work of real-cognition or
intuition one offered the proper prayer
which is the dedicated preparation for knowing-feeling or
experience of intuition in all its forms. This appears like a ritual
preparation or sacerdotal method, but it was found to be useful and effective
in stimulating the Intuitive Way
of Knowing.
We
have also to consider the difference between the ordinary perceptive way and
the intuitive way. In ancient usage there are two roots i) drs & ii) prc:
to bring into contact with, join, unite. In usage pasya in the present tense is
changed in dadarsa in the past. The transference from one root to the other
requires more than a grammatical idiom-explanation. If we consider that seeing
is later transformed into darsana or knowing through seeing and an element of
memory and former experience goes into the making of a seeing when it becomes
knowing through seeing – from nirvikalpaka jnana to savikalpaka-jnana to use
the language of later thinkers, then we might be able to explain somewhat the
process of grammatical substitution of dars in the place of pasya.
This
takes us to another important aspect, of the levels of knowing. From perception
we move towards
inferential knowledge based on perceptions. We yet depend
on our analogical inferences on perceptions. Therefore the passage from pasya
to darsana is not unnatural. The past tense-use of the latter root is explained
by revealing the latter root to apply only to explanatory of the fact that
darsana means anything like an ordinary inferential knowledge based on the
perception of the senses.
Darsana
seems to have indicated direct Vision without the medium of the sense-organs
and even the mind (intellect dependent on the senses).1 It has
the reference to the internal intuitive knowing. In fact one passes from the
objective knowledge of an object to the subjective knowledge of the same object2, in
order to have an integral knowledge. The transition from seeing to knowing as
darsana is therefore a movement of thought from its outer consideration to the
inner consideration. Here again the transition should not be considered to be
the subject’s (knowers) reaction to the
1 All knowing is of
the mirroring of reality through the senses and mind.
2 Knowledge of an
object as it is for itself (subjective) and as it is for others (objective).
object as subject but a knower’s knowledge of the object
from the subjective point of the object itself in addition.
The
Intuitive or revelatory view of Reality steps beyond the sense-organs and the
intellect or manas. It is the pure psychic way and it is through this way the
several realisations known as Vidyas had been recorded. It is not exclusively
the knowledge of Brahman or the Ultimate One Reality that is the province of
intuitive or revelatory knowledge. The great discoveries and inventions of
ancient times in the realms of art and architecture, of religious and secular
processes of union with the Ultimate or which grant infinite meaning to the
particular and finite seem to have been developed with this intuitive knowledge
of Nature as well as of man and animal.
The
approach to the study of Indian darsanas had in previous medieval periods been
from the point of view of sensory seeing and intellectual reason based on these
precepts and system-building, and therefore they have done less than justice to
the intuitive approach of the darsanas.
Undoubtedly due to the approach undertaken by Gautama
Buddha the philosophical method was more or less intellectual in so far as the
discovery of the causes of suffering was concerned. The means adopted for
overcoming this suffering or for abolishing the causes of suffering were far
from intellectual reasoning or dialectics. It was by a dedication of meditation
(dhyana) which led to the experience of the state of Nirvana which was equated
with non-suffering, bliss, enlightenment, that was of the nature of intuition
or vision. The refusal to accept the vedic pramana was more in respect of the
means adopted to get rid of human suffering, namely, the yajnas, sacrifices
that involved avoidable suffering to other creatures who are not involved in
one’s own suffering or one’s own release. Vicarious sacrifices are unfruitful
in securing liberation.
The
materialistic view denied the reign of intuition or the validity of the Veda or
scripture and was devoted to the perceptual deliverances in regard to matters
of every day. The materialist did not think that perception was insufficient
for man, nor did he require
intuition in respect of perceived things and human
activities. It is not however possible to rule out all intuition even by them
especially when such intuition becomes vision-stimulating perception.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
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