Indian Philosophy

SR No.: 001545
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1977
Total Pages: 128
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 9 MB

Page 115

CONCLUDING
REMARKS
Philosophy and Life
What is the relationship of philosophy to life and how does this relationship evolve
-this question has been touched upon in the following hymn of Katha Upanisad:
Parañci khani vyatṛṇat svayambhustasmāt param pasyati nantaratman / Kaścid dhiraḥ pratyagātmānam aikṣad. avṛttacakṣur amṛtatvam icchan //
This hymn says that the sense-organs eye etc. belonging to an individual soul-whose existence is self-established-have the nature of undertaking activity directed in an outward direction. Hence it is that this individual soul first of all comes to know through the instrumentality of sense-organs only the external objects like colour etc. but is not in a position to know the internal soul-that is, its own nature. Even so, there often arises such a attain immortality-that patience-possessing person as seeks to know and With this end in view he is, his own internal and ultimately-real nature. places a closure before the sense-organs that are of form of doors directed outwards-that is, he directs those doors inward and incline them towards having a vision of his own nature. On having done so this person experiences a seeing or vision of his own nature.
The originating source of the philosophical discipline is certainly man, but he has a vision of his own nature not all of a sudden but in a gradual fashion. Just as a baby enhances its knowledge and experience only gradually that is, with the growth of its age, so is the case with the human race. The inherent constitution of a sense-organ is itself such that it first imples man too-as it imples every other species of living beings-to have a vision of the external world. But however much pleasure or enjoyment one might derive from the journey of having a direct vision of the external world man's intellect does not find satisfaction in that. Since this happens the same man makes an effort to free his sense-organs from their operation directed outwards and directs them inwards. And when these senseorgans, having been directed inwards, develop their inherent capacity then them an internal world-that is, the nature of a there appears before internal soul. And the vision of an world culminates in the vision of something immortal- that is, the Supreme Soul. Thus the philosophical discipline too is first preoccupied with an accounting of the external world;