Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 208

8. PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES
similarly a man becomes calm without attachment, when passion is destroyed. तदाह
189
यथा स्नेहक्षयाद्दीपः प्रशाम्यति निरन्वयः । तथा क्लेशक्षयाज्जन्तुः प्रशाम्यति निरन्वयः ॥ Ibid. Such being the ultimate end of man, Sugatakirti comes to the conclusion that all forms of religious austerities are nothing but self-torture.1 He goes on to quote a verse which enumerates the five emblems of folly: the authority of the Vedas, the theory of a Creator, bathing for religious purposes, the pride of caste, and self-mortification.
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वेदप्रामाण्यं कस्यचित् कर्तृवादः स्नाने धर्मेच्छा जातिवादावलेपः ।
संतापारम्भः क्लेशनाशाय चेति ध्वस्तप्रज्ञानां पञ्च लिङ्गानि जाड्ये ॥ Ibid.
Certain other verses are cited by Sugatakīrti in support of sensual enjoyment; and the object of Somadeva is to show Buddhism in an unfavourable light, the theory of nairatmya being represented as leading to materialism. The doctrine comes in for further criticism in Sudatta's reply to Sugatakïrti. The Buddhist monk recognises his alms-bowl, the houses of the donors, and himself as recipient of the alms: how can he then believe in the non-existence of the Self? If a man becomes extinct without leaving any trace, there can be no continuity of life, and such a unique being cannot be compared to anything else, for example, a lamp. Further, if an individual is liable to destruction at each successive moment (for, in the Buddhist view, man is not the same for two consecutive moments), how does he hold together a compact group like that of the sense organs? How can impressions abide in something that is in a state of flux? Somadeva, therefore, declares that the Buddhist doctrine is devoid of all proof, and as such cannot provide a basis for the regulation of dharma and adharma." The Buddhist, after denying the existence of the visible Self, might vociferously maintain the existence of some unseen principle (for example, the skandhas), but his position would be no better than that of the potter who asserted that his donkey had two horns, but his neighbour's ox had none ! Sudatta then attacks the Buddhist doctrine that there is rebirth but no transmigration of a soul.
1 एवं च सति केशोलुञ्च न तप्त शिलारोहण केशदर्शनाशनविनाशब्रह्मचर्यादयः केवलमात्मोपघातायैव ।' 2 ' पयोधरभरालसाः 'स्त्रीमुद्रां झषकेतनस्य See Chap. XVIII.
Vol. II,
3 सोऽहं तदेव पात्रं तान्येतानि च गृहाणि दातृणाम् । इति नित्यं विदुषोऽपि च दुराग्रहः कोऽस्य नैरात्म्ये ॥ p. 256.
4 The Jaina critic misunderstands the significance of Nirodha, and wrongly interprets it as annihilation without any sequel (f). See next Chapter for the correct meaning of Nirodha.
5 संतानो न निरन्वये विसदृशे सादृश्यमेतन्नहि प्रत्यासत्तिहते कुतः समुदयः का वासना वास्थिरे । तत्त्वे वाचि समस्तमानरहिते ताथागते सांप्रतं धर्माधर्मनिबन्धनो विधिरयं कौतस्कुतो वर्तताम् ॥ P. 257.
6 दृष्टात्ययात्तत्त्वमदृष्टमेष प्रसाधयेच्चेद्वचनासरालः । तदा खरोक्ष्णोः श्रुतितो विषाणे विधन्निषेधंश्च जयी कुलाल: ॥ Ibid.