History of Indian Philosophy

SR No.: 007593
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Surendranath Dasgupta
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication Year: 1922
Total Pages: 2517
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 125 MB

Page 232

VII] Samkhya in Caraka
215 appear? This cycle of births or rebirths or of dissolution and new creation acts through the influence of rajas and tamas, and so those who can get rid of these two will never again suffer this revolution in a cycle. The manas can only become active in association with the self, which is the real agent. This self of itself takes rebirth in all kinds of lives according to its own wish, undetermined by anyone else. It works according to its own free will and reaps the fruits of its karma. Though all the souls are pervasive, yet they can only perceive in particular bodies where they are associated with their own specific senses. All pleasures and pains are felt by the conglomeration (rāśi), and not by the ātman presiding over it. From the enjoyment and suffering of pleasure and pain comes desire (trsņā) consisting of wish and antipathy, and from desire again comes pleasure and pain. Moksa means complete cessation of pleasure and pain, arising through the association of the self with the manas, the sense, and sense-objects. If the manas is settled steadily in the self, it is the state of yoga when there is neither pleasure nor pain. When true knowledge dawns that "all are produced by causes, are transitory, rise of them selves, but are not produced by the self and are sorrow, and do not belong to me the self," the self transcends all. This is the last renunciation when all affections and knowledge become finally extinct. There remains no indication of any positive existence of the self at this time, and the self can no longer be perceived. It is the state of Brahman. Those who know Brahman call this state the Brahman, which is eternal and absolutely devoid of any characteristic. This state is spoken of by the Sāmkhyas as their goal, and also that of the Yogins. When rajas and tamas are rooted out and the karma of the past whose fruits have to be enjoyed are exhausted, and there is no new karma and new birth,
1 This passage has been differently explained in a commentary previous to Cakra. pāņi as meaning that at the time of death these resolve back into the prakrti-the purușa-and at the time of rebirth they become manifest again. See Cakrapāņi on śārīra, I. 46.
2 Though this state is called brahmabhūta, it is not in any sense like the Brahman of Vedānta which is of the nature of pure being, pure intelligence and pure bliss. This indescribable state is more like absolute annihilation without any sign of existence (alaksanam), resembling Nāgārjuna's Nirvāņa. Thus Caraka writes :-tasmimścaramasannyāse samülāḥsarvavedanāḥ asanjñājñānavijñānā nivyttim yantyašeşatah. atahparam brahmabhūto bhūtātmā nopalabhyate nihsytaḥ sarvabhāvebhyah cihnam yasya na vidyate. gutirbrahmavidām brahma taccākşaramalaksanam. Caraka, śārīra 1. 98-100.