Page Text
________________
Śraman/Jan-March/1999
is it as realistic like Economics, Psychology and Law. Those who take it as idealistic say that its function is not to deal with what is, It is really concerned with what should be. It is not factual but value-based.
Science has to do with thought whereas the concern of art is with the thing created. Sukrācārya says that the means of exchanging views and thoughts is science. Art concerns itself with the object of creation.30 There are those who regard ethics as the art of conduct. Lines and colours make a picture. It is the art of painting. All well-organized systems of producing sound is the art of music. So also the balance and setting of emotions is the art of conduct. Art and science are not wholly discrete. Craft, medical science, architecture and the like are incomplete without being practised. Ethics, whether science or art, has to do with both. Some Westerners like Mackenzie say that Ethics can never be regarded as an art. They say that conduct is a habit, not a skill but art is skill. A righteous man is he whose conduct is unassailable whereas a good artist is one who presents a good picture. One who knows the ins and outs of righteousness need not himself be upright. The perfection of art lies in the finish of the creation whereas conduct has to do with intention.
The Indian tradition disregards Mackenzie's view. Jainism and the Gitä both agree that one who knows moral conduct even without practising it, is righteous. A good man is also tempted sometime, but this does not make him licentious. Acārānga says that a right man, even though committing no sin, has been regarded as righteous simply because of his keen awarenes of things.31 This is what the Gita says, 'Even if the vilest sinner worships Me with exclusive devotion, he should be considered a saint, for he has rightly resolved."32 Further, moral life is certainly concerned with good intention, but its ultimate objective is liberation still. It is also Yoga, i.e. union with the universal soul by means of contemplation. In india ethics is a significant art. It is holy. Without holiness all the arts are useless as without iris eyes are of no use.
Ethics is also a part of philosophy. Science is primarily related to real things. As such it is realistic. There are no postulates in philosophy but ethology does have some. If we were to regard also the review of
128
| SR No. | 525036 |
| Book Title | Sramana 1999 01 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Shivprasad |
| Publisher | Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi |
| Publication Year | 1999 |
| Total Pages | 166 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Sramana, & India |
| File Size | 6 MB |