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686
GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
in favour of Ethics and Morality, there is always a divergence in the various expositions, on account of there being different opinions regarding the construction and the inter-relation of the Body and the Cosmos; and that is why I have divided the exposition of Ethics into three divisions in the third chapter of this book according to the Materialistic, Intuitionist, and Metaphysical view-points regarding the construction of the Body and the Cosmos; and have afterwads considered individually the most important doctrines of each school of thought. Those who believe that the entire visible universe was created by some qualityful Parameśvara, do not consider the question of Morality beyond considering the Commandments of the Almighty as given in their scriptures, or the dictates of Conscience, which according to them, was created by the power of that Parameśvara. I have called this school of thought the 'Intuitionist' (adhidaivika) school; because, a quality ful Paramesvara is after all a deity. Those who believe that there is no invisible Principle at the root of the universe, or that if any such principle exists, it is inaccessible to human intelligence, erect the edifice of Morality on the foundation of the principle of the greatest good of the greatest number or the highest development of humanness, which are visible principles. I have named this school of thought, the 'Materialistic' (adhibhautika) school. Those who believe that there is some eternal and intangible Principle like the Atman at the root of the Name-d and Form-ed universe, take the exposition of Ethics beyond the Materialistic exposition; and they decide the question of the duty of human beings in this world by harmonising the Knowledge of the Atman with Morality or religion. This school of thought has been named by me 'Metaphysical' (adhyatmika) school. The actual practical Morality of these three schools is one and the same; but, as the opinion of each school of thought regarding the construction and inter-relatian of the Body and the Cosmos is different, the fundamental principles of Ethics are slightly different in each school. Just as Grammar does not create a new language, but only finds out the rules relating to the language in ordinary use, and helps the growth of that language, so is the case with Ethics. Ever since the day on which the human being came
