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THE CONCEPT OF MATTER IN EARLY BUDDHISM
Prof. Angraj Chaudhary
Nav Nalanda Mahavihar, Nalanda In early Buddhism, analysis of matter has been made with an express ethical purpose in view. Buddhist Ethics lays emphasis on getting rid of taṇhā which is at the root of our repeated existence and sufferings of all kinds, physical, mental and cosmic. Tanha is caused by our desire for the various objects of the world. We are attached to the various forms of rūpa (matter) and our passionate attachment to them gives rise to taṇhā. The irony is that no amount of the enjoyment of the worldly objects can quench our thirst for them. The more we have of them, the more we still desire of them. Tanhā, as a matter of fact, is an ever going dynamo; the more it is constantly fed on by objects of tanhā the more it produces ever increasing tanhã.
Lord Buddha, unlike other theoretical Philosophers, was a practical Philosopher and the dharma preached by him contains practical doctrine. Lord Buddha's greatest purpose was to get rid of suffering which are heir to. Suffering, as we have seen, is caused by our attachment to Tüpa i. e. by our chandarāga for it. But we are hardly aware that the rüpa, we attach ourselves to, is in a constant state of flux. Though it looks permanent and unchanging, it is merely appearance. The reality is far otherwise. Therefore attachment to tüpa would inevitably lead to unrest and sorrow. In the Samyutta Nikāya Buddha advises us to give up all kinds of desire and passion in respect of räpa.
Yo, Bhikkave, rupasmim chandarăgo tam pajahatha. 1
Rūpa (matter) is not a samyojana (fetter) in itself, but it is Samyojant ya i.e, it creates fetters. So long as we have ayid greed and passion in our mind for the various objects of the world, we will always be bound by fetters created by them. Therefore if we want to put an end to suffering, we must destroy the various warps and woofs of our passion for the objects of the world. Räpa is productive of fetters that bind the living being to Sarisärika existence. Rupam som yojan iyo dhammo."
It is chiefly and perhaps solely in this context that the Buddhists have made an analysis of matter. Because rāpa is sari yojaniya, so its true nature must be comprehended. Our ignorance of its true nature will make us crave for it, remain attached to it and as a consequence our spiritual progress will be impeded.
There are a number of passages in the Pali canon which describe this aspect of rūpa. It is a source of dangers that arise from attachment to it. How do we
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