Gandharavada

Author(s): Esther A Solomon
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyasabha

Page 60

sight, but if blown off elsewhere by the wind, can be perceived only by the sense of smell, and if the distance be very great, it may not be perceived by any sense-organ. Similarly, everything merely undergoes a modification, but does not perish outright. The lamp, originally perceivable by the eyes can be perceived by the sense of smell when it is extinguished, so one cannot say that the lamp perishes absolutely in its state of extinction (nirvana). Similarly when the soul attains parinirvana, it attains another transformation of the form of unobscured perfect happiness. Absence of duḥkha (pain) is not bliss, and if a soul is just free from pain (which includes worldly pleasures also) in the state of mokşa (as Nyāya-Vaišeşika believes), it cannot be looked upon as experiencing happiness or bliss. The emancipated soul experiences natural perfect bliss free from a false sense of ego. The soul in the state of mokṣa has perfect knowledge, and is omniscient for all obstructions have been removed. In the absence of punya (merit) and păpa (demerit), which lead to misery directly or eventually, the soul is perfectly happy. Body, sense-organs, etc. are not required for the attainment of the perfection of knowledge, happiness, etc. for these are the very nature of the soul; and body, etc are helpful only when these are obstructed by the karma-veil, but are otherwise themselves a hindrance.*
* All systems of thought agree in holding that ignorance of the true state of things or the misconception of soul in non-soul, is the cause of bondage. Removal of ignorance and realisation of the true nature of things brings about mokşa (emancipation). Of course, the conception of reality is different in each system. This state of emancipation does not fall, as a matter of fact, within the scope of any of the empirical means of knowledge, it can only be directly realised. Yet worldly as we are, we have to resort to language to describe the indescribable. Though the descriptions and terminology may differ, the ultimate goal is the same in all the different systems, as Haribhadrasūri has pointed out. (Samsarātītatattvam tu param nirvāṇasamjñitam; tad dhy ekameva niyamåt sabdabhede' pi tattvataḥ;-Yogadşști-samuccaya, 129. Sadāśivaḥ param brahma