Humanism of Haribhadra

Author(s): Christian Lindtner
Publisher: Z_Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_1_002105.pdf and Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_2

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The Humanism of Haribhadra
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15. As long as one only thinks of what public opinion requires, one will be
concerned with practical means (only). It is, however, necessary to deepen one's mind based on facts, for competent (or original] opinions do not simply fall down from the sky !
16. If [a thing] that one considers in the light of perception and inference,
does not give any logical meaning, what intelligent person in the world would then accept it ! Surely, milk cannot be had from the horn of a cow !
17. Only those (students) who are capable of being educated (vaineya =
bhavya) by skilled educators can, in fact, be educated. Those who are not capable of being educated cannot be educated [even] by skilled educators. By burning etc., gold that is impure can become gold that is pure. A lump of iron, however, can never become gold even through a process of breaking and burning it.
18. When [a capable student) analyses and understands the meaning [of
what he is told) with the help of tradition (āgama) and reason (yukti), then he may accept it as gold. What would be the point accepting it merely out of partiality ?
19. When children receive sweetmeat from their mother without
considering its bad effects, they will, later on, very much regret having done som-just like a man who receives (false) gold.
20. Ears are made for hearing, language and intellect are there for critical
analysis. If a man does not critically analyse what he has heard, how can he figure out what he ought to do?
21. When a man with his eyes notices poison, thorns, snakes or mosquitos,
he turns the right way in avoiding all these [obstacles]. Thus you must analyse the mistakes relating to wrong knowledge, wrong traditional learning, wrong views and wrong ways. How can any opponent deny this?
22. "Lords" (such as] Rsabha, Visnu, Hara and Hiranyagarbha have never
been experienced [by any person) through the senses. One should learn about their personal virtues from scriptural tradition and then analyse [whether it all makes sense, cf. 18]. Who could have any objection to this?