Indian Antiquary Vol 53

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 89

APRIL, 1924 )
BHARTR-PRAPANOA : AN OLD VEDANTIN
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theory known as kami-pradhowaa-vada.49 The gradual exhaustion of all worldly enjoyment is obviously impussible; but there is another course open to us according to the Upanişads and that is by attaining to Sutra-hood and in that state participating in universal life. Nobody, according to B., can acquire genuine virakli who has not reached this state, 50 Hence the first aim of a person that is desirous of liberation is to strive to reach this stage. by identifying himself, through upasana as taught in the Upanisads, with the Satra or Hiranya-garbha and carrying on simultaneously the nitya-karmas enjoined in the scripture.61 This is the first kind of samuccaya. It leads to apavarga61 or escape from sashadra,' which B. viewed as distinct from mokona though on the way to it. The soul that has so far succeeded will not be born again, for it has given up all narrow attachment, and its condition then is described as antaraļavastha, (i.e., a condition intermediate between sannsdra and mol-pa). It is there free from all the ills of life. Though the baleful influences of attachment (ásanga), one of its two limiting factors, have then heen overcome, the jivu has not yet realised its true naturo, for avidya, the other factor, persists separating it from Brahman.53 For ac. complishing this further end of overcoining avidyd, samuccaya again is necessary. The precise nature of this second samuccaya, however, is unfortunately not quite clear. One clement in it is certain. The jîva has so far identified itself with only Hiranya-garbha, a part of Brahman; and it has now to realise it as a part thereof. In other words the oneness of the jiva with Brahman--not merely with Hiranya-garbha---is to be known, as taught in Aham brahma asmi. This knowledge is vidyd. But it is not regarded as sufficient by itself to destroy avidya and is required to be coinbined with meditation upon the sutra once again.64 The object of this second clement in the samuccaya is not manifest. It is introduced probably because it is thought that the knowledge of Aham brahma asmi, while it may lead to the conviction that all spirit is one, leaves out of account the entire physical universe. Hence also probably the statement that the meditation now on the sutra (i.e., the adjunct of Hiran ya-garbha) should be, not incrcly as a finite effect as in the previous stage, but as one with thc iufiuitc Brahman, its cause." It seems that karma also las to be perforined here as in the case of the previous samuccaya but in a totally different spirit-not as a means to an end, but, like all else, as one with Brahman." The doer, the deed, its means and its end are all Brahman, for Bralinan is the sole reality. Thus for a pavarga as well as for moksa, samuccaya is necessary according to B.
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A distinguishing feature of Sankara's doctrine is that self-realization is attained directly through revealed texts like Tat tvam asi, for he believes that verbal statements also may yield immediate knowledge According to B.58 and also according to all other Indian logicians, verbal statements, whether revealed or not, can never lead to immediate knowledge. Thus from the formula Tat tuam asi only mediate knowledge is possiblo, but it is not adequate
*9 Bee for an account of this theory, Vdrtika, p. 106, st. 343 ff. See also Manu-omrti, ii, 04, which clearly contains a criticism of it. It is necessary to add that this was formulated not purely as an ethico-psychological theory but in the course of reconciling the teaching of the karma-konda with that of the fridna banda.
50 Soo Vartika, p. 778. st. 1761.
31 Boo Sankara on By. Up.. I. iv, 10 (p. 101); also Tika on Vartika, p. 069, st. 1128-9, and Br. Up., I, i and ü.
83 Cl. Sukarn on Br. Up. III, ii, 13 (n. 416): apavargd khyamantarla vasthan. 53 Sankara on Br. Up. III, ii, 13 (p. 416). Vartika, p. 770, st. 1713, p. 1154, st. 42 34 Ibid., p. 770, st. 1709.
60 cp. Vartika, p. 769, st. 1703. 56 Soo 6.9., Vartika, p. 179, st. 1706-7, of. Bhagavadgita, iv, 24. 67 Soe e.., Varlika, p. 04, st. 200.
58 Ibid., p. 1837, st. 708.