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The Views Regarding God and the Doctrine of Brahman
val of concealment. In the non-conscious world consciousness does not become manifest because here there obtains total concealment in respect of this qulaity, but in the conscious world consciousness is experienced because here there takes place a loosening of the concealment in question while even in this world consciousness exhibits degrees. The reason for this too lies in the fact that the removal of concealment takes place in different degrees. So far as the quality pure bliss is concerned, it becomes manifest in God alone.
To Vallabhācārya there also occurred the question that if prakrti made up of three guņas is considered to be the originating cause of the world while the Sānkhya teachers have been accounting for the world-inultiplicity on the basis of that alone then what is the point behind replacing that basic element by a new element Brahman of the form of God. This question too has been answered by him. Thus he says that the quality sattva pertaining to praksti cannot account for the experience of pleasure inasmuch as the pradbāna-born creation does exhibit the quality existence at every place whatsoever. If the experience of pleasure and knowledge be possible on account of that quality then they ought to be equally experienced throughout the world. But we find that some one single thing causes to different souls at one and the same time pleasure, pain and delusion while it causes to the same soul at different times pleasure, pain etc. Hence the experience of pleasure, pain, knowledge etc. bad by one should be treated pot as originating from the qualities sattva etc. but as being due to the degreewise manifestation of the capacities consciousness and bliss pertaining to God. Thus in place of the originating cause prakrti Vallabhācārya established Brahman and gave to the same the designation 'Supreme God.19
In the procedure adopted by Lord śrı Caitanya there is no new point so far as philosophical speculation is concerned.
Lastly, let us take up the Saiva teacher Srikantha and see as to what standpoint he adopts in his commentary on Brahmasūtra while establishing Brahman in the form of God. Thus like the earlier teachers Srikantha says that Brahman is of the form of existence, consciousness and bliss but that it is of the form of Siva while the same is God.
However, this God is not a mere efficient-cause of the world as is held by certain Mābesvaras or Saivas but a material-cause and an efficient-cause.
12 Ses Anubhāşya 1.1.3-Tad brahmaiva samavāyikāranam. Kutaḥ ? Samanvayāt sam
yag anuvęttatvāt. Astibhātipriyatvena saccidānandarūpenanyayāt, Námarūpayoh kāryarūpatvát. Prakrter api svamate tadamsatvāt. Ajñanāt paricchedápriyatve. Jnanena badhadarianāt. Nadat vam tv aicchikam eva." Also see Puruşottamaji's Bhāsyaprakādaţikā on the same.
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