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LECTURE ONE
PHILOSOPHY OR THE SCIENCE OF FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
ITS ORIGIN AND ITS SUBJECT-MATTER
(World, Soul, God)
My subject-mattar is pbilosophy and that too Indian. Whatever philosophical speculation has taken place in India, has been preserved in various forms uptil this day, has undergone development and has spread even outside India--of that the history is almost as much - maybe even more - interesting and inspiring as it is long. Here is not the place to discuss the matter in details and moreover I too have my limitation. Hence I want to concentrate my attention exclusively on certain such questions and issues pertaing to this theme as bear a particular importance.
There is neither a beginning oor an end to the length, breadth and depth of the universe and since it possesses no beginning or an end one also cannot say that here lies its middle point. 1 Thus not only the universe taken as a whole but so also a thing considered to be smallest therein or each single event occurring therein is something mysterious and incomprehensible in its total nature. This mysteriousness is so limitless and endless that inspite of so many attempts being made by mankind for so many ages this mysteriousness and incomprehensibility are in a way2 not even yet got rid of fully and in a real manner - nor is there any hope that they will be ever got rid of fully. But on the other hand, man's intellect and his curiosity are two such things that they do not allow one rest unless endeavour is made to fathom the depth of the nature of things considered to be mysterious and incomprehensible. A mere bodily life, physical life or life devoted to a propagation of the progeny is such that however much might be its enrichment it fails to satisfy man's urge for life. The roots of man's urge for life are indeed deep, to wit, these roots are of the form of a knowledge of the unknown and a knowledge of that too in manner free
1 Naivāgram nāvaram yasya tasya madhyam kuto bhavet. - Madhyamikakärikā 11.2 Adāv ante ca yan nāsti vartamāne'pi tat tathā.
-Mandukyakārikā 2.6 Jassa natthi pură paccha majjhe tassa kuo siya ?
-Acāsāngasūtra 1.4.4.3. 2 Yato vāco nivartante apräpya manasa saha.
-Taittiriyopanişad 2.4 Savve sarā niyațţanti. Takkä jattha na vijjai. Mai tattha na gāhiyā.
-Acärăngasūtra 1.5.6.3. Iyam vis rstir yata ābabhūva yadi vă dadhe yadi vä na vā. Yo asyādhya kşah parame vyoman tso anga veda yadi vã na veda,
- Rgveda, Nāsadiyasūkta 10.129.7
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