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Philosophy - Origin and Subject-matter
occupied by truth in the preceptor-disciple relationship. In Upanisads there occur so many anecdotes indicative of such a persistence-in-truth.
In this connection one cannot help recall that immortal hymn of Išāvāsya :
Hiranmayena patreņa satyasyāpihitam mukham
Tat tvam pūşann apāvīnu satyadharmaya dıştaye // Here the sage prays to the god Pūşan that the latter removes away that tempting coverage on account of which truth is concealed and thus makes possible the attainment of vision which realizes truth.
Why did Siddhartha Gautama undertake spiritual quest for full six years ? The answer is just one-viz. 'with a view to knowing truth'. When Siddhārtha goes for the first time to meet his those former five colleagues who had earlier taken leave of him at the deer-cave forest and the latter are not ready even to listen to him he won them over through just one word. And this one word was to the following effect : "O monks ! Had I ever spoken a falsehood in your presence ?" Those monks were won over just through this single word. What strength characterized this word ? It was one strength and that was the search-for-truth and persistence-intruth,6 We are not unacquainted with the name of Mahāvīra. 1 a-ksatriya undertook a severe spiritual quest for full twelve years. Had he the wish he could have begun the task of preaching from the very first day after his home-renuncition. But he did not do that. Really, these spiritual seekers had their very blood and their very breathing thoroughly permeated with just one truth --viz. that the preaching of fundamental verities cannot be undertaken so long as through one's endeavour one has not completed
estigation of truth and has not gained a full self-confidence. Such an irrepressible and deeply-felt longing for the knowledge of truth has not been confined exclusively to the spiritual investigators. For such a longing is found pervaded in all the branches of learning whatsoever. Thus in case someone is a devoted student of the science of grammar, then he would endeavour to grasp the principles of this science to the atmost possible limit. The same is true of the remaining sciences like astronomy, medicine, economics, etc. etc.
The Meaning of the Word 'Darśana' Investigated
The science of fundamental principles chiefly means the science of spiritual realization (=adhyatmavidyā). The questions pertaining to matters
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Evam vutte bhagavā pañcavaggiyabhikkhū etad avoca--'Abhijānātha me no tumhe bhikkhave ito pubbe evarūpam bhāsitam etam ti, No he 'tam bhante ti araham tathāgato sammāsambuddho.
- Mahāvagga 1.1.7.
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