Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Consciousness Pertains to Physical Elements
kas there is described the view of Ajita Kesakambal who maintained that the soul(=puruşa) originates from four physical elements. From all these references one thing emerges out conclusively-viz. that there was a time when great influnce was exercised by people who, maintaining that consciousness or soul is a transformation or effect of mere physical elements, conducted their life-prectice on the basis of such a position. May be at that time a deep impression was made on the population by a position like that. Hence it was that in later times this position was in a way condemned by being nicknamed 'lokayata (=widespread among ordinary people)'.
Just as there is found mentioned the view that consciousness pertains to physical elements-a doctrine according to which consciousness emerges out of an aggregate of four or five physical elements-similarly there also prevailed in those olden days a view akin to it but somewhat different from it and called 'the doctrine that soul is the same thing as body (=tajjivataccharîravāda)', a view reference to which too is preserved. A literal reference to this view is not found in Upanisads but it is actually found in Jaina Agamas? and Buddhist Pitakas.8 This reference is verily different from that to the view according to which consciousness pertains to physical elements. The meaning of the phrase 'four elements' or 'five elements' is very much well known, and in the later philosophical texts whenever there occurs a refutation of the Carvāka position there is invariably found quoted some old aphorism or other supporting this position."
Now arises the question "What is signified by the 'doctrine that soul is the same thing as body' mentioned apart from the doctrine that consciousness pertains to physical elements' ?" Had the former doctrine been in no sense different from the latter why in so olden days were the two mentioned apart from one another? Viewing generally, the doctrine that soul is the same thing as body amounts to saying that soul and body are nondifferent from one another. Buddha, while enumerating his inexplicable questions, has mentioned the doctrine that soul is the same thing as body and has submitted that just as there is one extreme view that soul is different
6 Samaññaphalasutta in Dighanikaya
7 In the chapter Pondariya-adhyayana occurring in the second śrutas kandha of Sutrakṛtänga the ninth para says 'Iti padhame purisajae tajjivataccharirae tti ahie' while the tenth para ends with the statement 'Docce purisajãe pañcāmahabbhūie tti āhie' Besides, see Sutrakṛtānganiryuktigāthā 30 and in Gaṇadharavada (published by Gujarat Vidyasabha) the doubt expressed by the third gaṇadhara Vayubhuti, p 50.
8 See Buddha's inexplicable question in the Culamalumkyasutta of Dighanikāya. 9 Prtbivy apas tejo vayur iti tativani'. 'Tatsamudaye sarirendriyaviṣayasamjñā'. Tativopaplavasimha p. 1
Tebhyas caitanyam iti. Tatra kecid vṛttikārā vyacakṣate-utpadyate tebhyas caitanyam. Anye bhivyajyata ity ahuḥ.-Tattvasangrahapañjikā p. 205