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INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
a citta-continuum wears in a mundane state. Personality is not something over and above the personality factors. This is explained by that famous illustration of a chariot. All the parts of the chariot are taken one by one and it is asked whether they are the chariot. When all the parts are exhausted, there remains nothing that can be called chariot. This shows that there is nothing like chariot over and above the parts. Similarly, personality is not something over and above the five personality factors. Personality factors taken together are called personality.20 This Buddhist contention is in conformity with their doctrine that there is no avayavi over and above avayavas. But there flourished some Buddhist philosophers22 who maintained that personality is something above but not independent of the personality factors. The chariot is something above but not independent of the parts. It is above the parts because none of the parts, taken singly, can perform the function of the chariot, not even all the parts taken together can perform that function. Only when they are properly assembled, they can perform the function of the chariot. Though the chariot is something above the parts, its existence is not independent of the existence of its parts. In the absence of parts, there can never exist the chariot. Similarly, personality is somewhat above the personality factors because it is also not the body, not the feeling, not the concepts, etc. but the proper assemblage of them all. Though it is above the factors, its existence is not independent of their existence. It can never exist in the absence of the personality factors. In nirvāņa there is absence of all the five skandhas (personality factors) and hence there is absence of personality (pudgala).23 This does not mean that in nirvāna there is annihilation of a citta-continuum. The pure citta-continuum without the mask of personality does exist in nirvāņa.24 4. Analogy of Extinguished Fire Explained
In Majjhima Nikāya I, p. 486 a question is discussed as to what happens to Tathāgata after his death. In this context Buddha compares Tathāgata who has attained nirvana to fire that is extinguished when there is no more fuel.
Buddha-O ! Vaccha, if somebody asks you in what direction the fire extinguished in front of you has gone from here - east, west, north or south, then what would you answer ?
Vaccha - Dear Gotama ! this is a wrong question. For the fire
