Jain Journal 2001 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 51

HARIBHADRA'S VIEWS ON SVABHĀVAVĀDA
AND THE LOKAYATA
RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA
The relation between the doctrine of svabhāva (inherent nature) and the Indian school of materialism called the Cārvāka/Lokāyata is not easy to determine. Quite a few writers beginning with the anonymous commentator of the Samkhyakārikā (sixth century CE) have linked them.] Vidyāranya (fourteenth century CE) in his Vivaranaprameya-samgraha went to the extent of declaring that the Lokāyatika-s considered the doctrine of svabhāva to be the supreme reality (pāramarthika).2
However, there are reasons to believe that such a connection proposed between the two is purely conjectural, having no real evidence to support it. Excepting a few verses of dubious origin, absolutely nothing is known about the doctrine of svabhāva. As to the Cārvāka/ Lokāyata, we are not much better placed. In addition to some abhānaka-s and lokagatha-s (popular verses) we only have a number
1.
Suvarnasaptati The Samkhyakārīkā. Studied in the light of the Chinese Version (of Paramārthal', rendered from the French translation into English by S.S. Suryanarayana Sastri, Bulletin of the Department of Indian Philosophy, University of Madras, 1933. In his commentary on the Samkhyakārikā (SK), v. 27, the anonymous author writes (apropos of svabhäva) : This verse is found in the work of the Lokāyata-s : "What produces the white colour of the hamsas-s (swans or ducks), the green colour of the parrots and the variegated colour of the peacocks, it is from that I, too, am created." (p. 36). The same verse is also quoted by him ad v. 61 without, however, any reference to the Lokāyatika-s (p. 74). It has been quoted partly by Gaudapāda (ad sk, v.6l) and Mathara (ad sk, v.27). The commentary has been restored into Sanskrit by N. Aiyaswami Sastri as Suvamasaptatisastra (Tirupati, 1944) which, unfortunately, is not available to me. Vidyaranya, Vivarana-prameya-samgraha, ed. R. Tailanga, Benares: E.J. Lazarus and Co., 1893, p. 211. The first known verse containing an exposition of the doctrine of swabhava is found in Asvaghosa's Buddhacarita, 9. 59-62. A few more verses lie scattered in various works. A collection of these fragments has long been a desidaratum. I am presently engaged in this project.