________________
- Essential Philosophy of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism body, the cloud, lightning and thunder are without body (without hands, feet etc). Now as these arising from the heavenly either appear in their own form, as soon as they have approached the highest light, thus does that serene being, arising from this body, appear in its own form, as soon as it has approached the highest light - the knowledge, of the Self. He in that state is the highest person. He moves about there laughing, playing, and rejoicing, be it with women, carriages or relations, never minding the body into which he was born.
Like a horse to a cart, the spirit is attached to the body, Now where the sight has entered into the void, there is the person of the eye, the, eye itself is but the instrument, of seeing. He who knows lets me smell this, he, is the Self, the nose is but the instrument of smelling; He who says – let me say this – he is the Self, the tongue is but the instrument of saying. He, who knows, let me hear this- he is the Self, the ear is but the instrument of hearing. He who knows let me think this, – he is the Self, the mind is but the divine eye. He the Self, seeing these pleasures (which to others are bidden like a buried treasure of gold) through his divine eye i.e. through the mind rejoices. He who knows that Self and understands it, obtains all worlds and all desires." Indra was satisfied by this explanation, went to the gods and taught them this doctrine.
This dialogue is so plain that I need not explain its esoteric meaning. It is on this dialogue that the various sub-divisions of the vedantic philosophy have offered different interpretations. We will take the interpretation of the most prominent Vedantin, Shankara. Shankara says that it is quite true as Prajapati said that the true Self has nothing to do with the body. For the body is mortal but the Self is not mortal. The Self dwells in the body and as long as he thinks that the body is I and I am body, the Self is enthralled by pleasure and pain, it is not perfect, it is not, the
143
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
