________________
306
A. Wezler
On the Quadruple Division of the Yogasasira
307
differences which cannot be ignored. Terminologically and conceptionally the fourth Noble Truth is distinguished by the fact that it explicitly states that the remedy is not something lying at hand, but that in order to reach the final goal of duḥkhanirodha, one has to take a specific route leading to it. Though the distance to be covered is, quite under standably, not specified, the image of a path forms a peculiar and central element of the Buddhist concept". Of course, there cannot be the least doubt that it is precisely in this regard that the Yogic concept of e means of avoidance , is virtually identical with the fourth Noble Truth; for, the central purport of Yoga is to teach a practice by applying which one is gradually led to vivekakhyati that ultimately brings about the irreversible cessation of the connection between subject and object, i.e. kaivalya But it remains noteworthy that the character of being a process is not indicated by the corresponding term employed in Yoga texts or by the explanations given for it by the commentators ". Inspite of this difference, however, the correspondence between the fourth Noble Truth and the vyäha listed in the last line of our chart cannot but be styled as quite close.
The final result achieved by our comparison of the Four Noble Truths as a whole with the quadruple division of the two Brahmanical Sastras is, therefore, that the correspondence between them can be regarded as even strikingly close, if we make the assumptions noted above with regard to the explanation of Buddhist terms. It must not, however, be forgotten that it is but a systematic correspondence which has thus been discovered. The historical problems evidently involved have still to be taken up for consideration.
Regarding their order of succession the Four Noble Truths per fectly agree with the four vydhas of the Cikitsasastra and those of the Yogasastra as enumerated in the YS and YBhasya In view of the above (p. 297 f.) discussion on the transposition of the last two members common to both, the Vivarana and the USG of Sankara, the Advaitin,
and on the basis of the tentative explanations proposed for the transpo sition in either text, the conclusion that suggests itself is that the traditional order of succession of the Four Noble Truths, strictly observed, as far as I know, whenever all of them are enumerated in Buddhist texts, is like that of the four vyāhas of the Cikitsasastra a systematical one, i.e. reflecting logical stages of analysis, but not stages passed through successively in actual practice.
3.1. A further problem, and to be sure, an important one, not discussed in the foregoing is posed by the comparison drawn in Yoga texts between the science of Yoga and the science of medicine. What I am referring to is the assertion met with first in the YBhäsva that systematically the Cikitsasastra is divided into four parts. This is stated in such a manner that one cannot but gather the impression that the division is a genuine one: it is hardly conceivable that the carurvyahatva of the Cikitsasastra as expounded in the YBhāşya and the Vivarana is simply a fabrication made for the sole purpose of establishing a parallel to the fourfold division of the Yogaśāstra as implied already by the Sätra itself. The whole tenor of the relevant passages has, on the contrary, to be taken to clearly indicate that the caturvyahatva of the science of medicine was regarded by the authors as an indisputable, if not even a well-known, fact they could draw upon, in accordance with the basic function of a drsanta, for the sake of illustration.
But, I think, one can go even a step further and make the assumption that this correspondence is not stated merely for the sake of illu. stration, but that much more is intended by it, viz. to bring the method of Yoga into close systematic proximity to the Cikitsasastra and to inti. mate thereby that it is not merely of equal importance, but that it surpasses the science of medicine in that it does not cure simply an accidental physical disease, but forms the allegedly) only remedy against the ailment every living being naturally suffers from, an ailment medicine is unable to cope with.
That this interpretation does not go too far is clearly corroborated by a well-known Sämkhya text, viz. Isvarakrsna's Samkhyakärikä where already at the very outset, i.e. in Kärikā 1, it is expressly stated that the perceptible means of removal of the threefold suffering have neither an absolutely sure nor a necessarily final effect (drste sapartha cen naikan. tatyantato'bhavar). And there can hardly be any doubt that the commen. taries, above all the Yuktidīpika ", do meet the intention of Isvarakrsna when referring here to the Ayurveda.
3.2. Therefore, it is legitimate to check this assertion of Yoga authors and to ask the elementary question whether this quadruple division is attested in any of the extant medical texts. But before actually looking into any of these works it is necessary to realize a basic problem
37. Note that the expression dukkhanirodhagaminl paripada is replaced by maggo in what Norman (cf. fn. 31a) calls the emnemonic > sets. That this image is met with in the YBh also, viz. on YS 2.26 (p. 205, L. 3 of the edition of the Vivarapa). is most probably due to Buddhist influence (on which in general cf. L. DE LA VALLDE POUSSIN, loc. cit., fr. 22).
38. In this connection cf., apart from passages already quoted, Vivarana e.g. p. 2.23 II. and p. 121, 1. 4 f.: ... kaivalyasya sadhanam samyagdarsanam / yogasddhadni ca yogadvarena samyagdarsanasadhandny eva / ...
39. Cf. fn. 37.
40. In the Samkhyapravacanabhasya (cf. fn. 31) the order of succession has been changed, viz. to roga (= heya), drogya (= hana), roganidana (heyahetu) and bhaisaiya (= hanopdya). This is, no doubt, equally a systematical order, only that the rationale is slightly different, viz.: first the contrary states are named and only thereafter, but with reference to them, the cause and the means, which again form a pair of corresponding entities. The term middna is also noteworthy in that it is used frequently in Buddhist texts, too, though first of all, to denote the cause of mctaphysical ailment.
41. Cf. p. 12, 1. 9
. in R. C. Pandeya's edition, Delhi, 1967.
