Book Title: On Quadruple Division Of Yogasastra
Author(s): A Wezler
Publisher: A Wezler

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Page 36
________________ 324 A. Wezler Noble Truths. This was virtually already shown by J. Filliozat as early as in 1934, but his article 99 does not seem to have been given the attention it, undoubtedly, deserved. The conclusion arrived at in the present more comprehensive study does not, of course, « prove » that such an influence of the contemporary medicine on the Buddha is by no means impossible; all I want to say, yet this emphatically, is that this assumption is without any basis whatsoever, i.e. that as to its philological foundation it stands in a vacuum as it were. For, the similarity between the Four Noble Truths and the four parts of medicine, highly suggestive though it is, cannot by itself be regarded as warranting any such assumption: this similarity can consistently be accounted for by assuming a material coincidence arising quite naturally out of the essential element both, physical illness and existence viewed as suffering, do have in common; «for > — to recapitulate what has been stated already above (p. 300 f.), yet this time in the words of Vasubandhu 100 — « that to which one is attached and by which one is given pain and from which one seeks to free oneself, it is that is examined first in the phase of consideration, i.e. the Truth of Suffering; thereafter [one puts oneself the question] "What is its cause (i.e. the cause of Suffering)?” (and thus examines] the Truth of that which causes [Suffering] to arise 101; [then one puts oneself the question] ” What does its suppression (i.e. the suppression of suffering) consist in?” [and thus examines] the Truth of Suppression; [and finally one puts oneself the question] "Which is the way [leading to] it (i.e. to its suppression)?” (and thus examines ] the Truth of the Way » 102 5. The idea of a quadruple division of the doctrine of salvation is, however, not confined to the traditions of Pātañjala-Yoga and of Buddhism alone. It is equally attested in yet another school of thought, viz. that of Nyāya. The historical problems the philologist is faced with are hence even more complicated than was assumed until now in the course of the present study. - 99. JA (1934), pp. 301-7, referred to in HOBOGIRIN, loc. cit. 100. Viz. Abhidharmakośa, ed. by P. Pradhan, p. 328.6-8: yatra hi sakto yena ca badhyate yataś ca mokşam prarthayate tad evādau vyavacāranāvasthāyām duḥkhasatyam parikşyate / paścāt ko 'sya hetur iti samudayasatyam ko 'sya nirodha iti nirodhasatyam ko 'sya märga iti märgasatyam /. 101. Incidentally, this passage in the Kośa corroborates my interpretation of the term samudaya as given above p. 303. 102. Cf. also the verse of the Saundarānanda quoted above (p. 321) as well as fn. 93a. For the « gradual apprehension » (anu pūrvābhisamaya) of the Four Noble Truths cf. also a fragmentary Sanskrit MS from the Turfan discoveries described and edited by E. WALDSCHMIDT, Sanskrithandschriften aus den Turfanfunden, Teil I (Verzeichnis der orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland, hrsg. von W. Voigt, Bd. X.1), Wiesbaden, 1965. p. 294; this passage is of particular interest in another respect also in that it shows close similarity to the passage from the Samyuktāgama (cf. fn. 92) by equally pointing out different causes of disease and different methods of treatment.

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