Book Title: Outlines of Indian Philosophy
Author(s): M Hiriyanna
Publisher: George Allen and Unwin Ltd

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Page 274
________________ 274 OUTLINES OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY the latter, even at the expense of the former, but securing worldly experience (bhoga) for the individual or bringing about his liberation (apavarga) from the ties of samsāra. We shall later explain the probable meaning of this double aim involved in the evolution of praksti. The order of evolution of the twenty-four principles (tattvas) known to the system, if we exclude the puruşas. which stand outside the realm of change, will be seen from the following scheme: 1. Praksti. nema Lipstega m. 2. Mahat. . .: 3. Ahar-kära. 4. Manas. 15-19. Tanmätras/ 5-9. Sensory organs. 10-14. Motor organs. 20-24. Bhūtas. 4 The complete significance of this scheme and of the various terms used in it will become clear as we proceed. For the present it will suffice to refer to only a few points in it: (i) The evolutionary series includes in addition to what are clearly physical, viz. the five subtle (tanmätras) and the five gross elements (bhūtas), certain others like the manas which appear to be psychical in character, and it may seem a contradiction to make praksti, which by hypothesis is non-sentient, their source. Really, however, there is no contradiction, for the latter are not themselves psychical, but owe that character to the influence of the self, the sole principle of consciousness acknowledged in the doctrine. An illustration may make the Sankhya-Yoga position clear in this respect. A mirror can reflect our features, but the surface of the wall, upon which it hangs, cannot; and yet both are alike material. Similar is the case of the two sets of entities above referred to which, though originating

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