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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
which shapes the universal phenomena. This necessarily takes one to the field of metaphysics, where mere reason and logic may not prove sufficient to explain all the happenings. Buddha knew this, and he also knew that it was not of much practical use to involve one's energies in such trans-logical discussion. He therefore simply brushed aside all such questions by resorting to the formula of “Anyakrta' which did not either affirm or contradict various metaphysical theories prevalent in his times.
First Arya-satya — With reference to the first fundamental truth that there is constantly some sort of suffering in life, he pointed out that birth is painful, decay is painful, disease is painful and death is also painful. Union with unpleasant is painful and equally painful is the separation from the pleasant. Any craving that is not satisfied, that too is painful. Thus, he pointed out, the very existence is painful because cravings, desires, disease, decay and death are the inevitable constituents of life.
Some thinkers have charged this attitude as unduly pessimistic by saying that it has a tendency to blacken what is dark and to darken what is grey. This, however, is not the proper appreciation of what the Master has meant. If a doctor points out to our disease and suggests a remedy we do dub him as pessimistic. Disease can be removed and life can be made enjoyable, if you have a proper diagnosis and right remedies. Mahā vira also put equal emphasis on the sufferings of existence. But both Mahavira and Buddha showed the way to avoid sufferings and to obtain absolute bliss which brings undiluted happiness and joy. As Dr. S. Radhakrishnanl puts it : "Buddha does not preach the mere worthlessness of life or resignation to an inevitable doom. His, is not the doctrine of despair ? He asks us to revolt against evil and attain a life of a finer quality, an ‘Arhat state.
Second Arya-satya - The second fundamental truth is that
1. Indian Philosophy, Vol. I.
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