Sramana Tradation

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 28

Šramanism As Weltanschauung
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the Suttanipata. It is curious that Yajnavalkya appears to quote here the opininon of some group of thinkers. This is strengthened by the express verse quotation which follows. Tad eșa sloko bhavati || tad eva saktaḥ saha karmaṇāiti lingaṁ mano yatra niṣaktam asya| prāpyāntam karmaṇas tasya yatkiñceha karotyayam | tasmāllokāt punar etyāsmai lokaya karmana iti // Hume translates "Where one's mind is attached the innerself goes thereto with action, being attached to it alone. Obtaining the end of his action, whatever he does in the world he comes again from that world, to this world of action." The reference to the linga or subtle body is highly interesting. Do we have an opinion drawn from the Sankhya tradition? Yajnavalkya describes the emancipation of the soul from this round of birth and death through nondesiring (atha akamayamanaḥ) which comes from its realization of its own highest nature as Brahman. The true nature of the self transcends the realm of Karman na sadhuna karmana bhūyan no evāsādhuna kantyan' He neither waxes through right action, nor wanes through wrong action.' This has an almost antinomian ring and reminds one of Purana Kassapa. Yajnavalkya goes on to say that the Brahmanas, the Munis and the Parivra jakas, all seek this very end. The Brahmaṇas seek it through reciting the Vedas, through sacrifice and liberality; one becomes a Muni knowing it through austerities and fasting. 'Tam etam vedänuvacanena brāhmaṇā vividiṣanti ya jñena danena tapasa'nasakenaitam eva viditvā munir bhavati/ It may be noted that Sankara ends the sentence after anasakena and thus reserves knowledge alone for the Muni. The Parivrā jakas leave home for its sake. The ancient seers (pūrve Vidvamsaḥ) renounced the desire for children, wealth and fame for its sake and took to mendicancy (bhikṣacaryam)etam eva pravrajino lokam icchantāḥ pravra janti etaddha sma vai tatpūrve vidvamsaḥ prajam na kamayante kim prajaya kariṣyamo yeṣam no'yam atma'yam loka iti te hasma putraiṣanayaś ca vittaiṣaṇāyāś ca lokaiṣaṇāyāś ca vyutthayatha bhikṣacaryam caranti yahy eva putraiṣaṇā sa vittaiṣaṇā ya vittaiṣaṇā sa lokaiṣaṇa ubhe hy ete eṣane eva bhavataḥ 'Wanting this very realm, the mendicants abandon their homes. The ancients knowing this did not desire children.' 'What shall we do with children, we whose world is this soul,' thinking thus they renounced the seeking for children, wealth and recognition and took to mendicancy. The seekings for children, wealth and the world are all the same."
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