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90
PROBLEM OF AVIDYA
[ch.
avidyā is the seed, asmitā (egoism) is the sprout. We have spoken of the mental trace of avidyā. Asmitā (egoism) can be considered as the actualization of that trace. Rāga (attachment) and dueşa (aversion) can be viewed as the necessary corollaries of egoism. Abhinivesa (will to survive) can be taken as the cumulative effect of all the other kleśas (afflictions). The kleśas work together, help each other, and evolve an ego which would live for ever. This will to live for ever is called abhiniveśa. The klešas nourish one another and perpetuate the world process. The Bhāsya says: “The (five) klešas are five viparyayas (perversions). When active, they strengthen the potency of the guņas (viz. sattva, rajas and tamas--the three fundamental elements constituting primordial prakrti), inaugurate evolution, originate the causal chain, and produce the fruits of karman (viz. jāti 'birth', āyus 'longevity and bhoga ‘enjoyment'), being subordinate to one another. The klešas lie at the root of the world process. The equilibrium of prakyti is disturbed by the strengthening of the potency of the gunas i.e. by the elevation of one above another. The evolution begins with the disturbance of the equilibrium. Then originates the causal chain of buddhi or mahat, ahamkāra etc. The whole evolution is for the enjoyment of the purusa and buddhi is the instrument which presents the world to the puruṣa. The evolution lasts so long as the separate identity and absolute disinterestedness of the purusa is not comprehended. But as soon as the purusa is found out to be absolutely untouched and unaffected by the world process, the evolution retraces its steps and becomes quiescent never to evolve again.
Thus we find that according to the Yoga school it is the avidyā or nescience about the fundamental distinction between purusa and prakyti that is responsible for the worldly existence which loses all its meaning and purpose when the truth is realized. The Yoga prescribes various ways for the realization of this truth. But we need not discuss them here in view of their lack of bearing on our enquiry which is strictly restricted to the study of the function of avidyā. Let us now turn to the Sānkhya school.
III
AVIDYA IN THE SAMKHYA SCHOOL There is no essential difference between the metaphysical positions of the Sankhya and the Yoga as we find them in the Sankhyakārikā of Isvarakrsna and the Yogadarśana of Patañjali. The fact that the two
1 See YD, II. 9 and Bhäşya.
2 kleśā iti. pañca viparyayā ity arthaḥ, te syandamānā guņādhikaram draçhayanti, pariņāmam avasthāpayanti, kāryakāraņasrota unnamayanti, parasparānugrahatantrībhūya karmavipākam că 'bhinirharanti 'ti-Bhāşya, YD, II. 3.
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