Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. X
this creation ?" "Kuta ajātā kuta iyarh visṛstih" ? He himself answers "Nasad āsīn no sad āsīt tadānīm". Next, he asks the question to himself. "Was there deep abysmal waters"? "Ambhaḥ kim āsīd gahanam gabhiram"? He asserts that "there was no death, nor was there anything immortal"." But immediately his mind reacts thus "That one breathed by Itself without breath, other than It there was nothing-"Ānid avātaṁ svadhayā tad ekam tasmad dha'nyan na parah kiñcanā sa". "There was absolute darkness and a sea without light. That one was born by the power of austerity (tapah). The sages (rsis) searching in their heart discovered in non-existence the connecting bond of existence Sato bandhum asati nira vindan hrdi pratīşya kavayo manīṣā."
Thus the Indian Philosophical thought began in the Rgvedic age and passed through the different phases of its evolution, giving birth the six orthodox systems of philosophy, viz. Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta and the unorthodox systems of philosophy, viz. Carvākīsm, Jainism and Buddhism in different ages.
In the domain of knowledge the
ramana-Nirgrantha-Dharma also made a great contribution to the evolution of the metaphysical thought by systematizing the teachings of the leaders of religion as it is revealed in the BhS. The study of this canonical work shows that Metaphysics is something which is correlated with Physics, though the former goes beyond the latter.
Cosmogony
The BhS throws a welcome light upon Cosmogony, i.e. origin, evolution and continuation of life and the Universe by explaining the fundamental principles of Nature that there takes place the transformation of the state of existence (astitva) into that of existence which means the existence of a thing in the form in which it is and that of non-existence into that of non-existence (nastitva), i.e. when a thing undergoes transformation into the
1 Rg-Veda X, 129, 6. N. Tatia. p. 1 Ib, X, 129-.1.
16, X, 129, 4. page no. 2.
Vide 'Studies in Jaina Philosophy', Dr.
3.4 Ib, X, 129, 2.