Systems of Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 71

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THE SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
body, not to the gross body. 50 In the beginning of the creation there was but one subtle body which consisted of the collection of seventeen elements-eleven organs, five subtle elements and the gls, i.e. the great intellect, the understandingsı. But through the diversity of actions later on the one subtle body became differentiated into many52. The subtle body does not exist independently. It has its tabernacle-the gross body for residing therein. As a shadow or a picture does not stand without a support, so the subtle body at death leaves one gross body and passes into another58. It cannot in fact exist independently because its essence is 7794951151 pure light and all luminous ether is seen only as associated with earthy substance 54. The gross body is a composition of the five gross elements55. 14. What aims then. are accomplished by the subtle body transmigrating from one gross body to another ? Kapila says Mr.: From knowledge (acquired through mundane existence) comes the liberation, i.e. the discrimination between soul and non-soul56. Bondage is also one of the aims of this transmigration but it arises on account of misconception57. Kapila altogether discards the theory of the efficacy of works as a means of salvation. To him only knowledge is the
50. SS 3.8 51. SS 3.9; In fact, ir is the eighteenth constituent-ele
ment of the subtle body but as Vijnanabhikshu says it is here treated as included in . Aniruddha, on the other hand, interprets the aphorism itself to mean that the
subtle body is made up of eighteen elements. 52. SS 3.10 53. SS 3.12; SK 41 54. SS 3.13; Vijn. 3.13 55. SS 3.17 56. SS 3.23 57. SS 3.24