Systems of Indian Philosophy

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

Page 81

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THE SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
suppression of the transformations of the thinking principle. What is the thinking principle and what are its transformations and what results are achieved by the practice of yoga? As to its power it teaches that the powers of electricity and magnetism are but a drop in the ocean compared with those of the soul when they are fully developed by the practice of yoga. But this is no part of true yoga, although the lower form of yoga does teach how to develop these powers. The scope of true yoga lies in the realization of the immortal part of man and the keynote of this self-realization lies in the suppression of the transformations of the thinking principle. The thinking principle is a comprehensive expression equal to the Sanskrit word 37701:PRUT which is divided into four parts—(i) RAB or mind, the principle which cognizes generally; (ii) fan or individualizing, the idea which fixes itself upon a point and makes the object its own by making it an individual; (iii) 316 91T or egoism, the persuasion which connects the individual with the self; and (iv) gresk or reason, the light that determines one way or another.? Knowledge or perception is a kind of transformation (af ) of the thinking principle into anything which is the subject of external or internal presentation, through one or other of these four. All knowledge is of the kind of the transformation of the thinking principle. Even the will which is the
6. Note how Gandhi concedes the possibility of a practising
yogi acquiring miraculous capacities but at the same time
under-emphasizes this aspect of the matter. 7. In view of the standard enumeration of elements adopted
by the Sankhya-Yoga system fat should not be an element over and above मनस् , अहंकार and बुद्धि-which three are collectively called 27:16. At places of alone is called 3:0 and as a matter of fact the usual practice is to identify fact with gre; as Vachaspati in the Tattvavaisharadi on YS 1.1 says :
F CA 2474:Acui greggeafa.