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INTRODUCTION
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first see if it is necessary to have a distinct principle in the shape of innumerable Spirits. And on this score, the first reason that presents itself is the fact that we have not yet got any principle that will supply the factor of intelligence, sentience. Intelligence cannot belong to the Buddhi, the Cosmic Mind, for it is material, being the product of Prakrti which is essentially insentient and what is absent in the cause cannot manifest itself in the product. So we must have a distinct Principle of Sentience.
Secondly. We see in our everyday life that all that is composite is for the use of another, as a bed, a chair, &c. And we have seen before that all the entities from Prakrti downwards are composites. Though this sounds a little absurd as regards Prakrtı, Buddhi and Ahamkāra, yet we must not forget that the body of these apparently immaterial entities is made up of the three Guņas which are as material as anything. Such being the case, we must postulate the existence of an incorporeal entity. And this is Puruşa, the Spirit, and as we have not yet had an intelligent principle, we attribute intelligence to this incorporeal Spirit. This Spirit cannot be composite because it is devoid of the three Attributes, as it is only what is made up of the Guņas that is found to be composite.
Thirdly. We have in daily life found that whatever is naturally connected with either pleasure, pain or delusion, is supervised by something else; and we have also seen that all the entities from Prakyti downwards are made up of the three Guņas, and as such necessarily affected by pleasure, pain and delusion; so these must have a supervisor. And in order to escape a regressus ad infinitum this supervisor must be himself unaffected in his essence by pleasure, etc.; and as such must be something over and above Praksti. And this is Puruşa, the Spirit.
T. i. 4
